The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1904-07-29
FARMvILLE, VA, FRIDAY, JULY 29. 1904

hideous grin OF BACK wings upurned
face Knocked her from the seething
suds a stifed groan seemed 10 rise
from the Kissing steam The warm
stream that trickled down her arm was
only water. but the red. clotted pools
were still vivid In her memory. Howe
had killed Black Wing. Was she this
white woman's slave OF was she Black
Wings squaw? Before nightfall the
question was definitely settled in her
mind. The victuals always left for her
10 take home 20 warm over were tied
into her apron under which the wsted
knife still hung.
the indian BOY grew stronger each
day with the Tecupcratiye power OF a
Wild thing. Day In and day out he
loitered idly around the white house,
and sometimes doubt arose IN the
mind OF the white house woman as TO
the effects OF this ill-assOrted friend
ship between the two boys. Once, as
she saw her son turn and fling he on
across the brood ->Ouldors Of the In
Fan lad in evident affection. she
anched Iusunctivcly Since their baby
hood they had tumblcd over the porch
together. squabbIcd. fought and played
like brothers-this bue-oyed rollick-
Ing young Saxon and the swart, 1.-the
ahorigine
There were many new squirrel traps
devised new schemes for spearing FISH
and snaring small creatures in the
/ forest. and enthusiastic preparations
for a deer hunt in the mountains be-
fore the young fellows vacation should
end
Wen leave all these things just az
they are till we get back from our trip
10 Redwood creek" Hal said one day,
as he planned his outing with the In
dian. "and finish them when We have
more time" The Indian did not an
swer The moon was bright and the
young fellows blue eyes shone with
the light Of future hopes and plans
The hunting trip was prolonged from
one week to two. then three Al the
end of that time Halls mother began
10 grow uneasy At the expiration Of
the fourth wcolt when the Indian re-
turned without young Howe. conster-
nation spread throughout the town.
Ragged. eaunt. blrofooicd. half
starved. the Indian had arrived In the
village. telling ~ a fierce storm. sepa-
ration from his comrade and weeks Of
search and danger 10 find him In The
impenetrable forest Search-parties
we're quickly formed. and the noun
talns and lagoons secured IN the hope
Of finding the boy.
Il can't believe anything has hap
pened 70 him." Halls mother repeated
day after day when the searchers re-
ported failure at every turn. She
would not let her lips form me word
dead" Il can't Oh. can't"
Snra knew the pangs of this wom-
ans soul She had learned that tone
and look when Black Wing lay dead
before her But she regarded the
white. stricken face In stole silence.
II was now late in the summer All
search Tor young Howe had proved
fruitless. His mother. suddenly old
and feeble from grief and suspense.
stood. one day. looking toward the bay
In a blind hope The Indian came
swinging slowly toward her The boy
had been found II was on Indian is
land. a knife-wound gapod in his
breast. HIS wide blue yes were up
turned in a mockng grin. and the grass
around him was clotted and red.
Again there was no swooning. no
overt demonstration Of grief Weeks
Of suspense had taught the family in
the white house stole endurance.
Slkra came every week 20 do the
washing as usual. while her son loi-
tered near the cedar trees One even
ing he brought the hearthroken wom-
an what he considered a rare present.
n melon Of prodigous size. The In
dian sat down silently and slowly and
carefully he cut H. II was a trihe over
ripe. the rich. red heart cleaning as
with blood. The knife with which he
dextrously sliced the melon was ugly
looking. broad and fiat. and the deer
horn handle broken. as II by desper-
ate struggle when last welded
The woman did not recognize II.
you are a good boy" she said abb
sently 10 the Indian. "to do these little
kindnesses TO Halls mother. San
/ Francisco Areonaut