The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1905-01-10

/ ]
banks of a beautiful river. The men
fsted ard the women planted corn in
little hillocks irstcad of in rows.
When they sat down for a friendly
gossip they held their little babies in
their arms or strapped upon their
backs Ore young mother never took
her eyes from the cradle in which her
handsome boy slert When he waken-
ed, she sang to him and called him
Little Bravo" with such love and
tenderness in her voice that the
other women all stopped to listen.
Years passed merrily until Little
Bravo was ten years old. He could
hunt and fish, and his mother was
happy dreaming of the time when he
should be a young man. All her spare
clothes for Little Bravo and his
father, with the result that they out
shone all others of Their tribe. Little
Bravo always wore moccasins of yell
low buckskin trimed with beads and
porcupine quilts. He was q noble,
warmhearted and sunny-tempered
lad. The Great Spirit, however, saw
that the foolish, doting love of his par
ents was running the gift he had given
him.
One summer night the heat hung
heavy over the land.
There will be a storm" said the
father. Where is Little Bravo?"
Down on the river bank asleep"
replied the mother. Il sat by him a
long time brushing away the insects
that bothered him. He had taken off
his moccasins and his feet were bare.
He is very beautiful, our Little Bravo.
VIII carry him in when the storm
comes without awakening him."
The storm soon broke with great
violence. The mother hastenc1 to the
river and just as she was about to
lift her boy vivid flash of lightning
revealed the two hands of the shirt
VINO lives in the water. They reached
up and drew Little Bravo into the
waves. All the mother saw was the
print OF his body GA the shore and
his two yellow moccasins. A scream
brought the father to the spot. They
both dived into the water. though tho
storm ragged. What cared they for
mat! Their Little Bravo had disap.
peared beneath the surface. rinallv
IN heart-broken accents they pleaded.
IN spirit of the river! Give him
hack to us!"
by and by the father arose. and
looking into the sky, said: st is the
VIII OF the Great Spirit. He he's taken
MN away, but will save him for rs
Turning, he disappeared into the for.
est The mother sat by the river for
many days, without food or sleep. kiss.
ing and caressing the little yellow
moccasins. 0"
one night, on raising her ewes 70
tue SKY she beheld the pathway made |
OF star dust which leads to the snirit
ianu. Longing to follow it, she felt
the pressure of small hand upon her
shoulder Turning, she met the smiI.
ing gaze of her son.
oh, Great Spirit. / thank +hoo,
me dead is alive!"
Come, mother" said the bow owo
are to follow yonder path to.nigbt '"
nave come for thee, because thy ween
ing grieves the happy ones.
me mother placed her hand in Tho
small clasp, but said:
Here are thy moccasias. Thou vita
need ttem, the way may be rongh
The boy laughed, and b,ld IN ~,
loot' upon which flashed and glea,. us
of shining gold. ., av dnwu
my old moccasins." he said "anI
.nou shait see low a mother low
snail be remembered. 'o'e
sne placed the little yellow mocoo.
Inns on TIE ground, and plant imra
ilatey sprang up. 1t grew randi
IND on the highest branch tba n LILY
ms were fastened. They sbranI "a
'ize and charged into flowers In ~
ns thelr original shape and colo.
lttle Bravo SAID, See, mother t6nn.
overs = shall bloom on forever bv tbis
inning river. Long etter the rcd LIS snis
las gone they shall bloom - man
wondering, but happy, the mothor