East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-11-28

II my lire WOulu DrlnB Duck you
wife and child and make you believ
in our God, always, would give
to you tonight.
"I feel your grief, for have love
you and have seen you turn ava
from wrong to right. have Wake
at night from my home to your lodg
many times to give you medicln
which cured you. Now l am despise,
by you, because God has called ava.
your loved ones We cannot under
stand.
81 have lost loved ones, and hav,
great faith and great skill. Sickness
comes to all of us. Death is always
in the world. Does not the grass di'
this autumn to spring up with the
first sunshine in three moons" from
now? Does not the alder leaf withei
and die now, but soon bursts out
again? Why do you ask about death
when you, who are older than I
see it everywhere? Pio-pio-mox-mox
you are brave and wise. Why dc
the hills turn brown for few moons
and then are covered in green again
with flowers and blossoms every
where?
"As surely as the sun will rise to-
morrow 1 believe that you will meet
your wife and child and as surely as
the moon will rise again tomorrow
believe that you will meet your wife
and child and as surely as the moon
will rise again tomorrow night, be-
lieve that II is good that God does
for us and not harm. He knows all,
while we are weak children and do
not understand. If l could bring
back your wife and child and make
your faith strong forever. l would
give you my life. Can you ask any
more than this, my own brother?"
The naughty gleam Of the savage
eye had softened to infinite tender
ness. The tightly locked arms which
had been crossed over the breast de-
family, loosened and he wept as
Whitman took both his hands in his
own and looked into his eyes.
do you believe me, my brother ?"
The fire in the tepee was burning
low and the two giant forms stood in
the shadows. There on the outposts
Of the fartherest border of civiliza-
ton, the great questions were be-
ing settled beside that dim tepee fire
that night. All about was the gloomy
grandeur and austerity of wild ma
ture. Death with its awesome warn
ing and menace, savagery with its
misconceptions and limitations. lent
distraction to the scene.
"Do you believe me, my own
brother?" pleaded Whitman, still
holding the bronzed hands of the old
savage in his own and piercing his
very soul with his searching gaze. He
knew that o-pio-mox-mox's word
was a bond that no combination of
circumstances could break. Once
given it was as steadfast as the sun
but would 1t be given? Had the last
great calamity and the loud clamors
of his tribe turned him forever away
from the true God and released the
savage instincts of murder and
butchery?
Not word was spoken for a time
but the two strong men stood beside
the corpses of the wife and child and
looked into each others eyes. 81
have said I would give you my life
II it would bring back your wife
and child" said the missionary
what further pledge of my honor do
you wish?"
Releasing his hands from the clasp
of DR.. Whitman. Pio-pio-mox-mox
turned to the couch where lay his
dead child and said with a slow and
determined voice: "Dr. Whit'an, ]
am looking into the face of my dead
child whose death has torn my heart
Let her be my witness Let her hear
my words. From where the moon
now stands in the sky behind the
clouds, will be true to you. My peo-
pie shall hear my words for peace.
What you have said is good. Our
God is just"
Before the words had fallen from
the lips of the savage, Whitman had
knelt before the fire and poured out
such a prayer as never mortal
tongue poured out in thanksgiving
and enraptured Joy.
"Pio-pio-mox-mox, can trust my
life in your hands. Nothing shall
come between you and I while the
sun shines. I will come tomorrow
and pray for your dear wife and child
and we will lay them to sleep on the
hill. Good night" and the bent form
Of the missionary slipped into the
darkness and started across the
lonely hills toward his sleeping Wall
latpu long before the dawn broke
through the storm.