Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-02-06

no more OF the captive white women.
The four condemned brooded in their
wigwams, with eyes gloomy, with hair
unkempt Among the squnws, hot dis
content was working They greeted
even those who brought them rations
with black looks and menacing GEES
lures. And all-wnrriors as well as
squaws-got up with the sun and paced
along the log walls like prisoned ami
mails, wearing deep rut into the
earth.
Throughout the winter they had been
contented enough with their lot. In no
other winter had they enjoyed such free
dom from labor and care, such health.
comfort and abundant food. But now
the grass was grazing high The
new leaves were opening. The willows
were in bud. The wild fowl were back
and nesting by the river and slough.
In lonely ravines the antelope Kids
were bleating- proof that it was the
killing season of the pronghorn. And
here the village was yet shut in pen
like pigs!
soon--it might be any day-the four
chiefs would be dragged out to die by
the rope. If the rest were sent away,
would it not lie TO some reservation!
And If by chance they got free? Their
ponies were gone. Where could they
get others? Then It would he late In
the summer perhaps. on what would
their women and children live! There
would be no dried meat for pemmican,
no caches of roots or berries, no pack
cd fish, no smoked tongue no bGckfat
nothing. And all would 90 hungry.
The post saw how terrible was the
ferment among the hostage crew and,
following David Bonds last visit to
the stockade, had used extra precau-
tons. The officers families never en-
tered the sliding pane now, but climb
ed a ladder and viewed the Indians
from the safe height of the board walk.
An armed escort went with the rations
| on issue days. The sentry beats were
halved, and the number Of watchers
thus doubled. And every night de-
tail entered and rgidy searched each
lodge to see that no brave was trying.
after the fashion of the badger, to bur
row a way out. SquaW Charley alone
was exempt from any new ruling. for
he came and went when he chose.
Yet he had changed in no less degree
than his brothers, though in different
way. The word from Medicine noun
tain had been blow to CULVER under
For months the outcast whose loyalty
the Pillow Woman boosted had been
slipping from his old time fealty to
her, made false by his dream of win
ming back his rank. In Il moment he
had seen his chance for honor wiped
out. Before him again there lay only
woman's work. curses, beatings and a
life with the dogs-evon worse. to see
her whom he coveted going to Stand
ing Buffalo,
He could bear the curses and the
cruelty. He could sit quiet under the
ridicue that outraged the childish van
ity OF his kind, He could thirst. He
could starve. But. returning to the
roof one night, he had prowled yearn
ingly past her lodge and had come
upon her and her new lover standing
cheek to cheek, close wrapped in q
single blanket.
And SO this night, while the warrior:
watched the sacred track upon the sky
he made his way TO the river. Fol
there he meant 10 plead the God o
David Bond that he scnl him a chance
for valor-a chance to slay. Out il
the starlight. therefore, he fell upol
his knees.
But before his simple mind haC
framed his petition there entered
thought that puzzled and alarmed. III
, Bond was a God of peace, who frown
ed in awful anger upon lighting ant
bloodshed. The preacher had said SC
. Had taught Thou shalt not kill" IIa'
taught that no answers We're vouch
=. safed to wicked prayers, but punish
ments instead. How, then. could
, prayer OF that kind be sent to him?
The outcnst was dismayed.
,, Then came happier idea. The Coz
Of David Bond, being God OF peace
why trouble his ear? Why not pra.
| this one prayer for blood to the grea
spirit he had served before-the grea
: spirit who marked out the destinies o
the DakOtas, who was ever strOnges
in times of war?
. Hurriedly Squaw Charley got to hi
= feet and ran to the edge Of the bank
where there were climbing lengths o
grapevine. Degraded, he might not us
= tobacco for rite. But the great spiri
: would understand. In the dark hi
hands felt for and found dry stall
He snapped off a finger length of it.
A second to take flint and steel fror
his buckskin pouch Another to lgh
the bit of vine Then
. But he did not sit upon the groun
q with crossed legs Neither did he pu
J. upon tho vine. He let it go out instead
And sank hesitatingly to his knees
n for, again, he had remembered.
a David Bond had said; The re-
J. mans god Is poor and stingy. He let
e his people want and starvc. He let
u enemies triumph over them and do
q stroy. But the God of the white ma
l. is rich and good See how generousl
a. he gives to those who serve him. Ye
s. lest you anger him, have none othe
because he is Jealous Cod
l. He might not pray to either ther
ell He lifted despairing eyes and sa'
$, above him, diyinely luminous. tn,
IS sacred path, glitterng white with ii
"a Fastening spirits Of the dead.
He put ragged sleeve across h
kn ctn