Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1909-11-04


longer than man may last, lying
helpless without food or drink, the
old Indian, whose malady was mad
ness, now, lay in wait until he saw
Weiga enter the lodge, bearing food
and water for the sick man.
From that day the Ojibway spoke
not a word TO Weiga-He was now
gone mad with a sullen, murderous
madness, born of jealousy.
One moonless night when his son
was away, when his watchful wife and
Weiga were sound asleep, the old In
dian stole out TO where the Algonquin
had pitched his tent. Meniseno's aw-
full malady had robbed him of none
of the inherent caution for which the
bush-tribes are famous. Without the
crack OF a twig. scarcely with the
rustic OF a leaf, he had approached
to within ten yards OF the tent. when
suddenly from the rear great moose
appeared and stood at the door. The
old Indian, mad as he was, was terror
stricken at this unexpected apparition.
The thing served in a way to sober
him, and he demanded of the moose
what God 1t stood for,-Gitche. the
good, or Mitchie, the bad,-but there
was no answer. Then it occurred to
him that it was only a moose which
could be easily frightened away. I'm
fastening his blanket, the Indian
opened it and shook it in the face Of
the mute monarch of the woods. The
moose's answer was the stamp of one
great foot and a loud "whoof," that
froze the Indians blood, causing him
to hurry back to his hogan.
But the Ojibway was not to be de-
MED. Lifting the heavy Ratchet he
carried in his hand, he let drive at
the forest of horns that frowned at
the front Of the moose. The willy bull
lowered his head and the charges of
the moose, whose advances the old
Indian was now lodging with .
strength and agility peculiar to mad
ness, brought the Algonquin to the
door Of the hut.
At sight Of the sick man the Objib-
way threw caution to the wind and
ran towards the door; but the mon
arch nosed him vigorously, sending
him to his back ten feet away.
The sound of the battle that had
called the sick man from his couch
had also awakened Weiga, who was
running through the forest with the
speed of the wind.
BY the time the Objibway, still
clinging to his Ratchet, had gotten to
his feet and faced the four-footed
god on guard over the Algonquin,
Weiga was Immediately behind her
enraged father. The young Indian,
watching from the threshold, saw
Weiga fling herself upon Meniseno,
and saw the latter throw her off as
easily as the great moose might toss
a dog.
She staggered to her feet and start
ed for the insane old man, who with
lifted Ratchet. made another desper-
ate effort to reach the object of his
wrath.
Forgetting his illness, and all I'M
mindful of the menacing weapon that
was glistening in the starlight. the
Algonquin darted beneath the nose of
the moose, caught Vega, and dragged
her into his tent before the old man
could realize it.
Outside the battle went on. The
merciless hail of iron upon the antlers
of the moose maddened him until he
was fairly blind with rage. With a
quick turn of his great head the
moose caught the aged Indian, lifted
him, and tossed him high up in the
trees.
When the body crashed back tc
earth the old moose snorted new de-
fiances, but the old Indian lay quite
still The splendid animal shook his
aching head. stamped a front foot
furiously, but his adversary had quit.
Softly the Algonquin called his
champion, and the big beast turned
slowly and approached the door, as
faithful dog might come to be petted
and patted for good work
They made a light-the man and
the woman-and went out to gather
up the broken thing she had called
father. To their surprise he was still
alive, and they bore him in and laid
him upon the bed wherein he would
have murdered the Algonquin. Soon
he slumbered heavily.
When day arrived, and the old man
awoke, his reason had returned He
had been mad, he said. He had at
tempted to take the life of a stranger,
but Gitchie Manitou had come in the
form of moose and fought with him.
He tried to move his limbs, but they
were broken. All the bitterness was
gone; all the hatred of the Algonquin
had passed away.
A. the aged Indian grew weaker
the Algonquin grew strong.
Finally, one twilight when the Sep
TENDER sun was sinking, when the
summer bloom was blighted and the
autumn leaves were drifting over the
placid bosom of the limpid lake, the
light of the aged Indians life went
out, leaving a lone woman rocking to
and fro. his head in her lap.
BY the banks of Lake Temagami,
where the winds whisper in the moss