The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-06-11
How Ellen Came To Steal
The Indian Baby
BY David MacGregor Cheney

%fLN EVER was a day brighter. or sky bluer
HI or life jollier, than the morning when
little ElGns papa and mama took her to
nothing but weave baskets and sell baskets and
sing strange songs all the day through. Never was
little girl happier, for that matter than was Ellens
own sweet little self all spick-and-span and dainty
in her pretty little frock, from the crown of her
curly head to the tips of her little black shoes.
And never was ride over the sunlit hills and be-
tween the meadows of gold butterc1ps and white
daisies more beautiful.
At last the white tents of the Indians came
in sight, and Big Jim got down to hold the horses
heads; papa got down to lift his grille out and
mama stood by to kiss her when she was lifted
down; and Ellen's little feet kicked with impotence
to be set upon the ground, while Big Jim smiled
and smiled, and showed all his shining of
ivory teeth. Then some folks came up to talk with
papa and mama; Big Jim unhitched the horses and
led them to a neighboring brook to drink; and
Ellen was left alone with the caution not to wan
der far, for papa and would be back in a
minute and show their baby everything But Ellen
waited and waited and waited-oh, and ever
so long! as she thought-until she couldn't wait
any longer, and scampered away to the first big
tent just to peep in.
Oh, it was regular fairy1and for Ellen in that
big tent Arranged in great circle there were
long, clean boards covered with dingy shawls and
set on barrels. On the boards were baskets-heaps
OF baskets, of every size and shape and color that
partial to baskets-why, even then, as she
peeped in the door, Ellen held basket cutched
tightly in her little dimped hands and in that bas,
ket there big, square soda-crackers of course!
So, being interested in baskets, Ellen tmidly en-
tered to look about.
There were more baskets on the ground under
the counter and still in the back of the tent!
There carved Indian boy dolies and girl dollieS
and canoes, and bows and arrows, and oh, every
thing! But back of the counter her eyes caught
sight of something still more interesting. There
great heaps of sweet-grass of every color
of the rainbow and in the midst of it Ulla-Ulla,
the squaw, sat and sang Indian ballads, and wove
the baskets for her husband to SELL Ellen looked
up. into the dusly face of the Indian who was
selling bow and arrow to a tai gentleman for his
little boy, but the Indian did not her. and,
within, Ulla-Ulla sat and wove and on.
Ellen could not resist the temptation any longer;
she darted under the counter and in an instant
was beside Ulla-Ulla the sweet-grass, and the un-
finished baskets. Utta Ulla smiled and then laughed
and Ellen smiled and laughed too Ulla-Ulla was
a happy Indian, and contented with her lot; but
she knew no English except yes and "no'--the
only two English words she could even try to say
and mo" go a great way when wisely used. So
she stayed at the back of the tent squattng there
for hours, and wove sweet-scented grasses into
gorgeous baskets and whach little Sparkling Eyes,
her only child and pride Of her heart, doing away
the hours snugly wrapped up and fastened to
board that either leaned against tree swung
arily from its branches
DO you make all those baskes?" Ellen began, the
her little heart felt at speaking to real, truly
Indian creeping into her voice.
YES, grunted Ulla- Ulla-ony she pronounced it
"yah"
do you always live in a big tent?" Ellen ventured
again.
Ulla Ulla watched her face sharply to see whether
YES mo" required in answer and finally said,
ah, which not true at all, Ulla-Ulla would
have known could she have understood better what Ellen
had said to her
Just then Ellen caught sight Of little Sparkling
out under the tree in the sunlight The flaps the back
of the tent that served for doors fastened back
with wooden thongs, that the afternoon sunlight
might stream into the Indian home and through this
opening Ellen saw the baby SO still and quiet there In
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