Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1912-08-29

vi NhC ohtt I'll tA.-ee - D
wary, experienced warrior, was a
Pottawattamie. named Elksfoot,
who was well known at all the
trading houses, and "garrisons" OF
the northwestern territory, in
Guiding Michigan as low down as
Detroit itself. The other red man
was young Chippewa, or O-jeb-
way, as the civilized natives Of
that nation now tell us the word
should be spelled. His ordinary APP
pellation among his own people was
that of Pigeonswing; name OBJ
tanned from the rapidity and length
of his flights. This young man who
was scarcely turned Of five-and-
twenty, had already obtained a
high reputation among the num-
erous tribes of his nation, as a
messenger, or runner"
Accident had brought these four
persons, each and all strangers to
one another, in communication in
the glade of the Oak Openings,
which has already been mentioned,
within half an hour of the scene
we are about TO present to the
reader. Although the rencontre
had been accompanied by the usual
precautions of those who meet in
a wilderness, it had been friendly
SO far; a circumstance that was
in some measure owing to the in
terest they all look in the occupa-
ton of the bee-hunter. The three
others, indeed, had come in no diff
ferent trails, and surprised lie
Bourbon in the midst of one of the
most exciting exhibitions Of his
art-an exhibition that awoke so
much and SO common an interest
in the spectators, as at once to
place its continuance for the mo-
ment above all other considerations.
After brief salutations, and wary
examinations of the spot and it's
tenants, each individual had, in
succession, given his grave at
tention to what was going on, and
all had united in begging Ben Buzz
to pursue his occupation, without
regard to his visitors. The con-
versation that took place was part
ly in one of the Indian dialects,
which luckily all the parties APP
peared to understand. AS a matter
of course, with a sole view to
oblige the reader, We shall render
what was said, freely, into the
vernacular.
"Let's see, let's see, stranger"
cried Gershom, "what you can do
with your tools. I've heer'n tell Of
such doin's, but never seed bee
lined in all my life, and have a
desp'rate fancy for larnin' of all
sorts, from 'rithmetic to preachin.' s"
"That comes from your Puritan
blood" answered leBourdon, with
quite smile, using surprisingly
pure English for one in his class
of life. "They tell me you Puritans
preach by instinct"
81 don't know how that u.s." an
swered Gershom, though i can
turn my hand to any thing. heer'n
tell, across at Bob Ruly OF SIGH
doin's, and would give a weeks
keep at Whiskey Centre, to know
how twas DONE"
"Whiskey Centre" was asobri-
quet bestowed by the freshwater
sailors of that region, and the few
other white adventurers Of Saxon
origin who found their way into
that trackless region, firstly on
Gershom himself, and secondly on
his residence. These names were
obtained from the intensity Of
their respective characters, in
favor of the beverage named.
Leau de mort, was the place
termed by the voyageurs, in sort
of pleasant travesty on the eau
de vie of their distant. but still
well-remembered manufactures on
the banks OF the Garonpe. Ben
Boden, however, paid but little at
tention to the drawing remarks
of Gershom Waring. This was not
the first time he had ever seen the
man himself. His attention was on
his own trade, or present occupa-
ton; and when it wandered at all,
it was principally bestowed on the
Indians; more especially on the
runner. OF Elk's foot, or Eiksfoot,
as we prefer to spell il, he had
some knowledge by means of u-
NOR; and the little he knew rem
dered him somewhat more indif-
ferent to his proceedings, than he
felt towards those Of the Pigeons
wing. OF this young redskin he
had never heard; and, while he
managed to suppress all exhibit
ton of the feeling, lively curios-
ity to learn the Chippewa's BUSH
n