The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-10-05

banks of beautiful river. The men
fished and the women planted corn
In little hiilocks instead OF In rows.
When they sat down for little friend
iy gossip they had their little babies
in their arms or strapped upon their
backs Ona1 young mother never took
her eyes from the cradle In which her
handsome boy slept When he awak-
ened, she sang to HIM and called MIN
Little Bravo with sucn love and ten
derness In her voice mat the other
women ait stopped to listen.
Years passed merrily until Little
Bravo was ten years old. He could
hunt and fish. and his mother was
happy dreaming of the time when ne
should be q young man. All her spare
moments were spent in emproidering,
with the result that they outshone all
others of their tribe Little Bravo al
ways wore moccasins of yellow DUCK
skins, trimmed with beads and porcu-
pine quills
One summer night the neat nuhg
heavily over the land.
There will be a storm" said the
father. where ia Little Bravo?'
Down on the river bank asleep, re-
Piled the mother. Il sat by him long
time brushing away the insects that
bothered him. He had taken off moe
casins and his feet were bare. de 10
very beautiful, our Little Bravo. 1
will carry him in when the storm
comes, without awakening him
The storm soon broke with great
violencs- The mother FASTENED to- the
river, and just as she was about to
HIT her boy, a vivid flash Of lightning
revealed the two hands of the Spirit,
who lives in the water. They reached
up and drew Little Bravo into the
waves. All the mother saw was the
print OF has body on the shore and
his two yellow moccasins. A scream
brought the father TO the spot. They
both dived into the wafer, though the
storm ragged. What cared they for
that? Their Little Bravo had disap-
peared beneath the surface. Finally.
in heartbroken accents. they pleaded:
''Oh. Spirit OF the Eiveri Give him
back to us!"
BY and by the father arose, and,
looking into the sky. said: 1T Is the
will Of the Great Spirit. He has taken
him away. but will save him for u.s."
Turning. he disappeared into the
forest. The mother sat by the, river
for many days. without food or sleep.
kissing and carassing the little yellow
moccasins.
One night, on raising her eyes to the
sky. she beheld the pathway made of
star dust which leads to the spirit
land. Longing to follow 1t. she felt
the pressure of a small hand upon her
shoulder. Turning, she met the snail-
ing gaze of her son.
"Oh. Great Spirit. thank Thee. The
dead is alive."
Come. mother" said the boy. I'VE
are to follow yonder path tonight. I
have come for thee. because thy weep
Ing grieves the happy ones"
The mother placed her hand in the
small clasp, but said.
Here are thy moccasina- Thou
wilt need them--ths way may be
rough.
The boy laughed, ana held I'D his
moccasins Of shining gold. Lay down
my old moccasins," he said, and thou
shalt see how mothers love shall
be remembered.
She placed the little yellow mecca
sins on the ground, and a plant i'm
mediately sprang up. IL grew rapidly.
and on the highest branch the moe
casins were fastened. They shrank in
size and changed into flowers, keeping
their original shape and color. Little
Bravo said: See, mother, these fiow-
ers shall bloom on forever by this
shining river. Long after the red man
has gone they shalt bloom"
Wondering. but happy. the mother
followed Little Bravo along the star
strewn path to Spirit Land. Not many
moons later, from the midst of battle.
the father Joined them.
All this long en- The To-