Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-06-21
CHAPTER v.
The Burning Bush.

Among the Indians, before boy
gets rated warrior. he goes alone afoot,
naked. starvin' thirsty. way OF to the
back side Of the desert. Thar he just
waits. suns, weeks, maybe whole
moon. till tho Big Spirit happens to
catch his eye. Then the Big Spirit
shows him . stick. or . stone. or any
sort Of trinin' common thing. which
is TO be his medicine. his wampum.
the charm which guards him, hunt.
ing, or In war.
Among them Bible Indians you'll re.
member feller called Noses, out at
the back side Of the desert, seen the
Big Spirit In . burning bush. Later
his tribe Get up . medicine lodge, and
the hull story's mighty natural.
This Indian life explains q lot to
men like me.
Many ind peace In death, only q
few in life. and I found peace thar in
the wilderness, the very medicine of
Almighty Father.
And found wealth. Seems there's
many persons installing dollars for
some sort Of wealth. I've had few
at times by way OF samples. the things
which you're apt to be selfish with,
or give away to buy self.righteousness.
Reckoning with them produces the
feeling called poverty. They're the
very stun and substance Of meanness,
and no man walks STRAIGHTFORWARD.
Dollars gets lost. or throwed away,
or left to your next Of dn, but they're
not q good and lasting possession.
like 'em, too.
found peace. I found wealth, yes,
and found something moro thar in the
wilderness. Sweet as tho cactus for
est In blossom down Salt River is
that big memory.
It was after I'd found the things
Of happy solitude. I'd gone TO work
then for the Bar 7 outfit, breaking
the Lightning colts. We was out q
few weeks from home. taking IN out.
At Of ponies - far % the Mesa Abaho,
and one night camped at the very rim
rock Of the Grand Canyon. Tho Ma
vajo Indians was peevish, the camp
dry, grass scant, herd in a radish
mood, and night come sudden.
I'd Just relieved man to get his
supper, and rode herd wide alert. ]
scented the camp smoke. saw the
spark Of ere glow on the boys at rest
and heard their peaceful talk hushed
In tho big night. They seemed such
triflin' critters full Of fuss since dawn,
50 small 40 insects at the edge of
nothin', while for miles beneath US
that old, old wolfy Colorado River was
playing the Grand Canyon like a I'D
der. But the river in the canyon
seemed no moro than trickle in a
crack. hushed BY the night, while over
head the mighty blazing stars-point,
swing, and drive, rode herd on the
milky way. And that seemed no more
than cowboys driving stock. Would
God turn His head to see His star
herds pass, or notice our earth like
some lame calf hating in the rear?
And what am !, then3
That was my great lesson, more
gain to me than peace and wealth of
mind, for was humbled to the dust
OF earth, below that dust Of stars. So
e very humble thing. not worth pray.
ing for, at least I could be master of
myself. I rode no more for wages, but
cut out my ponies from the Lightning
herd, mounted my stud horse William,
told the boys goodby at Monticello,
and then rode slowly north into the
British possessions. SO come at last
to this place, an old abandoned ranch.
There's none 30 poor in dollars as to
envy ragged Jesse. or rich enough to
want to rob my home. They say
there's hidden wealth whar the rain
bow goes to earth-that's whar live.