The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1913-10-18

Aeto ShdfeiS bIeW paie, dnu the small.
or one began 10 cry.
"Not the shirt" he whimpered.
Don't make us take or our shirts"
And at this the men looked az each
other sadly and fell behind so that the
boys were ahead. They had nlnehed
at the ordeal. They could not endure
that most terrible oath wherein the
shirt is removed. and their guilt was
patent to these keen men. They spoke
%gutturally among themselves; then.
without further warning. their rifles
rang, and the little bodies pitched for
ward on the beach.
Two hunters bore them 10 the door
OF Mathlson's house. followed by the
grim braves. and tears raced down
many a wrinkled visage at the sight,
for the children had been blood OF
their blood. and he whom they had
avenged had been hated by them all,
but justice OF the Spartan type reigns
among these hardy people. Moreover.
In the past years they had grown 10
respect the griZzled mar who rules this
great realm from the bridge OF the
white revenue ship and who stood In
their eyes for the grim. unyielding
image OF the law and for the vengeance
Of the other race.
They dug n grave before the Wild
ow's door and placed therein the two
bodies: then the chief went In and
spoke 10 her.
Come forth and look. We have
killed u own sons that your blood
might be avenged"
They took her away from the place
and down the coast TO Port Clarence
to her husbands friend. but further
than that they did nothing save 10
lock up the house and leave things as
they were. for they felt that the news
would travel by the mystic channels
OF desolate lands and that the revenue
cutter would glide around the point
and soon they would have TO face the
wrath OF the white men and, worse,
the accusing eyes OF the old man
whose voice In anger shook every ma
tive from Akutan upward.
How we first heard the ews I
don't know" said the lieutenant. for
we were away up in the KotZebue
country. aud IL was vague. but we
steamed south full speed and anchored
abreast OF the town less than a week
after the tragedy.
"As on our first trip. no canoes put
of TO meet MS. and a deadly silence
was over the place. The gaunt hifis
leaned forward, listening; the birds
seemed hushed, and not a soul showed
till ! landed in the gig. IL was not
long till | had the whole story. and
/ called a meeting of the men. saying
that the captain would be there TO
hear them. Then went back and
told Healy.
at was a strange sight that August
night-the daring light on the gaunt,
broDZed faces that stared so moodily
at us, the agony OF the parents, whose
thoughts were in the grave on the
mountain side. the overhanging velvet
hills rearing up to the starry sky.
The dignity aud the ceremony OF Il are
fresh with me yet. for here NJ last was
the fruit OF that forgotten orgy on
the whaler's deck; here the law OF the
Eskimo met the steel OF the white
mans rule.
The plant OF a distant squaw float
ed 10 us on the air. thick with the
strange odors OF a wild people aud a
wilder land. aud then the oldest chief
arose and spoke.
This was "A solemn time, he said,
and every soul felt that IL marked an
epoch In the history OF the tribe. They
were cold with sorrow for their chill
dren and sick with dread OF what the
future held-fearful OF the wrath OF
the whites.
"He went back and told the story OF
the grent crime so adroltly that ] felt
the hot. impotent rage OF his people in
my veins. felt the hatred dare In me
as 1t had hared In them when the Ka-
naka sailed reeking away. lie pointed
10 the ghostly whale ribs, lighted by
the Gre. and told how his people had
refused TO welcome the missionaries,
but how they had been forced upon
them; how the one grew TO be loved
aud taught them OF the white mans
God and laws and then went away;
how the other had stayed and become
hated; OF how he abused their chill
dren and how they said nothing. Then
he described the deed OF the three
boys, and the pathos IN his deep voice
as he told OF the tribes quick yenge-
ance caused my throat 10 ache and the
Ore to blur before me. What more did
we WaDt2 We had gDOilcd their faith
In their old gods. we had murdered
their men, we had forced a creed upon
them whose teachers they did not
want, and yet for the death OF one OF
these they had wreaked vengeance ON
their own offspring. Two they had
killed, and. although the other had es-
capped, they would offer him as y sac
rihce al2o Surely that was enough
when he had done our old man
stood up. All. there was Il man for
you! I'd have broken down or bun
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