River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-04-23
A Tale of the
Vanishing
People
By REX BEACH
Copyright by Rex Beach


and the wonderful magic of the night
over all. AS we drew nearer the
unusual sounds Of a strange merry
making came to us. the soft thudding
of drums. the weird melody of the
dances, the stir and conf .lsion of dense
animal life. In the daylight 1t would
have been picturesque. but under tie
wizard hand Of the darkness it be-
came ten times more so.
when | finally tied my horses and
led the girl into the heart Of it | think
she became a bit frightened. for these
Indians were the Sioux of q bygone
day. all barbaric and primitive in hab-
it and dress ana c~oloring-an atavistic
race which had shaken off some three
score years. or some thirtyscore for all
we knew.
II guided her through the tangle of
canvas habitationS, through glaring
fire lit circles and through black
voids, where we stumbled and felt our
way. rubbing shoulders with fierce
warriors or sullen squaws. At every
group asked for Running Elk. but he
was one of the shifting thousands, and
nobody knew his whereabouts.
AT II time we came upon a sight
/ would gladly have spared her, the
spectacle of some wrinkled hags
strangling a dog. The girl at my side
stifed a cry at the vision.
What are they doingY she gasped.
Preparing the feast, | told her.
do they-really'-
Yes said |. They eat them.
Gomez l tried to force her onward,
but she would not stir until the sacr1-
fee had been dragged to the flames.
where other were smuggling
among the pots and kettles. From
every side came the smell of cooking
mingled with the odor Of burning hair
and flesh. | could hear Miss Hartman
painting as we went on.
After an endless search, during
which we circled half the great hoop,
we came upon the trail Of our man
and were directed to a nearby tepee.
| lifted the flap and peered within,
clearing a view for Miss Hartman.
I'VE beheld a circle Of half naked
braves in full regalia, squatting
haunch to haunch, listening to a story
fusion of blackened pals and vessels
filed with something steaming, into
which they dipped their naked fingers.
Their faces were streaked and foul
with traces Of the dish; the air of the
place was dead and reeking from their
breaths. My eyes were slower than
Alicia's, and so / did not distinguish
u quarry at first, although a slow
sigh at my ear and a convulsive clutch
at my arm told me that he was there.
And then l, too, saw him. 1t was he
who was talking and to whom the 9TH
ers listened, but what a change two
years had wrought! His voice was
harsh; his face through the painted
daubs and streaks was coarser and
duller than when l knew him; his very
body was more thin and shrunken than
in the past.
HE finished his tale while we were
staring at him, the circle broke into
commendatory grunts, and he smiled
in childlike satisfaction at the i'm
preston be had made. He leaned for
ward and, scrutinizing the litter Of
sooty pots, plunged his hand into the
mess.
Miss Hartman stumbled back into
the crowd a pace or two, and her
place was taken by a squaw.
81 Pun niop Nib 7 ooIlnd nu0r thu
heads of those next the entrance, and,
seeing my face against the night. he
arose and came out, stepping over the
others.
How do you dor l said. You
haven't forgotten me, have your
He lowered head and shoulders
above me, his feather headdress add
ing to his stature, the beaded patterns
Of his war harness bright in the light.
"'No. no. | will e forget you.
doctor. You-you have been sick?
The change in his speech was as
marked as In his body and habits. He
halted over his words and mouthed
them he%sitatingly.
Ives, pretty sick. And you-what
are you doing?
81 do what the rest do said he
nothing. ] have some horses and a
few head of cattle; that is all
Are you satisfied with that sort OF
life?' | demanded sharply, at which
be hesitated an instant before answer
ing.
eyes, l am satisfied. l am an In
diam
And so your education didn't do
you any good after all?
This time he paused a long while
before answering.
- have Dreams said he, many
dreams. But l am a Sioux, and you
told me that dreams are out of place
in an Indian. so | hope to forget them
along with all the rest
"A woman's voice which | did not
recognize called to me sharply, and as
| went Running Elk bowed bis head