The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1915-10-21
CHAPTER w.

went on Brlck. Ineys no
breaking up and enriching land
that amt never bore nothing
but buffalo grass without | have picks
and spades and plows and harrers. |
got to get my tools to begin"
She stiffened herself You needn't
be afraid I'll cry. | want you to hurt
me. IL that the way"
ut amt like a pain In the stomach.
Lahoma. All l gets for you will be
some books"
Books? What are books?"
"Books3 Wilcox rubbed his bushy
head In desperation. Books? Why.
they is just thoughts that somebody
has ketched and put In a cage where
they can't get away. II you want to
be civilized you got TO lasso other peo-
pies thoughts-people as has went to
and fro and has learned life-and you
got to dehorn them ideas and tame
EN-"
Lahoma examine; him with new in
terest Are you civilizedy" Her coun-
tenance fell
Not TO no wide extent. but | can
ford tolerble deep stream that would
drown you. honey can write my
own name and yours too. | reckon.
Lahoma Gledware-yes. I'm toler'ble
well versed on a capital G: you just
make gap with flying tail to It."
my name not Lahoma Gledware,"
she interposed IN some severity. MY
name Lahoma Wilcox. Beautiful name
lovely. like fower-Willock. Cali me
Lahoma Willock-like song Of little
stream: Gledware-hard, rough"
Brick Wilcox stared at her I'm amaze
ment "Whered you get that from?"
my name Lahoma Willock-Red
Feather tell me-
He smoked in silence, putting rapid
ly. How came you to be named La
homa Willock?"
Iahoma suggested thoughtfully. IAN
white people named WillockY
There's a few"-Willock shook his
head-"with less agreeable names. But.
after all. I'm glad you have my name
Well honey. this is enough talk about
being civilized. Now let's make the
first move on the way. You want to
see your mothers grave and lay some
Of these wild flowers on II. That's
part of being civilized. caring for
graves is. It's just savages as forgets
the past and consequently never learns
nothing. Come along. Them mecca
sins will do famous until can get you
81 nj l 90
a pony the first time | ventured to
Doan's store. and it'll carry you II l
have to walk at your side. Well make
a festibul march Of that journey and
lay In clothes as girl should wear
and books to last through the winter"
Wilcox rose and explained that they
must cross the mountain. AS they
uaversed 1t he reminded her that she
had not gathered any Of the flowers
that were scattered under sheltering
powders.
"whyT' asked Lahoma. showing that
her neglect to do SO was intentional.
well. honey, don't you love and
honor that mother tnat bore so much
pain and trouble for you. travelling
with you in her arms to the Oklahoma
country, trying to make a home for
you up there In the wilderness and at
last dying from the hardships of the
plains? Amt she worth few dow
ersT'
"She dead. She not see flowers. not
smell flowers. not know"
Wilcox said nothing. but the next
time they came to clump Of bios
SONS he made u nosegay Lahoma
watched him with face as calm and
International as that OF Red Feather
himself
What you do with thatT" She point
ed at the flowers In his rough hand.
I'm going to put 'em on your moth
er's grave"
"She not know. not see. not smell
She dead: mother dead"
"Iahoma, do you know anything
about GodT'
"Yes-Great Spirit God make my
path white"
somebody remembers your mother. It's
God that smells the flowers on the
graves OF the dead"
They walked on. Pretty soon Laho-
ma began looking about for towers,
but they had reached the last barren
ledge, and no more came In sight
Take these. Lahoma."
NO Couldn't fool God" They be-
gan the last descent wilcox sudden
ly discovered that tears were slipping
down the girls face. Suddenly she
cried joyfully. "oh, look. look" She
darted toward the spot at the foot %
a tall cedar where purple and white
blossoms showed In profusion. She
gathered an armful. and they went
down 10 the plain.
Her heads toward the west" be
said as they stood beside the pile Of
stones. LAhoma placed the flowers at
the western margin OF the pyramid
Wilcox laid his at the foot Of the
grave.