The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1915-07-26
Bedtime Stories
For Little Folks
THE INDIAN PIPE.

arrows, while out on the prairie the
men were having a game of some
thing like football.
Presently small boy ran up to the
old woman and showed her a strange
flower which was shaped just like a
pipe. She took it in her hand and
smiled at the lad, who sat down on the
ground at her feet, knowing that a
story would be coming from the grand
mother, for she always told a nice
tale when she looked at anything odd
and smiled.
Once upon a time, she said, looking
far off across the prairie, when the In
dians had just come to this country to
live, it was the most beautiful place
on earth. The mountains were clothed
in majestic forest, the plains covered
with waving grass, the woods full of
deer and the rivers of fish. So the
Indians were happy and roamed free
at their Will
One day there came to an Indian
village a strange looking man, who
dressed in the skins OF a northern
land. But he seemed hungry, so he
was fed and lodged with kindness.
In few weeks there came a great
drought. The sun poured down day
after day, the leaves turned brown,
the grass Withered and the animals
fled to other countries for water. Not
a breeze stirred the air.
The strange man went to the chief
of the tribe and told him that it might
be that this sorrow had been sent on
the Indians because of their kindness
to a Wanderer
Il have been trying for a year to
escape the sight of my brother, the
North Wind" said the man. He is
anxious to get the pipe | smoke, for it
will preserve forever the life of the
one who uses it continuously for TWEEN
ty years. My father never cared to
use it, but left it to me, and my brother
has followed me about the world to
rob me of my treasure. l feel sure
he is in some way connected with your
weather and l will at once set out for
the home of the Rain King to see if |
cannot aid you before too late.'
When the moon arose the stranger
put on his moose moccasins and set
out over the prairie. The Indians
watched him until his form faded into
the sky. Then they went back into
their tents, but the man kept on his
way. At last, almost dying with thirst,
he stood on top of tall cliff that lift
ed its head above lake in the north
ern woods. There, standing on the
rock, he lifted up his hands to the
Rain King and chanted a weird hymn.
His petition was answered. for
clouds began to gather in the sky, the
lightning to dart its flashes across the
earth, and the thunder to peal like the
roar of a mighty ocean. Then from
out of the cloud there came a voice
asking what this daring one could
wish.
THE people who have sheltered me
are dying FOR lack of water" sang the
man, unmoved by the raging of the
tempest around his head Il wish TO
bring them the rains again"
Il will never send them rain as long
as you are with them and keep the
magic pipe" roared the Rain King.
Your brother, the North Wind is a
friend of mine, and l have promised
him to punish all who shelter you"
The stranger held his pipe avove
his heard for a moment, then clasped
it lovingly to his breast. Il have cher
ished you tenderly," he moaned, "as
palL VI my lit uOp6u 10 i've lOI
centuries and devote my days to bet
tering the condition of my people, to
teaching them the ways of industry
and happiness. But it is not for me.
The noblest of mans deeds is sacri-
fee for others-let me set the example.
Here on this rock l give up my magic
pipe, and with it my life, for feel my
strength is gone"
Thrusting the pipe into a hole in the
cliff, the man lay down with his face
to the sky, and in a few moments his
spirit had fed to the happy hunting
grounds. The Rain King saw the
deed, and, filed with pity, gathered his
clouds and rolled away to the Indian
land in the south with his pouring tor
rents. Down came the rain on the
lands, the grasses grew green in the |
night, the trees tossed their branches |
about in glee, the rivers flowed, sing
ing between their banks, and the |
herds returned to the forests-the land