Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1917-02-22
Rose and Emily iWebber, who lived
over on Chestnut street.

over on Chestnut street.
They made wigWams from barrel
Ytaves, broken boxes and branches,
and they set up a totem pole
that bore the head of wolf which
they had carved from a box cover.
But for some time they had no
chief. They all knew that there
should be Chief but somehow it
WAS a subject whid III no one cared
to bring UP. 1t was Peggy Dyer
who finally spoke out.
Zone of you boys ought to be
chief;' she said. 1T is nonsense to
play Indians without having a
Chief"
That's all very WE'LL" spoke up
Paul, "but who is it to be. / ann
willing for any of the boys to be
chief, but / don't know which one
to vote for. Go and ask the others. ;"
Each Of the other boys said a.
bout the same thing. They tried
, to settle by contests of one kind
and another, but while one was
best in one line another was equal
ly proficient in another
| They could not select the oldest
| boy, for Jimmie and Joseph, the old
est were twins.
Let's go to Miss Horne said
| ne
her grade. and Well have her tell
us who has had the best marks
the last month, and that one shall
be chief. To this they all agreed.
1t was Saturday afternoon and
they knew they should find Miss
Horne at home. So the whole
tribe marched to her door, armed
with bows and arrows.
Peggy acted aus spokesman and
told her why they came to her.
My, N.Y." she exclaimed. You
want me to select your chief? How
can l do it? They are all such
fine boys, too. Joe is best in
drawing, and Kenneth in history
and Jimmie in Arithmetic and John
in writing and Paul in geography
But in spelling dear me. How
would it do to have spelling
match to see which one shall be
chief?
l Will give you only words we
have had this term. IN come over
to your tepees a week from this
afternoon and We'll have the con-
test Will that do?"i
The boys laughed 1t seemed a
joke on them, for Miss Horne had
tried in vain TO arouse their i'm
terest in spelling, but they agreed
that the plan should be carrie d
out.
Such a spelling match as took
place at the Wolf tribe totem pole
the next Saturday afternoon. The
four girls We're spectators and en-
| joyed the contest rather more than
the boys, especially when Joe fail
ed on 'tomahock, and Kenneth on
'mocasin."
In short time only Jimmie and
Paul We're left standing Jimmie
missed separate, and Paul who
spelled it was pronounced chief of
the Wolfe Tribe
| Then a shout Went up from all
the others and Peggy brought a
feathered headdress that the girls
had made and put it on Paul's
head.
Probably NO Indian Tribe ever
selected its chief in just that way
before, but the members OF the
Wolfe Tribe will tell YOU that the
plan has worked Well, and that
Paul is just the warrior for the
place.
AS for Paul, he says he is going
to resign after month";, that the
tribe can have another election.
Miss Horne agrees that it will
be Il good plan to have frequent
elections, as the boys are becoming
quite interested in spelling.
j. G. Minot.
\ SONG OF WINTER.
Sing, a. song of winter,
When coolest weather comes;
Four and twenty snowbirds
Picking UP the crumbs
When the crumbs are eaten,
The birds fly to "a tree;
Isn't that Il pretty sight
For any one to see?
Then one snowy morning
ThaV find a Sheaf inf whaat