Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1918-03-15
By JACK LONDON

Copyright by Jack London


grievOus, and the fireside mood eX-
banded to a constant protest against
lts bleak loneliness, the adventures
from the Southland, in lieu of better
paid the stipulated prices and took
unto themselves native wives. 1t was
foretaste of paradise to the women
Tor 1t must be confessed that the white
rovers gave far better care and treat
ment to them than did their Indian
co-partners. OF course, the white
men themselves were satisfied with
such deals, as were also the Indian
men for that matter. Having sold
their daughters and sisters for cotton
blankets and obsolete rifles, and trad
ed their warm furs for flimsy calico
and bad whisky, the sons of the soil
promptly and cheerfully succumbed
to quick consumption and other swift
diseases correlated with the blessings
OF a superior civilization.
1t was in these days of Arcadian
simplicity that Cal Galbraith Journey
ed through the land and fell sick on
the Lower river. 1t was a refresh
ing advent In the lives Of the good
Sisters Of the Holy Cross, who gave
him shelter and medicine. Cal Gal
braith became troubled with strange
thoughts. which clamored for atten-
ton till he laid eyes on the Mission
girl. Madeline. Yet he gave no sign,
biding his time patiently. He
strengthened with the coming spring.
and when the sun rode the heavens
In golden circle, and the JOY and
throb Of life were in all the land. he
gathered his still weak body together
and departed.
Now Madeline. the mission girl, was
an orphan. Her white father had
failed to give a bald-faced grizzly the
trail one day. and had died quickly
Then her Indian mother, having no
man to fill the winter cache, had tried
the hazardous experiment Of waiting
till the salmon run on fifty pounds of
flour and half as many of bacon. AZ
ter that the baby. Chook-ra, went to
live with the good sisters. and to be
thencefOrth known by another name.
But Madeline still had kinsfolk, the
nearest being q dissolute uncle who
outraged his vitals with inOrdinate
quantities Of the white mans whisky.
He strove daily to walk with the gods,
and incidentally his feet sought short
er trails to the grave. When sober he
suffered exquisite torture. He had
no conscience. To this ancient vaga-
bond Cal Galbraith duly presented
himself, and they consumed many
words and much tobacco in the CONVEX
sation that followed. Promises were
also made; and In the end the old
heather took few pounds of dried
salmon and his birch-bark canoe and
padded away to the Mission of the
Holy Cross.
1t Is not given the world to know
what promises he made and what lies
he tOld-the sisters never gossip; but
when he returned, upon his swarthy
chest there was a brass crucifix, and
In his canoe his niece Madeline. That
night there was a grand wedding and
a potlach; so that for two days to fol.
low there was no fishing done by the
village. But In the morning Madeline
shook the dust Of the Lower river
from her moccasins, and with her
husband, In polling boat, went to
live on the Upper river in a place
known as the Lower Country. And
In the years which followed she was
good wife, sharing her husbands
hardships and cooking his food. And
she kept him In straight trails, till he
learned to save his dust and to work
nightly. In the end, he struck II
rich, and built cabin in Circle City;
and his happiness was such that men
who came to visit him in his home
circle became restless at the sight of
1t and envied him greatly.
But the Northland began to mature.
and social amenities to make their
appearance. Hitherto, the Southland
had sent forth its sons; but 1t now
belched forth a new exodus, this time
Of Its daughters. They did not fail
to put new ideas I'm the heads Of the
men, and to elevate the tone Of things
in ways peculiarly their own. No
more did the sQuaws gather at the
dances. go roaring down the center
In the good, old Virginia reels, or
make merry with jolly Dan Tucker"
They fell back on their native stoi. |
cism. and uncomplainingly watched
the rule Of their white sisters from
the cabins.
Then another exodus came over the |
from the prolific Southland. |
This time II was Of women that be- |
came mighty In the land. They frown.
ed upon the Indian wives, while the |
other women became mild and walk. |
ed humbly. There were towards who
became ashamed Of their ancient GOV.
enants with the daughters Of the
soil, who looked with new distaste
upon their dark-skinned children; but
there were also Others-men-who re.
NAMED true and proud of their abor
lginal vows. When 1t became the fash.
lon to divorce the native wives, Cal
Galbraith retained his manhood. and
in so doing felt the heavy hand Of the
women who had come last, knew least,
but who ruled the land.
One day. the Upper Country, which
lies far above Circle City. was pro-
nounced rich. Dog teams carried the
news to Salt Water: golden argosies
freighted the lure across the North
Pacific; wires and cables sang with