Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1925-09-30
Big Loon
Post
BY George Van Schaik.)

GAS to the child" he said. "tba
whole of day has not passed vet
since he was taken awav. and he
may be living yet. This man, Chr
ran, says that he is willing to take
thee for wife and care for the
child, if it is found, and for thee and
thy people"
II said to him that if anv ona
should bring it back to me ali that
! could give would belong to the
finder" she answered duliy ~T a.
him bring me back the child and
will be his woman if he wants me
"Yet care no longer whether II
be dead or living, for 1t was a mart
OF happiness that is all gone
happiness which woman could onjv
purchase with suffering. have paid
too great a price for the days that
have gone.
II am thy daughter, for thee to
barter away if thou hast a mind. 7
would I knew I might be a curse on
any man that took me to wife. Then
they would leave me alone"
She was growing excited again.
for her arms were trembling and her
breath came in short gasps.
II tell you l care nothinGl Moth
ing for the dead man who was q liar
nothing for the whelp Of a harl /
care nothing for any man-for all
arc liars! Let me alone! Talk to me
no more! Arrange all things be-
tween yourselves! Give me peace
for time, or / also will seek the
deep water! What care l whether /
am with the windegos of hell or with
the men that make hell here? Leave
me alonep
She went out of the room with de-
FAINT head held upright, her finger
nails driven into the palms of her
hands and teeth clenched. trvinn tn
CCflUroI ners5II; ~TE sne mad a long
ing to rash to the river and seek So
lace in its dark food.
When she reached her fathers tent
she threw herself upon the blankets,
exhausted by excess of suffering.
The wife Of old Nimissuts gently
stroked Ameou's forehead without
saving a word, for even the women
of savage people have ways such as
some of their white sisters may
think belong to themselves ex-
clusively.
Her gentleness had some effect,
and by and by the younger woman
was pouring out to her the story of
the last bitter moments she had gone
through.
There be liars in all places, Anne
ou," said the elder women ."But
Lorimer Yellow Hair was surely one
whom all must believe. Be not too
ready to trust one against the other.
What other lie has Yellow Hair ever
told thee or any one?"
"This one that he is deemed to
have told comes to thee from the
mouth of Curran To me it is like
the defling of cache by the filth of
wolverine. Is not he the man who
sells drink that takes mems speech
away or gives them foul talk? How
did Scarface get that which drove
him crazy? Has there not been talk
of the pelts he keeps to his own uses
vet pays for with the company's
goods ?"
Aneou rose on her elbow. A ray
of hope had entered her heart. She
stared at the woman.
"Did Yellow Hair ever do any OF
these things" continued the wife OF
Nimissuts excitedly. ooh, Ameou
What kind of a woman art thou to
believe all that a man like Curran
saws because a dead man can no lon
Der speak for himself? Have a care,
child. lest thy baby be still living
and the spirits Of the Manitous may
deem thee unworthy of it and let it
perish instead of bringing it back to
theew
"But | saw the writing of the wo-
man who spoke of a child that must
have been his own" said Ameou,
sobbing.
''I know nothing of writing" an
swered the woman. "How canst thou
tell that lies are not also written :
But | know that the love of Yellow
Hair was thine, and that if the man
mad lived thou wouldst have fought
for it, But now that he is dead that
love is thing t. take away. ana
bury, as we bury parts of ANIMALS
lest our dogs may find them and the
spirits of the animals be offended. IS
il a thing to be away because
nothing IS left of him but his spirit
and it has not yet found voice TO
speak to thee in thy dreams!
Then Ameou rose from the pea
and chung to the wife of N1mlssI4IS;;
The older woman's words nag
brought her the first faint spark =, q
comfort she had received since. me
hand of fate had been upllIteu
against her.
As they spoke together the t Wlna
had risen and begun to shake tn eaa
tent. Over the river the waves rose
and were blown to spindrift. -,
A bark canoe that had been la Ia
upon the bank was caught up oy the
gale and dashed to pieces among tie
short stumps of a clearing.
"Canst thou hear the voices Oh tHe
spirits now" asked the CHEERS wlle
"Dost thou know what they are say :
ing and against whom their anger
has arisen?" ,nner
4 do not" replied the youth M J
woman. ''Who is there that can zen
Perhaps it is because l have slnnea a
against the spirit of my husband VINO
is dead" ID lot
eve can only bow down ana 1h leO
the storm pass by" said the oIiie 81
"Be patient, Ameou, for there nd
ways comes an end to stormes alld
l. come anu