The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-12-31
CHAPTER XIII-Continued

Levine rose and began, Ladies and
gentlemen, this ends our program. We
thank"
He was interrupted here by ap-
plause from the Indians. Looking
round he saw Charlie Jackson lead
ing forward old Chief Wolf.
Chief Wolf wants to say a few
words" cried Charlie.
"The program is closed" called Lee
vine loudly.
There was a threat in Charles
voice. HE is going to speak," And
there was a threat In the Indian
voices that answered from the audi
ence, Let speak, Let speak"
Levine conferred hastily with Far
well and the Indian agent, then the
three with manifest reluctance stood
back and Charlie led the old Indian
TO the foot OF the platform.
Old Wolf was half blind with
trachoma. He was emaciated with
sickness and slow starvation. Never
theless, clad in the beaded buckskin
and eagle feathers of his youth, with
his hawk face held high he was
heroic figure of a man.
He held up his right hand and be-
gan TO speak in a trembling old bass,
Charles young tenor translating SEN
tence by sentence.
Il come from the wick-i-ups of my
fathers to say one last word to the
whites. / have lived too long. / have
seen my race change from young men
strong and daring as eagles, as thrifty
and fat as brown bears, to feeble yell
low wolves fit only to lap the carrion
thrown them by the whites, and to lie
In the sun and die.
"And l say to you whites, you have
done this. You swore by your God
In solemn council, that we could keep
this reservation forever. With room
for all the peoples of the world here,
you could not find room for the In
dian. You are race of liars You
are race of thieves. You have de-
bauched our young men with your
women. You have ruined our daugh-
tiers with your men. You have taken
our money. And now you are enter
ing our last home with the hand of
desolation. When the enemy enters
the abiding place, the dweller Is
doomed. But l place the curse Of the
Indian Spirit on you and the land you
are stealing. Some day 1t will be done
to you as you have done to us. Some
day"
Levine stepped forward. jackson,
take that Indian away" he COM
manded.
An angry murmur game from the
Indians In the audience. A murmur
that as Levine laid hold of old VOLTS
arm, grew to strange calls. There
was a surging movement toward the
platform. Billy jumped on a box that
he had found for seat for Lydia.
"Charlie!" he roared, Charlie! Re-
member there are women and children
In this crowd"
What do l care for your women
and children?" shouted Charlie.
Then his glance fell on Lydia's
golden head. She waved her hand to
him beseechingly. Charlie hesitated
for a moment, then spoke loudly In
Indian to the crowd, and led old Wolf
from the platform. The movement
forward of the Indians ceased. The
whites moved out of the crowd and
for a moment there was a complete
segregation of Indians and whites.
Billy got down from his box with
fOb nf t-t1&
been an ugly moment" he said, "if
Charlie hadn't seen you"
The noise of hawkers began again,
but something had gone out Of the
celebration. The Indians stood about
In groups, talking, Charlie and Chief
Wolf the center always Of the largest
group.
Amos and John Joined Billy and
Lydia at the machine. "The war
dancing begins at SHUTDOWN" said Le-
vine. 81 told the Indian agent twas
risk to let them go on, after this
episode. But he laughs at me. I
don't like the look of things, though.
/ don't know but what I'd better get
you folks home"
81 don't think Charlie Jackson
would stand for any violence" said
Billy.
II don't know about that" Levine
spoke thoughtfully. Hes left Doc
Fulton and is living on the reservation
again. They always revert"
Listen! Listen!'' cried Lydia.
There was red glow behind the
clouds low in the west. From the foot
Of the fagpole came a peculiar beat
Of drum. A white can beat a drum to
carry one through a Gettysburg. An
Indian can beat drum to carry ones
soul back to the sacrifice of blood
upon stony altar. This drum beat
"magicked" Lydia and Billy. 1t was
more than tocsin, more than a dance
rhythm, more than the spring call.
They hurried to the roped-off circle
round the fiagpole, followed by John
and Amos.
Into the ring, In all the multi
colOred glory of beads and paint,
swung a dozen moccasined braves.
They moved In step impossible to
describe-a step grave, rhythmic,
lifting, now slow, three beats to a
step, now swift three steps to a beat.
Old chiefs, half blind with trachoma,
SCARED with scrofula and decrepit
with starvation; young bucks, fresh
and still strong, danced side by side,
turned by the alchemy of the drum