The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-12-10
Honore Willsie
(@ by Frederick A. stokes Coz
WNU Service

your aprons. / suppose you're all
starved"
"wait! Waitl' cried Kent. "That's
not the way this camps going to be
run. Charlie, Gustus and me do the
cooking. You ladies are company
and don't have to do anything ex-
cept wash the dishes and make your
own beds.
II think that's a very nice arrange
ment," decided Miss Towne. "Come,
girls, let's unpack and arrange the
tent"
There was q very early pairing OF
IN the camp. Kent devoted himself to
Olga, Gustus to Margery and Charlie
to Lydia. Kent and Olga kept the
camp supplied with fish. Excepting
at meal time and the bathing hour,
they spent the day in birch-bark
canoe on the lake.
Charlie undertook to show Lydia
the reservation as the Indians knew
1t. If Lydia was little puzzled by
his eagerness to make her understand
conditions on the reservation, she
gave little thought to the riddle.
They visited one or two neat Indian
| farms, but for the most part Charlie
led her from one wicki-up to the 9TH
er, deep set In recesses of the WOOD,
| where the only whites to intrude on
the Indians were the occasional gov
eminent wood cruisers. These wick-i-
ups were novels, usually in the last
stages of poverty and desolation.
One day they came to wick-i-up
where there were three children be-
sides the father and mother. Two
Of the children were half blind with
eve trouble. The whole family was
sitting in the sun, about pot of fish
The grown-ups chatted eagerly with
Charlie, and he translated for Lydia
"They say it's been a fearful winter
They only had ten dailars this year
out of their government allowance and
they couldn't get work. The baby
froze to death or starved, or both
Wen bring some food over to these
folks, Lydia, because there are kids
eh?"
"But, Charlie, what's the govern
ment allowance"
"Oh, didn't you know?-and you're
one of the white lords Of creation
tool The government set aside this
land for the Indians in solemn treaty
1t deliberately sold off a big block o,
it and deposited the money at Wash
ington. The income from this was tt
be given to the Indians. There's ovel
two million dollars there. But by thu
time it's filtered from Washington tt
the Indians, this Is the result" H,
nodded at the half-starved group abou
the fish pot.
Lydia had had four days of this. A,
they made their way back to tn,
camp for supper she said to him, IL
an unsteady voice, Charlie, 1 cam
stand it, Think Of that baby tina
froze to death. And all these beauti
full woods are full of half-starved In
dams What can do about it, Char
lie?"
"You can't do anything. It's to,
late. But wanted you to see. don
care what girl understands as loni
as you do. l think an awful lot o
you, Lydia"
He took Lydia's hand and patted II
Lydia looked up at him, thrilled by hi
bronze beauty and the note in hi
voice.
eff were a white man." said Char
lie, I'D make you love me and MARI
me. But I'm an Indian and sooner o
later I'll go back to my people. rI
just making believe 1 can play tn
white mans game for a while" II
eyed Lydia wistfully. But we'll b
friends, eh, Lydia? -Always? Eve
} If go back to the wick-i-up, you'll b
; my friend?"
"Oh, yes, Charlie, always" reptile
Lydia, earnestly, even while Their
: flashed through her head the hal
whimsical thought, "Queer kinds Q
men want to be friends with me, Nj
+. Levine, Mr.. Marshall, land Charlie
And they all hate each other!'
{ After this episode, Charlie was les
strenuous about showing Lydia India
! conditions. That night he resumed
: mild Irritation with Olga that he ha
= dropped when school closed and dig
! met him more than half way.
Wouldn't that come and get you
5 growled Kent to Lydia as Charlie an
t Olga padded away in the canoe, tn
e next morning. "Say, Lyd, let's XII
time with tramp up to the settle
, ment for some gum"
, "All right, can stand it If 20
I can. Will you come along, Mis-
7 TowneT'
q Miss Towne, who had been highl
edited by the mornings maneuverin
: shook her head and settled herself
!, her hammock. mo eight-mile wal
for me. Pm taking a rest cure"