The Coolidge examiner., 1931-11-06
CHAPTER X-Continued

Sabra built white frame
house in the style of the day, with
turrets, towers, minarets, cupolas,
and scroll work. There was a
stained glass window in the hall, in
purple and red and green and yell
low. which. confronting the enter
ing caller, gave him the look of
being suddenly stricken with bu-
bonic plague. There were parlor,
sitting room, dining room. kitchen
on the first floor; four bedrooms on
the second floor, and a bathroom.
actually, with a full-size bathtub,
a toilet, and a marble washstand
with varicOse veins. In the cellar
there was a hot air furnace.
"As long as we're building and
furnishing" Sabra said, ''it might
as well be the best" She had gone
about planning the house, and fur
nishing 1t, with her customary en-
ergy and capability. With il all
she found time TO do her work on
the Wjgwam-for without her the
paper would have been run to the
ground in six months. Usage had
long since ceased to consider 1t
queer that she, a woman, and the
wife of one of its most prominent
citizens. should 60 to work every
morning like a man.
Sabra. in common with the other
weil-tO-do housewives of the com
munity. employed an Indian girl
as a house servant There was no
other kind of help available. After
her hideous experience with Arita
she had been careful to get Indian
girls older, more settled. though
this was difficult She preferred
Usage girls. These married young.
often before they had finished their
studies at the Indian school.
Ruby Big Elk had been with
Sabra now for three years. A curl
Gus, big, silent girl of about twenty
twO-almost handsome-one of six
chlldren-a large family for an
Usage. Sabra was somewhat taken
aback, after the girl had been with
her for some months, to learn that
she already had been twice mar
ried.
"What became of your hus-
bands, Ruby?"
"Died"
She had manner that bOrdered
on the insolent. Sabra put it down
TO Indian dignity. When she walked
she scuffed her feet ever so little,
in TOO
son, seemed to add insolence to her
bearing. "Oh. do lift your feet,
Ruby! Don't scuffle when you
walk" The girl made no reply.
Went on scuffling. Sabra discov-
cred that she was lame; the left
leg was slightly shorter than the
right. She did not limp-or, rath-
er, hid the tendency to limp by the
irritating sliding sound. Her walk
was straight, leisurely. measured.
Sabra was terribly embarrassed;
apologiZed to the Indian girl. The
girl only looked at her and said
nothing. Sabra repressed a little
shiver. She had never got accus-
toned to the Indians.
Ruby's father, Big Elk. had
been chief of the Usage tribe by
election for ten years. and though
he no longer held this highest
office, was a man much looked up
to in the Usage nation. He had
sent his six children and actually
his fat wife to the Indian school.
but he himself steadfaStly refused
to speak a word of English. though
he knew enough of the language.
He cOnversed in Usage. and when
necessary used an interpreter. 1t
was kind of stubborn Indian
pride in him. Ii was his enduring
challenge to the white man. "You
have not defeated me-"
1t slowly dawned on Sabra that
young Gin was always to be found
lolling in the kitchen. talking to
Ruby. Ruby, she discovered to her
horror. was teaching Gin to speak
Usage. a difficult language to the
white, he seemed to have natural
aptitude for it. She came upon
them, their heads close together
over the kitchen table. laughing
and talking and singing. Rather.
Ruby Big Elk was singing a song
with curious rhythm. and Ito
Sabra's ear, at ieaSt) no melody.
Gin was trying to follow the
strange gutturals, slurs. and ac-
cents, his eyes fixed on Ruby's face,
his own expression utterly alb
sorbed, rapt.
What are you doing? What is
this?"
The Indian girls face took on its
customary expression of proud dis
dain. She rose. Teach um song"
she said; which was queer. for she
spoke English perfectly.
well, | must say, Cimarron Cra-
vat! When you know your father
is expecting you down at the Of
flee" She stopped Her quick eye
had leaped to the table where lay
the little round peyote disk or mes
cal button which is the hashish of
the Indian.
She had heard about it; knew
how prevalent among the Indian
tribes from Nebraska down to
Mexico had become the habit of
eating this little buttonlike top of
q Mexican cactus plant. In shape
a disk about an inch and half in
diameter and a quarter of an inch
thick the mescal or peyOte gave the
eater strange feeling of ightneSS