The Coolidge examiner., 1931-06-19


Chenufsio. A murmur of apprOba-
tion stirred the people. 1t rippled
and died out as another warrior
took his place.
Long after midnight the reveIs
ended, and Chenufsio grew quiet.
For a time, he looked at the stars
and the changing shadows of the
moon through the open door of
WuskoO's tepee. He entered sleep
as if going into a long avenue of
golden colors. Only happiness ris-
ing like q flower from the ashes of
a torture that was gone could have
made it like that. His mother
seemed a part of it, her voice
glad melody somewhere in the ra-
dance which embraced him. In
the avenue Of gold, he saw Wood
Pigeon smiling happily between his
mother and Toinette. Then he sank
into deeper sleep.
This was the beginning Of the
strange life of JeemS and TOinette
in Chenufsio which Colonel Boquet,
afterward major general and CON-
mander in chief of his majesty's
forces in the southern department
Of America, described as IAN epi-
sOde of fact which is difficult of be-
lief and astounding in the new
viewpoint which it and others of
a similar kind give US Of savage
life"
To Jeems and TOinette there was
nothing spectacular in their first
day or in the many that followed.
After the triumphal night, the In
dian town fell once more into the
routine of it's existence. Men hunt
ed, women worked, children played.
Warriors met in solemn councils
and smoked necessarily as they dis
cuSSed the affairs Of their common
wealth and planned for the future.
The Dark Year" was upon them.
Winter threatened. But there were
other matters to be settled. TiaOga
had brought unusual news. The
English, under a general named
Braddock had been defeated and
massacred The French had been
destroyed on Lake George, Sir vii
liam Johnson, the White Father of
the Sioux Nations, was victorious,
and the Mohawks were profiting
greatly. This brought somber
looks into the faces of the Senecas
The eastern wilderness was bound
to run red with war. Tiaoga was
sure. His warriors were sure. The
long-eXpected struggle between the
English and the French was at
hand, and there would be no rest
for the tOmahawk until the land
was free of one or the other.
TiaOga and his councillors in
Chenufsio faced war-and famine.
If their fighting men went into the
east, who would keep the people
from starvation? 1t was decided
that Tiaogo should take the war
path again with thirty men chosen
by lot, while thirty of his braves
should remain to fight hunger and
death during the winter months.
The drawing came, but Jeems was
not included. Shindas was doomed
to leave his sweetheart again.
These were days when miSgiv-
ings assailed Jeems and Toinette
in spite of their hopes and plans,
yet no cloud more than tempo
rarily darkened their visions. In
the heart of each was the prayer
that a wandering priest might
come their way, so that the cere-
3'ony could be performed which
would make them husband and
wife. In the town were a number
of white women who had accepted
Indian husbands in the Indian
way, but against this practice TOi-
nette revolted. She prayed and
Mary Daghien prayed with her,
for through the years since her
mother had died the Thrush had
kept her faith unbroken. The
Seneca, worshiping her, hOnOred it.
Early in November groups be
gan to leave, each with the small
amount of food which remained
as its share. Mary was to accom-
pany two families of eight people
under the protection of Thunde.
Shield, a valiant warrior and II
splendid hunter. They were going
toward Lake Ontario. TOinette
was given TO All De Bah, the Tall
Man, relative of TiaOga's.
Hiding their disappointment.
Jeems and Toinette encouraged
themselves with visions of fu,
ture which they tried to paint in
bright cOlors. The months would
pass quickly. With the earliest
days of spring, they would return
to Chenufsio Every hour they
would live in each others
thoughts. and at night their prayers
would cross in the wilderness.
Next year there would surely be
a way. Fate would not separate
them again. In their final mo-
ments together, Toinette's eyes
glowed with a depth of faith and
love which it was impossible for
Jeems to measure fully.
In this way they parted.
He went north and west with
WuskOO toward the Tyanagarunte
river which emptied into Lake On
tario. Odd struggled between his
devotion for Jeems and for TOi
nette He followed his master
distance, then hesitated and
turned back. A lump rose in
Jeems' throat, and he could moi
see clearly as his cOmrade sat in
the trail and watched until he dis