old indian days-第14部分

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blood；　the　other　dark　as　the　shadow　of　death。　

A　cloud　of　smoke　from　burning　homes　hung

over　the　beautiful　river。　　Even　the　permanent

dwellings　of　the　Indians　were　empty；　and　all

the　teepees　which　had　dotted　with　their　white

cones　the　west　bank　of　the　Minnesota　had　dis…

appeared。　　Here　and　there　were　small　groups

of　warriors　returning　from　their　bloody　work；

and　among　them　was　Tawasuota。



He　looked　long　at　the　spot　where　his　home

had　stood；　but　it　was　gone；　and　with　it　his

family。　　Ah；　the　beautiful　country　of　his　an…

cestors！　he　must　depart　from　it　forever；　for　he

knew　now　that　the　white　man　would　occupy

that　land。　　Sadly　he　sang　the　spirit…song；　and

made　his　appeal　to　the　〃Great　Mystery；〃　ex…

cusing　himself　by　the　plea　that　what　he　had　done

had　been　in　the　path　of　duty。　　There　was　no

glory　in　it　for　him；　he　could　wear　no　eagle

feather；　nor　could　he　ever　recount　the　deed。　　It

was　dreadful　to　himthe　thought　that　he　had

fired　upon　an　unarmed　and　helpless　man。



The　chief　soldier　followed　the　broad　trail

of　the　fleeing　host；　and　after　some　hours　he

came　upon　a　camp。　　There　were　no　war…songs

nor　dances　there；　as　was　their　wont　after　a　bat…

tle；　but　a　strange　stillness　reigned。　　Even　the

dogs　scarcely　barked　at　his　approach；　every…

thing　seemed　conscious　of　the　awful　carnage

of　the　day。



He　stopped　at　a　tent　and　inquired　after　his

beautiful　wife　and　two　little　sons；　whom　he　had

already　trained　to　uphold　their　father's　repu…

tation；　but　was　directed　to　his　mother's　teepee。



〃Ah；　my　son；　my　son；　what　have　you　done？〃

cried　his　old　mother　when　she　saw　him。　

〃Come　in；　come　in；　let　us　eat　together　once

more　；　for　I　have　a　foreboding　that　it　is　for

the　last　time。　　Alas；　what　have　you　done？〃



Tawasuota　silently　entered　the　tent　of　his

widowed　mother；　and　his　three　sisters　gave　him

the　place　of　honor。



〃Mother；　it　is　not　right　to　blame　our

brother；〃　said　the　eldest。　　〃He　was　the　chief's

head　soldier；　and　if　he　had　disobeyed　his　orders；

he　would　have　been　called　a　coward。　　That　he

could　not　bear。〃



Food　was　handed　him；　and　he　swallowed　a

few　mouthfuls；　and　gave　back　the　dish。



〃You　have　not　yet　told　me　where　she　is；

and　the　children；〃　he　said　with　a　deep　sigh。



〃My　son；　my　son；　I　have　not；　because　it　will

give　you　pain。　　I　wanted　you　to　eat　first！　　She

has　been　taken　away　by　her　own　mother　to　Fari…

bault；　among　the　white　people。　　I　could　not

persuade　them　to　wait　until　you　came。　　Her　peo…

ple　are　lovers　of　the　whites。　　They　have　even

accepted　their　religion；〃　grieved　the　good　old

mother。



Tawasuota's　head　dropped　upon　his　chest；

and　he　sat　silent　for　a　long　time。　　The　mother

and　three　sisters　were　also　silent；　for　they　knew

how　heavy　his　grief　must　be。　　At　last　he　spoke。



〃Mother；　I　am　too　proud　to　desert　the　tribe

now　and　join　my　wife　among　the　white　people。　

My　brother…in…law　may　lie　in　my　behalf；　and

say　that　my　hands　are　not　stained　with　blood；

but　the　spirits　of　those　who　died　to…day　would

rebuke　me；　and　the　rebuke　would　be　just。　　No；

I　must　fight　the　whites　until　I　die；　and　neither

have　I　fought　without　cause；　but　I　must　see

my　sons　once　more　before　I　go。〃



When　Tawasuota　left　his　mother's　teepee

he　walked　fast　across　the　circle　toward　the　coun…

cil　lodge　to　see　Little　Crow。　　He　drew　his

blanket　closely　about　him；　with　his　gun　under…

neath。　　The　keen　eye　of　the　wily　chief　detected

the　severe　expression　upon　the　face　of　his　guest；

and　he　hastened　to　speak　first。



〃There　are　times　in　the　life　of　every　great

man　when　he　must　face　hardship　and　put　self

aside　for　the　good　of　his　people。　　You　have

done　well　to…day！〃



〃I　care　little　for　myself；〃　replied　Tawasu…

ota；　〃but　my　heart　is　heavy　to…night。　　My　wife

and　two　boys　have　been　taken　away　among　the

whites　by　my　mother…in…law。　　I　fear　for　their

safety；　when　it　is　known　what　we　have　done。〃



〃Ugh；　that　old　woman　is　too　hasty　in　ac…

cepting　the　ways　of　the　stranger　people！〃　ex…

claimed　the　chief。



〃I　am　now　on　my　way　to　see　them；〃　declared

Tawasuota。



〃Ugh；　ugh；　I　shall　need　you　to…morrow！

My　plan　is　to　attack　the　soldiers　at　Fort　Ridge…

ley　with　a　strong　force。　　There　are　not　many。　

Then　we　shall　attack　New　Ulm　and　other

towns。　　We　will　drive　them　all　back　into　Saint

Paul　and　Fort　Snelling。〃　　Little　Crow　spoke

with　energy。



〃You　must　stay；〃　he　added；　〃and　lead　the

attack　either　at　the　fort　or　at　New　Ulm。〃



For　some　minutes　the　chief　soldier　sat　in

silence。



At　last　he　said　simply；　〃I　will　do　it。〃



On　the　following　day　the　attack　was　made；

but　it　was　unsuccessful。　　The　whole　State　was

now　alarmed；　and　all　the　frontier　settlers　left

alive　had　flocked　to　the　larger　and　more　pro…

tected　towns。　　It　had　also　developed　during　the

day　that　there　was　a　large　party　of　Sioux　who

were　ready　to　surrender；　thereby　showing　that

they　had　not　been　party　to　the　massacre　nor　in…

dorsed　the　hasty　action　of　the　tribe。



At　evening　Tawasuota　saw　that　there　would

be　a　long　war　with　the　whites；　and　that　the　In…

dians　must　remove　their　families　out　of　danger。　

The　feeling　against　all　Indians　was　great。　

Night　had　brought　him　no　relief　of　mind；　but

it　promised　to　shield　him　in　a　hazardous　under…

taking。　　He　consulted　no　one；　but　set　out　for

the　distant　village　of　Faribault。



He　kept　to　the　flats　back　of　the　Minnesota；

away　from　the　well…traveled　roads；　and　moved

on　at　a　good　gait；　for　he　realized　that　he　had

to　cover　a　hundred　miles　in　as　few　hours　as

possible。　　Every　day　that　passed　would　make

it　more　difficult　for　him　to　rejoin　his　family。



Although　he　kept　as　far　as　he　could　from　the

settlements；　he　would　come　now　and　then　upon

a　solitary　frame　house；　razed　to　the　ground　by

the　war…parties　of　the　day　before。　　The　mem…

bers　of　the　ill…fated　family　were　to　be　seen　scat…

tered　in　and　about　the　place；　and　their　white；

upturned　faces　told　him　that　his　race　must　pay

for　the　deed。



The　dog　that　howled　pitifully　over　the　dead

was　often　the　only　survivor　of　the　farmer's

household。



Occasionally　Tawasuota　heard　at　a　distance

the　wagons　of　the　fugitives；　loaded　with　women

and　children；　while　armed　men　walked　before

and　behind。　　These　caravans　were　usually

drawn　by　oxen　and　moved　slowly　toward　some

large　town。



When　the　dawn　appeared　in　the　east；　the

chief　soldier　was　compelled　to　conceal　himself

in　a　secluded　place。　　He　rolled　up　in　his

blanket；　lay　down　in　a　dry　creek…bed　among　the

red　willows　and　immediately　fell　asleep。



With　the　next　evening　he　resumed　his　jour…

ney；　and　reached　Faribault　toward　midnight。　

Even　here　every　approach　was　guarded　against

the　possibility　of　an　Indian　attack。　　But　there

was　much　forest；　and　he　knew　the　country　well。　

He　reconnoitred；　and　soon　found　the　Indian

community；　but　dared　not　approach　and　enter；

for　these　Indians　had　allied　themselves　with

the　whites；　they　would　be　charged　with　treach…

ery　if　it　were　known　that　they　had　received　a

hostile　Sioux；　and　none　were　so　hated　by　the

white　people　as　Little　Crow　and　his　war…chief。



He　chose　a　concealed　position　from　which

he　might　watch　the　movements　of　his　wife；　if

she　were　indeed　there；　and　had　not　been　way…

laid　and　slain　on　the　journey　hither。



That　night　was　the　hardest　one　that　the　war…

rior　had　ever　known。　　If　he　slept；　it　was　only

to　dream　of　the　war…whoop　and　attack；　but　at

last　he　found　himself　broad　awake；　the　sun　well

up；　and　yes！　there　were　his　two　little　sons；　play…

ing　outside　their　teepee　as　of　old。　　The　next

moment　he　heard　the　voice　of　his　wife　from　the

deep　woods　wailing　for　her　husband！



〃Oh；　take　us；　husband；　take　us　with　you！　let

us　all　die　together！〃　she　pleaded　as　she　clung

to　him　whom　she　had　regarded　as　already

dead；　for　she　knew　of　the　price　that　had　been

put　upon　his　head；　and　that　some　of　the　half…

breeds　loved　money　better　than　the　blood　of

their　Indian　mothers。



Tawasuota　stood　for　a　minute　without　speak…

ing；　while　his　huge　frame　trembled　like　a　mighty

pine　beneath　the　thunderbolt。



〃No；〃　he　said　at　last。　　〃I　shall　go；　but　you

must　remain。　　You　are　a　woman；　and　the　white

people　need　not　know　that　your　little　boys　are

mine。　　Bring　them　here　to　me　this　evening　that

I　may　kiss　them　farewell。〃



The　sun　was　hovering　among　the　treetops

when　they　met　again。



〃Atay！　atay！〃　（〃Papa；　papa！〃）　the　little

fellows　cried　out　in　spite　of　her　cautions；　but

the　mother　put　her　finger　to　her　lips；　and　they

became　silent。　　Tawasuota　took　each　boy　in　his

arms；　and　held　him　close　for　a　few　moments；

he　smiled　to　them；　but　large　tears　rolled　down

his　cheeks。　　Then　he　disappeared　in　the　shad…

ows；　and　they　never　saw　him　again。



The　chief　soldier　lived　and　died　a　warrior

and　an　enemy　to　the　white　man；　but　one　of　his

two　sons　became　in　after…years　a　minister　of　the

Christian　gospel；　under　the　〃Long…Haired

Praying　Man；〃　Bishop　Whipple；　of　Minnesota。









VI





THE　WHITE　MAN'S　ERRAND



Upon　the　wide　tableland　that　lies　at　the

back　of　a　certain　Indian　agency；　a　camp

of　a　thousand　teepees　was　pitched　in　a

circle；　according　to　the　ancient　usage。　　In　the

center　of　the　circle　stood　the　council　lodge；　where

there　were　gathered　together　of　an　afternoon　all

the　men　of　years　and　distinction；　some　in　blank…

ets；　some　in　uniform；　and　still　others　clad　in

beggarly　white　man's　clothing。　　But　the　minds

of　all　were　alike　upon　the　days　of　their　youth

and　freedom。



Around　the　council　fire　they　passed　and　re…

passed　the　pipe　of　peace；　and　when　the　big　drum

was　struck　they　sang　the　accompaniment　with

sad　yet　pleasant　thoughts　of　the　life　that　is　past。　

Between　the　songs　stories　of　brave　deeds　and

dangerous　exploits　were　related　by　the　actors　in

turn；　with　as　much　spirit　and　zest　as　if　they　were