old indian days-第2部分

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crawling　up　closer　and　closer；　for　the　large　war…

party　reached　the　hill　just　as　the　scouts　who

held　Antelope　at　bay　discovered　the　approach

of　his　kinsmen。



Antelope　had　long　since　exhausted　his　quiver

of　arrows　and　was　gathering　up　many　of

those　that　fell　about　him　to　send　them　back

among　his　pursuers。　　When　their　attention　was

withdrawn　from　him　for　an　instant　by　the　sud…

den　onset　of　the　Sioux；　he　sprang　to　his　feet。



He　raised　both　his　hands　heavenward　in

token　of　gratitude　for　his　rescue；　and　his　friends

announced　with　loud　shouts　the　daring　of　Ante…

lope。



Both　sides　fought　bravely；　but　the　Utes　at

last　retreated　and　were　fiercely　pursued。　　An…

telope　stood　at　his　full　height　upon　the　huge

rock　that　had　sheltered　him；　and　gave　his　yell

of　defiance　and　exultation。　　Below　him　the　war…

riors　took　it　up；　and　among　the　gathering

shadows　the　rocks　echoed　praises　of　his　name。



In　the　Sioux　camp　upon　Lost　Water　there

were　dances　and　praise　songs；　but　there　was

wailing　and　mourning；　too；　for　many　lay　dead

among　the　crags。　　The　name　of　Antelope　was

indelibly　recorded　upon　Eagle　Scout　Butte。



〃If　he　wished　for　a　war…bonnet　of　eagle

feathers；　it　is　his　to　wear；〃　declared　one　of

the　young　men。　　〃But　he　is　modest；　and　scarcely

even　joins　in　the　scalp　dances。　　lt　is　said　of

him　that　he　has　never　yet　spoken　to　any　young

woman！〃



〃True；　it　is　not　announced　publicly　that　he

has　addressed　a　maiden。　　Many　parents　would

like　to　have　their　daughters　the　first　one　he

would　speak　to；　but　I　am　told　he　desires　to

go　upon　one　or　two　more　war…paths　before

seeking　woman's　company；〃　replied　another。



〃Hun；　hun；　hay！〃　exclaimed　a　third　youth

ill…naturedly。　　He　is　already　old　enough　to

be　a　father！〃



〃This　is　told　of　him；〃　rejoined　the　first

speaker。　　〃He　wants　to　hold　the　record　of

being　the　young　man　who　made　the　greatest

number　of　coups　before　he　spoke　to　a　maiden。　

I　know　that　there　are　not　only　mothers　who

would　be　glad　to　have　him　for　a　son…in…law；

but　their　young　daughters　would　not　refuse　to

look　upon　the　brave　Antelope　as　a　husband！〃



It　was　true　that　in　the　dance　his　name　was

often　mentioned；　and　at　every　repetition　it

seemed　that　the　young　women　danced　with

more　spirit；　while　even　grandmothers　joined

in　the　whirl　with　a　show　of　youthful　abandon。



Wezee；　the　father　of　Antelope；　was　receiv…

ing　congratulations　throughout　the　afternoon。　

Many　of　the　old　men　came　to　his　lodge　to

smoke　with　him；　and　the　host　was　more　than

gratified；　for　he　was　of　a　common　family　and

had　never　before　known　what　it　is　to　bask

in　the　sunshine　of　popularity　and　distinction。　

He　spoke　complacently　as　he　crowded　a　hand…

ful　of　tobacco　into　the　bowl　of　the　long　red

pipe。



〃Friends；　our　life　here　is　short；　and　the　life

of　a　brave　youth　is　apt　to　be　shorter　than　most！

We　crave　all　the　happiness　that　we　can　get；

and　it　is　right　that　we　should　do　so。　　One　who

says　that　he　does　not　care　for　reputation　or

success；　is　not　likely　to　be　telling　the　truth。　　So

you　will　forgive　me　if　I　say　too　much　about

the　honorable　career　of　my　son。〃　This　was　the

old　man's　philosophic　apology。



〃Ho；　ho；〃　his　guests　graciously　responded。　

〃It　is　your　moon！　　Every　moon　has　its　full…

ness；　when　it　lights　up　the　night；　while　the　little

stars　dance　before　it。　　So　to　every　man　there

comes　his　full　moon！〃



Somewhat　later　in　the　day　all　the　young

people　of　the　great　camp　were　seen　to　be　mov…

ing　in　one　direction。　　All　wore　their　best　attire

and　finest　ornaments；　and　even　the　parti…col…

ored　steeds　were　decorated　to　the　satisfaction

of　their　beauty…loving　riders。



〃Ugh；　Taluta　is　making　a　maidens'　feast！

She；　the　prettiest　of　all　the　Unkpapa　maid…

ens！〃　exclaimed　one　of　the　young　braves。



〃She；　the　handsomest　of　all　our　young

women！〃　repeated　another。



Taluta　was　indeed　a　handsome　maid　in　the

height　and　bloom　of　womanhood；　with　all　that

wonderful　freshness　and　magnetism　which　was

developed　and　preserved　by　the　life　of　the　wil…

derness。　　She　had　already　given　five　maidens'

feasts；　beginning　with　her　fifteenth　year；　and

her　shy　and　diffident　purity　was　held　sacred　by

her　people。



The　maidens'　circle　was　now　complete。　　Be…

hind　it　the　outer　circle　of　old　women　was　equally

picturesque　and　even　more　dignified。　　The

grandmother；　not　the　mother；　was　regarded　as

the　natural　protector　of　the　young　maiden；　and

the　dowagers　derived　much　honor　from　their

position；　especially　upon　public　occasions；　tak…

ing　to　themselves　no　small　amount　of　credit

for　the　good　reputations　of　their　charges。



Weshawee；　whose　protege　had　many　suitors

and　was　a　decided　coquette；　fidgeted　nervously

and　frequently　adjusted　her　robe　or　fingered

her　necklace　to　ease　her　mind；　for　she　dreaded

lest；　in　spite　of　watchfulness；　some　mishap

might　have　befallen　her　charge。　　Her　anxiety

was　apparently　shared　by　several　other　chap…

erons　who　stole　occasional　suspicious　glances

in　the　direction　of　certain　of　the　young　braves。　

It　had　been　known　to　happen　that　a　girl　un…

worthy　to　join　in　the　sacred　feast　was　publicly

disgraced。



A　special　police　force　was　appointed　to　keep

order　on　this　occasion；　each　member　of　which

was　gorgeously　painted　and　bedecked　with

eagle　feathers；　and　carried　in　his　hand　a　long

switch　with　which　to　threaten　the　encroaching

throng。　　Their　horses　wore　head…skins　of　fierce

animals　to　add　to　their　awe…inspiring　appear…

ance。



The　wild　youths　formed　the　outer　circle　of

the　gathering；　attired　like　the　woods　in　au…

tumn；　their　long　locks　glossy　with　oil　and　per…

fumed　with　scented　grass　and　leaves。　　Many

pulled　their　blankets　over　their　heads　as　if　to

avoid　recognition；　and　loitered　shyly　at　a　dis…

tance。



Among　these　last　were　Antelope　and　his

cousin；　Red　Eagle。　　They　stood　in　the　angle

formed　by　the　bodies　of　their　steeds；　whose

noses　were　together。　　The　young　hero　was　com…

pletely　enveloped　in　his　handsome　robe　with

a　rainbow　of　bead…work　acros　the　middle；　and

his　small　moccasined　feet　projected　from　be…

neath　the　lower　border。　　Red　Eagle　held　up

an　eagle…wing　fan；　partially　concealing　his　face；

and　both　gazed　intently　toward　the　center　of

the　maidens'　circle。



〃Woo！　woo！〃　was　the　sonorous　exclama…

tion　of　the　police；　　announcing　the　beginning

of　the　ceremonies。　　In　the　midst　of　the　ring

of　girls　stood　the　traditional　heart…shaped　red

stone；　with　its　bristling　hedge　of　arrows。　　In

this　case　there　were　five　arrows；　indicating　that

Taluta　had　already　made　as　many　maidens'

feasts。　　Each　of　the　maidens　must　lay　her　hand

upon　the　stone　in　token　of　her　purity　and　chas…

tity；　touching　also　as　many　arrows　as　she　her…

self　has　attended　maidens'　feasts。



Taluta　advanced　first　to　the　center。　　As　she

stood　for　a　moment　beside　the　sacred　stone；　she

appeared　to　the　gazing　bystanders　the　embodi…

ment　of　grace　and　modesty。　　Her　gown；

adorned　with　long　fringes　at　the　seams；　was

beaded　in　blue　and　white　across　the　shoulders

and　half　way　to　her　waist。　　Her　shining　black

hair　was　arranged　in　two　thick　plaits　which

hung　down　upon　her　bosom。　　There　was　a　native

dignity　in　her　gestures　and　in　her　utterance　of

the　maidens'　oath；　and　as　she　turned　to　face　the

circle；　all　the　other　virgins　followed　her。



When　the　feast　was　ended　and　the　gay　con…

course　had　dispersed；　Antelope　and　his　cousin

were　among　the　last　to　withdraw。　　The　young

man's　eyes　had　followed　every　movement　of

Taluta　as　long　as　she　remained　in　sight；　and

it　was　only　when　she　vanished　in　the　gathering

shadows　that　he　was　willing　to　retire。



In　savage　courtship；　it　was　the　custom　to

introduce　one's　self　boldly　to　the　young　lady；

although　sometimes　it　was　convenient　to　have

a　sister　introduce　her　brother。　　But　Antelope

had　no　sister　to　perform　this　office　for　him；

and　if　he　had　had　one；　he　would　not　have　made

the　request。　　He　did　not　choose　to　admit　any

one　to　his　secret；　for　he　had　no　confidence　in

himself　or　in　the　outcome　of　the　affair。　　If

it　had　been　anything　like　trailing　the　doe；　or

scouting　the　Ojibway；　he　would　have　ridiculed

the　very　notion　of　missing　the　object　sought。　

But　this　was　a　new　warfarean　unknown　hunt…

ing！　Although　he　was　very　anxious　to　meet

Taluta；　whenever　the　idea　occurred　to　him　he

trembled　like　a　leaf　in　the　wind；　and　profuse

perspiration　rolled　down　his　stoic　visage。　　It

was　not　customary　to　hold　any　social　inter…

course　with　the　members　of　the　opposite　sex；

and　he　had　never　spoken　familiarly　to　any

woman　since　he　became　a　man；　except　his　old

grandmother。　　It　was　well　known　that　the

counsel　of　the　aged　brings　luck　to　the　youth

in　warfare　and　love。



Antelope　arose　early　the　next　morning；　and

without　speaking　to　any　one　he　made　a　cere…

monious　toilet。　　He　put　on　his　finest　buckskin

shirt　and　a　handsome　robe；　threw　a　beaded

quiver　over　his　shoulder；　and　walked　directly

away　from　the　teepees　and　into　the　foresthe

did　not　know　why　nor　whither。　　The　sounds

of　the　camp　grew　fainter　and　fainter；　until　at

last　he　found　himself　alone。



〃How　is　it；〃　mused　the　young　man；　〃that

I　have　hoped　to　become　a　leader　among　my

people？　My　father　is　not　a　chief；　and　none

of　my　ancestors　were　distinguished　in　war。　　I

know　well　that；　if　I　desire　to　be　great；　I　must

deny　myself　the　pleasure　of　woman's　company

until　I　have　made　my　reputation。　　I　must　not

boast　nor　exhibit　myself　on　my　first　success。　

The　spirits　do　not　visit　the　common　haunts　of

men！　　All　these　rules　I　have　thus　far　kept；

and　I　must　not　now　yield　to　temptation。　。　。　。

Man　has　much　to　weaken　his　ambition　after

he　is　married。　　A　young　man　may　seek　oppor…

tunities　to　prove　his　worth；　but　to　a　married

man　the　opportunity　must　come　to　try　him。　

He　acts　only　when　compelled　to　act。　。　。　。　　Ah；

I　must　flee　from　t