"He knows that a warrior, who has smoked at so many
council-fires, until his head has grown white, would not be found in
wicked company. But did not my father once ride on a horse, like a
rich chief of the Pale-faces, instead of travelling on foot like a
hungry Konza?"
"Never! The Wahcondah has given me legs, and he has given me
resolution to use them. For sixty summers and winters did I journey in
the woods of America, and ten tiresome years have I dwelt on these
open fields, without finding need to call often upon the gifts of the
other creatur's of the Lord to carry me from place to place."
"If my father has so long lived in the shade, why has he come upon the
prairies? The sun will scorch him."
The old man looked sorrowfully about for a moment, and then turning
with a confidential air to the other, he replied--
"I passed the spring, summer, and autumn of life among the trees. The
winter of my days had come, and found me where I loved to be, in the
quiet--ay, and in the honesty of the woods! Teton, then I slept
happily, where my eyes could look up through the branches of the pines
and the beeches, to the very dwelling of the Good Spirit of my people.
Pages:
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462