But still unanimity was far
from prevailing. A long and decorous pause was suffered to succeed the
words of the first speaker, in order that all might duly deliberate on
their wisdom, before another chief took on himself the office of
refutation. The second orator, though past the prime of his days, was
far less aged than the one who had preceded him. He felt the
disadvantage of this circumstance, and endeavoured to counteract it,
as far as possible, by the excess of his humility.
"I am but an infant," he commenced, looking furtively around him, in
order to detect how far his well-established character for prudence
and courage contradicted his assertion. "I have lived with the women,
since my father has been a man. If my head is getting grey, it is not
because I am old. Some of the snow, which fell on it while I have been
sleeping on the war-paths, has frozen there, and the hot sun, near the
Osage villages, has not been strong enough to melt it." A low murmur
was heard, expressive of admiration of the services to which he thus
artfully alluded.
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