Acadians -- History -- Juvenile fiction; Nova Scotia -- Description and travel -- Juvenile fiction; Vacations -- Juvenile fiction
Though the name didn't seem to fit the Indian, Martine was glad that it
was one that she could remember; for all in a moment she had made up her
mind to visit the Reservation.
During the morning, while she watched the sports and chatted with the
bystanders and ate dozens and dozens of the famous Bear River cherries,
Martine said nothing to the others of her intention of visiting the
Reservation. It would be easy enough to borrow Amy's bicycle and say
that she did not care to drive with the others.
Everything happened as she planned.
"Bear River is so hilly," said Mrs. Redmond, "that you will hardly wheel
very far. But yet it's a quiet little place, and there is no risk in
your doing some sight-seeing by yourself."
Martine soon found herself on a road leading toward the Micmac
Reservation; she had asked her way once or twice, and felt lonely as
houses and shops were left behind; but though she was going in the
direction of the Reservation, she saw nothing to remind her of Indians.
"Where are the wigwams? Surely with so many Indians around there must be
wigwams somewhere."
Martine looked about anxiously at trees, bushes, and at one or two small
wooden houses. She had been riding for half an hour, and she felt that
she had not taken the wrong way. There was nothing to do but to inquire
at one of the little houses. As she approached it, she realized that it
was an Indian dwelling; three pappooses were playing in front of it, and
a tall, thin squaw, in a purple calico gown, came out to the door as she
entered the gate.
"Marie Brown," said the woman; "oh, that far away. Too far for you; you
better go home; it's late."
Martine knew that this was intended as advice, not as discourtesy, but
Martine was not fond of advice, and she decided that if she could not
see Marie Brown she would visit the chapel, of which she had heard some
one speak at dinner that day.
When she asked the way, the woman drew her one side to an open space
behind the house, where, on a hill that did not look too remote, she saw
a small, square building with a cross on top for a steeple; so after a
little conversation with the squaw about her people and their way of
living, Martine pushed on toward the hill. She soon found that she must
leave her bicycle behind, as there was no good road and the path was
steep, and finding a spot that was screened by bushes, she left her
wheel there; so on she went on foot until she had come to the enclosure,
in the centre of which stood the Micmac Chapel.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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