The Little Gold Miners of the Sierras and Other StoriesMiller, Joaquin
Philosophy
The Little Gold Miners of the Sierras and Other Stories
Miller, Joaquin
United States -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction
"You can stay here fast enough," said he. "I know who these woods belong
to--some o' my relations. There won't anybody be afraid of you. Me 'n
'Bijah'll take care of you."
"O, _bless_ you!" said she. "I _thought_ I'd got to the right place when
I got here--it looked like it--it felt like it. It seemed a'most as if I
most expected to see wigwams. A-h-h-h-h, if I could sleep in a wigwam!"
Benny felt that he could sympathize with her in that. He and the boys
had played Indians and 'Bijah had built wigwams for them in the wood,
and he had greatly wished and entreated to be allowed to sleep all night
in one. But he could not guess at the longing of the aged to go back to
the things dear and familiar to them in childhood; he did not know that
all the old Indian's days were spent in dreaming of those things, and
that she often wandered all night in the woods, fancying herself
surrounded by the wigwams of her people--searching anxiously for that of
her father. Though Benny could understand nothing of the pathetic
sadness, he felt a strong desire to offer consolation and cheer, and he
said, "_I_ can build wigwams. Me 'n 'Bijah'll make you a wigwam!"
But the aged Chetonquin muttered to herself in a tuneless quaver, and
shook her head doubtingly.
"_What!_ She don't _believe_ it!" Benny exclaimed to himself. "Don't
believe that _'Bijah_ can make _wigwams_! We'll show her!"
And he was so eager to be about it that he took leave directly of his
strange acquaintance, who seemed lost in reverie, and to have forgotten
him entirely.
When Mr. and Mrs. Briggs heard Benny's story of the poor Indian woman,
their excellent hearts were at once filled with compassion for so
forlorn a creature. Mr. Briggs had very radical theories about equal
mercy and justice for each member of the human race.
"It isn't likely," he often said, "that some have a right to be in this
world and others haven't;" and he immediately set himself to illustrate
his theories in the case of the Chetonquin.
Mrs. Briggs said there could be not doubt that she needed other things
besides wigwams, which conjecture was found to be sadly true upon
investigation. An attempt was made to put this last of the Chetonquins
into more comfortable quarters, but she received the suggestion with
dismay, and prayed so earnestly to be left on the spot she seemed to
think was like her own native forest, that it was decided to make her
as comfortable as possible there, since it was early summer and no harm
could come from exposure. When the weather was cold again, she would be
glad to be sheltered elsewhere. So Mr. and Mrs. Briggs, Grandma Potter
and 'Bijah, took care that she needed nothing, and left her to be happy
in her own way.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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