The Middle Five: Indian Boys at SchoolLa Flesche, Francis
History
The Middle Five: Indian Boys at School
La Flesche, Francis
Indians of North America -- Juvenile literature
Whatever the leader did, all were bound to do likewise. If he touched
a post, we touched it too; if he kicked the side of a tent, all of us
kicked it; so on we went, winding around the dwellings, in and out
of vacant lodges, through mud puddles and queer, almost inaccessible
places, and even entering the village, where we made the place ring
with our song.
At last, tired out, the boys broke line and scattered to their homes.
It was then that I suddenly realized the lateness of the hour, and
remembered my promise to Brush. I ran to the house, took a hurried
leave of my parents, picked up the package of buffalo meat my mother
had prepared for my schoolmate, and fairly flew over the hill between
the village and the Mission.
As I came running down the hill to the school I saw Lester, Warren, and
Edwin sitting in a row on the fence.
"Hello!" I shouted, "what you sitting on that fence for, like a lot of
little crows?"
No answer came, nor did the boys move. I began to wonder if they were
displeased with me, although I could not think of anything I had done
to give them offence. As I drew near, I noticed that the expression
on their faces indicated alarm rather than displeasure, and, becoming
anxious in my turn, I hurriedly asked, "What's the matter; what's
happened; where's Brush?"
The boys looked at one another, then at me; finally Lester replied,
almost with a sob, "Brush is awful sick; he's been raising blood; they
sent for the Doctor."
"Where is he? I must go see him," I said, springing over the fence, and
starting toward the house.
"He's in that little room next the girls' play-room; but they won't let
anybody see him," said Warren.
I went to the room in which Brush lay, and knocked very gently on the
door. There was a rustling movement inside, then the door slowly opened
and one of the lady teachers stood before me.
"What is it, Frank?" she asked in a low tone.
I tried to look over her shoulder to see the bed, but she was too tall
"I want to see Brush; can't I see him? They say he is sick. I want to
see him a moment," I pleaded. "I'm just come back from the village, and
brought some buffalo meat I promised him."
"No, Frank, you cannot see him," was the reply. "He is very sick. The
superintendent is with him trying to relieve his suffering. Run away
now," said the lady, stroking my bare head with her small hand. "Don't
make any noise, and tell the rest of the boys to be very quiet."
I went away reproaching myself for not coming back from the village
soon, as I told Brush I would. When I rejoined the boys, they looked
anxiously into my face, and Edwin asked, "Did you see him?"
"No, they would not let me." After a pause, I asked, "When did he get
sick; who was with him?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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