Repository: UIHistories Project: Illio - 1896 [PAGE 48]

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< ll A T I l l ;

Mi"M mi

in.

MIPARTURB CM M ! B BLIVKK m; W I S ON r m : WAi.'i'ATH TO n i l - I i.AIT OV M MB Al'Kll i OOL.

The spring anil summer passed swiftU and tin* children gained in strength and experience. When the autumn came they picked eleven braveH from their number to go forth and meet others from the different sections of the tribe. Manv battles were fought and won and when the day of the Thanksgiving drew near they returned from the warpath loaded with scalps. No scalp was left in the enemv's hand. To this dav these braveH are honored and feared and those who dwell on the south bank of the River of (>dors tremble when they hear their names mentioned. While these warriors were on the warpath, the (iroutchers,getting weary with the village life, appointed a day for the playing of games and friendly strife between the divisions of the tribe. The Children of Knowledge would have won the contest, but, seeing tears in the eves of the Ma rum as boys, a band of dwarfs that had newly joined the tribe, they slackened their pace and let the younger ones win. During the great pony race the Mammasboys raised their token above the wigwam of the keeper of the score. Hut the Children of Knowledge hastened to take it down. Then were they defied by the dwarfs who dared them to a battle in the forest after the going down of the sun. The challenge was accepted. At the appointed hour the braves belonging to the different factions gathered at the place named for the struggle. The Mammasboys gathered around the sacrificial post and tied their token on its top. With many taunts they dared the Children to get it down. For two hours the battle raged and many blankets were torn and feathers crushed. At last by a brave charge of the warriors the token was torn from the pole and carried away. A huge camp-fire was built d e e p in the forest and while the token was b u r n i n g

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therein the Children of Knowledge gave their celebrated ghost dance. Hand in hand around the fire they danced yelling their war cries and chanting the deeds of their great men until the bats and owls were driven from the trees. And the Mammasboys who had slunk to their teepees, slept not that night nor did any of the other Groutchers. These and many more were the acts of the Children of Knowledge up to the feast of the April fool which was the second since they were admitted into the tribe of the Groutchers. These deeds are but a leaf on the oak tree to the deeds that will be done in the future.

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