The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, March 2, 1902, Page 7

SfUNDAY CALL. THE ROW THE RAVEN DIED . 1002, by Robert Howard Russell HICH you-all is out to hear of Injuns, son,” observed the o4 ttleman doubtfully, the best 1 can do s shet my eye push along regyardless, ke cayouse In a storm of snow. Bul don't guarantee no facts; none whatever! 1 never does bend my- se'f to severe study of them savages, an' what notions I packs about concernin em is the casooal frootes of what 1 ac cidental w hears an’ what I sees. It's only then, as 1 observes former, that Injuns invades Wolfville; an’ when the) does, we-all scowls ‘em outen camp—sort o' makes & sour front, so as to break ‘em ly of them habits of visitin' us. We shore don't hone none to have ‘em han kerin’ ‘round Nacherally, 1 makes no doubt, if you Tnjuns an' studles their little good an finds em ks, It's so with then may to among the parated off the 8 gents follows off one wagor turr come ever ite in folks, 1 chiefs lle from the yre of Injuns e wo white to him per athers from: ves garbed rim- as a chief an' as he row ates spre East West s—from in the $iss neve the risin souri. This last f into Western to equent on, that a-way. ng-tai them stovepipe ftor gerous? you-all coul a distinct peril: still, folks goe themse'fs to stirrin’ Jef- up, jest to see if he's alive, gets s action. He has long gray & ngled white beard half way dow ; an’ with that old plug hat an ack coat, he's a sight to frighten an’ sour milk! Still, Jeffords is As long as towerists an’ other people don’t go pesterin’ Jef- shore lets ‘em alone. Otherwise might as wel the same cinnamon b'ar: which you'd re hear something drop a whole lot! For myse't, 1 likes old Jeffords, an him a plea conundrum tenth drink time, he'd take a cha'r a far corner a a time, as I files in the Oriental, have ed with— ir be up sap- asue over of my soul, e to thy bosom fly, the nearer waters roll, where he's conductin’ some olks never goes but- with these yere con- cheaper to let as 1 su'gests, T ‘em experiences with it mowey while workin' cattle River, I es carom on less. Thar's one hostile s spes he's a fool Injun called ck Feather; Choctaw, he is. This yere Black Feather's weakness is fire water; e thinks more of some folks es of rel Black Fe used tc ss over to 1 store hief mpartir ahorigines is a good (hing i X her, he'd o s an' linger ne - f Vv ey Tan an’ take iffter or two while £ an’ allows This 5 ghty reckless sport; h whateyer he doc s and shotgums, an v er an’ sin in a . em's n's P character elate zets plumt ' ton's Mcker room we who takes evers sl Tl o e paint on the sly. ¥ gt e pair m whole quart of it at least away in the shade; an' he exhibits the symptoms. Which for one thing, he feels about four storles tall! “'Stocton sets a trap for Black Feather. He fills up the tin cup he draws that Val- ley Tan in with coaloll—karoseen you-all calls ft—an’ leaves ft,temptin’ like settin’ on top a whisky bar'l, Shore! it's the first thing Black Feather notes. He sees grabs an' downs the Karo- startin’ for him, ather gulps her down next second he cuts his chance, an’ Stocton sort o' Black ¥ wift. The we n; an this ye plumb Joose the yell of that year, burns up about ten acres of land, an' starts for Red River. No, 1 don't know whether that karoseen hurts him none or not; he jest nacherally goes squatterin’ across the old Red River like a wounded wild duck, an’ he never does come back no more. “But, son vou sees, 1 don't nothin’ speshul or much touchin' an’ if I'm to dodge the disgrace of |amln- know Injuns, lin' along this yere desulto might better shift to a tale I he: Sam relate to Doc Peets one night in the Red Lig This Sam is a Sioux, an’ a mighty decent buck, ,considerin’ he's In- jun; Sam is servin' the Great Father as a the diag-nal-coat, darby-hat sharp I mentions. Peets gives this sad- dle-iinted long horn a four-bit piece, an’ he teils this varn. Shore, it sounds plenty childish; but you oughter b'ar in mind them savages, mental, ain’t no bigger nor older than ten-year-old young-ones among the palefaces. “This is the story my mother tells me,’ says Sioux Sam, ‘to show me the evils of cur'osity. ‘The Great Sperit allows to every one the right to ask only so many says my mother, ‘an’ when scout with gnestions,” they ask one more than they die.’ “'This is the story of the fate of Kaw- kaw-chee, the Raven, a Sioux chief, who is their right, died long ago, my mother told me. The Raven died because he asked too many questions an’ was too cur'ous, It began when Sublette, who was a trader, came up the Mitchi-zoor-ran-—the Big Mudc an’ was robbed by the Raven's peopl Sublette was mad at this, an' sald next time he would bring the Sloux a present #0 they would not roh him, 80 he brought a little cask of fire water an’' left it on the bank of the Big Muddy. Then Sublette went away, an' twenty of the Raven's young men found the little cask. But they were greedy an' did not tell the “THIS SAM IS A SIOUX, AN, A MIGHTY DECENT BUCK, camp, but drank the fire water where it was found ‘The Raven missed hi= twenty young men an’ when he went to spy for them, behold! they were dead, with their teech locked tight, an’ their faces an’ bodies writhen an’ twisted, as the whirlwind twists the cotto »ods. Then the Rave: thought a thought: an’ he got ve cur'ous to knew why his young men d so writhen an’ twisted. The fire water had a whirlwind in it, an’ the Raven was ehger to hear. So he sent for Sublette. Then the Raven an’ Sublette had a big talk They a ed not to hurt eacn other; an’ Sublette was to come an’ go an’ trade with the Sioux; an’ they wanll never rob him. At this Sublette gave the Raven some of the whiriwind that so killed an’ twisted the twenty younz men. Tt was a poswder; white; an’ it had not smell. Sublstte said its taste tter the Raven must not taste it or it would lock up his teeth an’ twist an’ kill him. For to s W the white powder loosed the whirlwind on the man's eart an’ it bent him an’ twist- ed him like the storms among the wil- lows. “ ‘But the Raven could give the powder to other: So the R en gave it in some deer’s meat to his two sgquaw an’ they were twisted till they died; an’ when they would speal they couldn’t, for their teeth were held tight together, an’' no words came out of their mouths—only a great foam. Then the Raven gave it to others that he did not love; they were twisted an’ dled. At last there wus no more of the powder of the whirlwind; the Raven must wait till Sublette came up the Big-Muddy again an' brought him more, ‘* ‘There was a man, the Gray Elk, who was of the Raven's people. The Gray Elk was a Choo-ayk-eed—a great prophet. And the Gray Elk had a wife; she was wise an' beautiful, an’ her name was The Squaw-who-has-dreams. But Gray Blk called her Kee-nee-moo-sha—the Sweet- heart. “ “While the RB\!h walted for Bublette to bring him more powder of the whirl- wind a star with a long tall came Into the #ky. This star with the tail made the Raven y cur'ous, He asked Gray Elk to tell him about it, for he was a prophet. The Raven asked many questions; they fell from him like leaves from a tree in the month of the first ice. So the Gray Elk called Chee-bee—the Spirit; an' the Spirit told the Gray Elk. Then the Gray Elk told the Raven ‘It was not a tail, it was blood—star blood; an’ the Star had been bit an' was wounded, but would get well. The Sun was the father of the Stars, an’ the ‘Moon was their mother. The Sun—Gheezis— tried ever to pursue an’ capture an' éat his children—the Stars. So'the Stars al ran hid when the Sun was abont. But the Stars loved their mother, who was good an’ neyer hurt'them; an’ when the Sun went to sleep at night an’ Coosn- an’ Kee-wan, the Darkness, shut his eyes, the Moon an’ her children, the Stars, came to- gether to see each other. But the Star thdt bled had been caught by the Suh; it got out of his mouth, but was wounded Now it was frightened, so it always kept its face to where the Sun was sleeping over In the west. The bleeding Star— Sch-coo-dah—would . get well, an’ _its wound would heal. “ ‘Then the Raven wanted to know how the Gray Elk knew ail this. An’ the Gray Elk had the Raven into the medicine lodge night; an’ the Raven heard +the spirits come about, an’ heard their voices; but he conld not understand. Also, the Raven saw a wolf all fire with wings like the eagle which flew overhead. Also he heard the Thunder—Boom-wa-wa—talking with the Gray Elk; but the Raven could- n't understand. The Gray Elk told the Raven to draw his knife an’ stab with it in the air outside the medicine lodge. An’ when he did the Raven's blade an’ hand came back covered with blood. Still the Raven' was cur'ous, an’ kept askin' to be told how the Gray Elk knew these things An’ the Gray Elk at last took the Raven to the great bachelor Bycamore that lived alone, an’ asked the Raven.f the bachelor Sycamore was growing. An' the Raven sald it was. Then the Gray Elk asked him how he knew it was growing. An' the Raven sald he didn't know, Then the Gray Elk sald he did not know how he knew about Sch-coo-dah, the Star that was bit. This made the Raven angry, CONSIDERIN’ HE'S INJUN.” for he was very cur'ous; the Gray Elk had two tongues. *“‘Thep it came the month of the first young grass, an’' Sublette was back for furs. Also he brought many goods; an’ he gave the Raven more of the powder of the whirlwind in a little box. At once the Raven made a fedst of ducks for the Gray Elk; an' he gave him of the whirl- wind powder; an’' at once his teeth came together an’ the Gray Elk was twisted till he died. ‘ ‘Now no one knew that the Raven had the powder of the whirlwind, so they could not tell why all these people were twisted an’ went to the Great Spirit. But the Squaw-who-has-dreams saw that it was the Raven who killed her husband, the Gray Elk, in a vision. Then the Squaw-who-has-dreams went into the mountains four days an’ talked with Moh-kwa, the Bear, the wisest of the beasts. The Bear said it was the Raven who killed the Gray Elk an’ told - the Squaw-who-has-dreams of the powder ot the whirlwind. * ‘Then the Bear an' the -Squaw-who- has-dreams made a fire an’' smoked an’ laid a plot. The Bear did not know where, to find ‘the powder of the whirlwind which the Raven always kept in a secret place. ,But'the Bear told the Squaw-who- has-dreams that she should marry the Raven, an' watch until she found where the pawder of the whirlwind was kept in its secret place; an' then she was to give some to the Raven, an' he. too, would ‘be SAN FRANCISCO TO HEAR A GREAT CONTRALTO AN FRANCIECO is =oon to hear a new con®alto—ng* ordinary con tralto, but one that a large part of the Unitea States has said can- not be equaled the whole world over, This new songbird, or at least new to us of the Pacific Coast, is Katharine Fisk. She appeared jointly with Madame Nordica a few weeks ago at a song festi- val in St Louis—the festival was a great success, not. only because of the voice of the irresistible Nordica, but on ae- count of the rich, wonderful tones of the Before this, Madame Fisk had completed engagements with the leading contralto. orchestras and oratorio societies of this Moreover, she has appeared as soloist of the London Fhil- country. the leading harmonic, Richter, Colonne, Crystal Pal- v ace, Patti concerts; Bcottish Orchestra, otc. That in itself should count _for something. . It is sald that hér veice is a rare combination of wenderful dspth, range and dramatic quality. She is gaid to possess ‘an 'intense artht|c tempera- ment, of face and physique and a most charm- ing and winning personality. ‘Aside from her well-nigh endless reperdoire of ora- torfo and aria, Madame Fisk has made extremely popular her ballad recitals in German, French, English and Scotch. It has been many a day since a great con- tralto has come to give concerts in San Franeisco. Not because we ‘do not ap- ~“precfate voices of that range—for general- Iy they are the most popular—but because there are so few of them to come. Mrs. Fisk is to give four recitals here at Sherman, Clay & Co.’s Hall, under the direction of Messrs. Bouvier and Green baum. an' he thought broad musical lntelllgence. beauty | twisted an’ die. There was a great dan- ger, though, the Raven would, after the one day when they were wedded, want to kill the Squaw-who-has-dreams. 8o to protect her, the Bear told her she must begin to tell to him the moment she was married to the Raven the Story-that- never-ends, Then, because the Raven was more cur'ous than even,K he was cruel, he would put off an' put off giving the powder of the whirlwind to the Squaw-who-has-dreams, hoping to hear the end of the Story-that-never-ends. Meanwhile the Squaw-who-has-dreams was to watch the Raven until sfie found the powder of the whirlwind in its secret place. “ “Then the wise Bear gave the Squaw- who-has-dreams a quart of words as seed so she might plant them an’ raise a crop of talk to tell the Story-that-never-ends. An' the Squaw-who-has-dreams planted the seed-words, an’ they grew an’ grew an’ she gathered sixteen bundles of talk an’ brought them to her wigwam. After that she put beads in her hair, an’ dyed her 1ips red, an’ rubbed red on hericheeks, and put on a new blanket; an” when tlie Raven saw her he asked. her .to marry him. So they were wedded; an’ the Squaw-who-has-dreams went to the tepee of the Raven an’ was his wife. *‘But the Raven was old an’ cunning like Yah-mee-kee, the Beaver, an' he said, “He is not wise who keeps a squaw’too long!” An' with that. he thought would kill the Squaw-who-has-dreams the next day with the powder of the whirl- wind. But the Squaw-who-has-dreams first told the Raven that she hated When- dee-goo, the giant; an' that she should not lov. the Raven untl] he had killed he When-dee-goo. She knew the Glant was too big an’ strong for the Raten to kill with his lance, an’ that he must get his powder of the whirlwind; she would watch him an’ learn its secret place. The Raven said he would kil the Glant as the sun went down ndxt day “‘Then the Squaw-who-has-dreams told the Raven the figst of the Story-that never-ends, an' used up'one bundle of talk; an’' when the story ‘ended for that night the §quaw-who-has-dreams was saying: “An" so, out of the lake that was red as the suft came a great fish that was green with' yellow wings, an' it walked also with feef, an' it came up to me sald: “But fhen she would tell no more that night; nor could the Raven who was an crasy with|cur'osity prevall on her. I must now sleep an' dream what the greeh fish with the yellow wings sald,” was the reply of the Squaw-who-has- dreams; an' she pretended to slumber. So the Raven, because he cur‘ous, put off her death. ‘* ‘All night ghe watched, but the Raven did not go to the sectet place where he had hidden the powder of the whirlwind Nor' the next day, when the sun went down, did the Raven kill the Glant. But the Squaw-who-has-dreams took up again the Story-that-never-ends an’ told what the green fish with the yellow wings sald; an’ she used up & second bundle of talk. Whaen she closed for that time the Squaw- who-has-dreams was saying: “An’ asnight fell Moh-kwa, the Bear, called to me from his canyon said for me to come an' he would show me where the great treasure of fire water was buried for you, who are the Raven. .So I went into the canyon, an’ Mok the Bear, took me by the hand to the treasure of fire water, which was greater an’ rfch er than was evef seen by any Sloux."” ““Then the Squaw-who-has-dreams would tell no more that night, while the Raven eat his fingers with cur'osity. But he madé up a mew plan not to twist the Squaw-who-has-dreams until she showed him the treasure of fire water an’ told him the end of the Story-that-never-ends On her part, however, the Squaw-who- has-dreams as she went to sleep wept an’ tore the beads from her hair, an’ saiu Raven did not love her; for he had not killed the Giant as he promised. She said she would tell no mere of the Story-that- never-ends until the Giant was dead; nor wou he show to a man who did not love her the great treasure of fire water which Moh-kwa, the Bear, had found. At this the Ra who was hot to have the treasure of fire water, an’ whose ears rang with cur’osity to hear the end of the Story-that-never-ends, saw that he must kill the Glant. Therefore when the Squaw-who-has-dreams had ceased to sob an’ revile him, an” was gone as he thought asleep, the Raven went to his secret place where he kept the powder of the whirl- wind an’ took a little an’ wrapped it in & leaf' an’ hid the leaf in the braids of his lonig hair. Then the Raven went to sleep. *‘When the Raven was asleep the Squaw-who-has-dreams went also herself en, to the secret place an’ got also a little of the powder of the whirlwind. An’ the next morning she arose early an’ gave the powder of the whirlwind to the Ra- ven on the roast buffalo—the Pez-hee- kee—which was his food “‘Wbhen the Raven has eaten the Squaw-who-has-dream#¢ went out of the tepee among the people &n’ called all the Sioux ‘to come an’ see the Raven die. So the Sioux came gladly an’ the Raven was twisted an’ writhen with the powder of the whirlwind wrenching at his heart; an’ his teeth were tight like a trap; an’ no words, but only foam, came from his mouth; an’ at last the Spirit—the Chee- bee—was twisted out of the Raven; an’ the Squawjwho-has-dreams was revenged for the death of the Gray Elk whom she loved, an’ who always called her Kee- nee-moo-sha—the Sweetheart, because it made her laugh. ‘Whén the Raven was dead the Squaw-who-has-dreams went to the secrat place an’ threw the powder of the whirl- wind .into the Big Muddy; an’ after that she distributéd her fourteen bundles of talk that were left among all the Sioux, so that everybody could tell how glad he felt because the Raven was twisted and dled. So_fof a week there was nothing Rt happipess an’ big talk among the Sioux; an’ Moh-kwa, the Bear, came laughing out of'his canyon with the won- der of listening to it; while the Squaw- who-has-dreams now, when her revenge was done, went with When-dee-goo, the Giant, to his fepee and became his squaw. So now everything was ended save the Story-that-never-ends.” “When Sioux Sam gets this far,” con- cluded the Old Cattleman, “he says, ‘an’ my mcther’s words at the end were: “An" boys who ask too many questions will dle 1s did the Raven, whose cur'osity was even greater than his eruelty., MANY RULERS OF RIPR AGE ‘ANY roval personages will at- tain venerable ages if they live to reach their birthdays in the course of 1902, says the West- ’ minster Gazette. Among reign- ing sovereigns, the Pope, of course, leads the list. He will be 92 on March 2. Next comes the Grand Duke of Luxembursg, who will be 55 In July, followed closely by the King of Denmark, who will be 34 in April; the Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar, who will be 84 in June, and the Grand Duke of Meeklenburg-Strelitz, who will be 33 in October. This makes five octo- genarians out of a total of forty rulers enumerated in the Almanach de Gotha. The septuagenarians are seven in num- ber and include the King of Saxony, the King of Sweden and Norway and the Em- peror of Austria, who is the youngest of them, and will be 71 In August. Other venerable members of royal families in- clude the Duke of Cambridge. who will be 83 in March: his sister, the Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, who will be % in July; the Queen Dowager 6f Eanover, who will be 84 in April Princess Ma- the thilde, daughter of Jeror Bonaparte, who will be in May, ard oldest of all, the Duch of Anhalt-Bernburg, who is the eldest sister of the King of Denmark, and wi!l be 91 in Oetober.