The Gavelyte, April 1915

The Gavelyte VOL. IX APRIL, 1915 NO. 7 The Reward of Kindness. In the southern p•art of M:kb'igan is found a littl.e cr~e·k ,by ,tJhe name of \Valla •ViTa lla. This s'l.IlaJ.l stre:am. Hes in a nrurrow vaHiey which is ·bord,ered O!J1 the s•id•e.s by wa.od• ~d hills. Alil along the ba,uks of tilm stream are f,om11d bea·utiful w 1 iHow trees wh:uch ,d)rno•p ov•er it.is Ple,ar bosom as if in s 1 ym.ip -ai:Jby with the ·watEr as it falls over a roclr J,od.gE'd Jn it" c•ourse. On the l•E1ft 1ci•de of this s•t•reiam is s•i<t'llated a,n India•n village which extends for almos•t a quarter of a mile al,ong 1:Jhe Lank. In this p!a,ce whi,ch I have d - scrilbed forr y,o•u, it i,s a beautitful Pvening in early autumn. Ov,er the tops 0 1 f the Mllls ,can be s•een t h,e lac,t rays of the s·eitting sun. T•he;;e fow beams rest upon tbiJs little vall0y makin,g it grow with a d·a.1.zliing- ',pJ,en,dor. In tJhe midst o,f tJhe little wi,gwams, glow,s a bdgiht fir·e. send'ing out ,SJparks· rund' s,mo,kie in PH'l'Y d;rec:tion. Around this fire are ,e:atheTed th1e i·nh,a,biltantJs of this little ,·illage. Thteir bo•die.s a.re painted with ,bri,ghtt co~o,rs, beaiuti– ful feathers hang fro-m t·heir 'black hair and a,s t'hese savage :fio,rms dance around this glowing fire, savage crie·s are eohoed and re •echo.ed by lhe surrnundin1g ·hills. 8'udd 1 enly all stop as i'f some one is mi's,siin,g for :n I rcken Engli,:·h y,ou can ,d:iPting·uish these words: "lvV1re1,e is B'g Buffal·o? He miusita dance too. Tomorrnw hurt.a we t,he pale face. He takes our land." . 'ow far a,way 1f,rom f)hii,; nigMly festival, leaning- ag,ai•nsit a tree, R•ta:ndR tbe Indi,an hrave by the name of Big 1Buffal•o. He i.s1,of pe1r– J'ed stature, great mus 1 cles stand outlin·ecl, in hi,s bJiack haiT are a:l'so £·er»n t,]H, brie;M feathers whila in hi,s large hand1he clas•ps a 'blow anid r-;•onw arrows Upon 1 hiR faC'e arP seen the trace•!", of s,a,dnes 1 s. mo:r ,as lw r:tan ls tlie·rP h!.s min,cl wand•f'l'R bade to t•rat l,onig codd wint ,r w'hein th1· . now r·o\'Pred the earth for many months. ,vhen all the animals s< PJllPd hi 1 ··uEn in th<iir duns all till one.,h thcoi long dreary •win>tier. IFood vas very H<·.arce and when the 11:ist morsel h•nd ,been eat' n, and from f,•:u· of Rlarvatio,n lw •had trudg< d ir~ tl1e ~no,w fo,r Lin '(l, days and a.t last Wi•al{ and nlmost froi n h !lad eo11nf' to the villag or Lhe pal 1 e