It was a harmless
error, and as no efforts on our part could have diminished his self
importance, we listened with apparent, indeed with real admiration of
his eloquent speech. The women brought ducks on board, and in exchange
we gave them bread; and it was evening as we watched the last teepee of
Shah-co-pee's village fade away in the distance.
But sorrow mingles with the remembrance of that bright day. One of those
who contributed most to its pleasures is gone from us--one whom all
esteemed and many loved, and justly, for never beat a kinder or a
nobler heart.
CHAPTER III.
Shah-co-pee has looked rather grave lately. There is trouble in the
wigwam.
The old chief is the husband of three wives, and they and their children
are always fighting. The first wife is old as the hills, wrinkled and
haggard; the chief cares no more for her than he does for the stick of
wood she is chopping. She quarrels with everybody but him, and this
prevents her from being quite forgotten.
The day of the second wife is past too, it is of no use for I her to
plait her hair and put on her ornaments; for the old chief's heart is
wrapped up in his third wife.
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