SOLON ROBINSON, 1841 201 



keep it until the white fawn comes, for I know she will 

 come. A white owl came last night and sat upon the 

 cedars over the grave, and spoke three time. 'Twas to 

 tell him that sleeps there, that after three snows more, 

 his child would come." "But, perhaps," said I "she will 

 come sooner. Perhaps the voice of the owl was to waken 

 him, to tell him that his child was coming there. Perhaps 

 she is coming now. I will go out again and speak to my 

 Manito, and inquire when she will come." Knowing that 

 the Indians were in a proper mood to produce an effect 

 upon them, I determined to have a little dramatic scene. 

 I had heard the wagon approaching before I went out, but 

 then all was still. I stepped over a little knoll and found 

 the party waiting word from me. I soon arranged busi- 

 ness with them and returned to the wigwam. "What 

 says the Manito?" "He says" — and I stopped and filled 

 our pipes again — "he says that if ever you see her who 

 wears the ring, you will see her after this pipe is burnt 

 out, and before the smoke has blown away" — and again 

 we sat in imperturbable silence — and again we filled the 

 wigwam with smoke. The old squaw, I believe, fully 

 expecting to see what her eyes had so long and anxiously 

 looked for in vain, brought out the ring and sat rubbing 

 it, and chanting a low hymn or prayer to propitiate the 

 Good Spirit to smile on her at this time. At length the 

 old man knocked the ashes from his pipe, and looked 

 anxiously at me — then at the fast receding smoke — then 

 all eyes were turned towards the blanket that formed the 

 door, as a slight rustling sound was heard outside. — At 

 this moment I gave the blanket a sudden jerk, and there 

 stood the "white fawn," her right hand, upon which was 

 that magic ring, extended towords the group, and by her 

 side stood Western, whose form and features were in- 

 stantly recognized as the white stranger who had listened 

 to their tale at the treaty of Tippecanoe, and there 

 promised to search the wide world through, until he 

 found the wearer of that ring, and brought her to them. 

 How little did he then expect, ever to hear the wild shouts 



