IKHben (Brass Is <5reen 



I HAVE been watching men, of late, who were 

 digging for relics of the Indians, and while the de- 

 lightful November sunshine warmed me where I 

 sat, I waited for the expected treasures continually 

 brought to light by the spade. There was scarcely 

 a shovelful of earth but contained traces of man's 

 former presence here. Charcoal darkened the 

 yellow sand, and although the potsherds were so 

 small as to be readily overlooked, still they were 

 traces of man just as much as the occasional com- 

 plete vessel that came to light. I was much 

 amused at a curiosity hunter that came by. He 

 taxed our patience with endless questions, and 

 forced me to be very rude at last. He had some- 

 where caught the phrase from one of those mu- 

 seum-lounging city archaeologists, of " the desira- 

 bility of additional evidence." This fool was not 

 convinced even that we were unearthing Indians, 

 and suggested that the charcoal might be from 

 forest fires, and not from the cooking-site of abo- 

 rigines. He felt insulted at last and passed on, to 

 our great relief. 



On my way home I thought of this fellow and 

 it occurred to me that he was no worse than many 

 others who in a more polished manner talk as he 

 did, and are really far more of a curse to the 

 community, because their polish gives them en- 

 trance to unsuspecting circles, and the poison of 

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