the spirit of the border-第25章

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is　brave；　he　is　great；　but　he　is　not　wise。　His　wisdom　is　clouded　with　the

original　sin。　He　lives　in　idleness；　he　paints　his　face；　he　makes　his　squaw

labor　for　him；　instead　of　laboring　for　her；　he　kills　his　brothers。　He　worships

the　trees　and　rocks。　If　he　were　wise　he　would　not　make　gods　of　the　swift　arrow

and　bounding　canoe；　of　the　flowering　ash　and　the　flaming　flint。　For　these

things　have　not　life。　In　his　dreams　he　sees　his　arrow　speed　to　the　reeling

deer；　in　his　dreams　he　sees　his　canoe　shoot　over　the　crest　of　shining　waves；

and　in　his　mind　he　gives　them　life。　When　his　eyes　are　opened　he　will　see　they

have　no　spirit。　The　spirit　is　in　his　own　heart。　It　guides　the　arrow　to　the

running　deer；　and　steers　the　canoe　over　the　swirling　current。　The　spirit　makes

him　find　the　untrodden　paths；　and　do　brave　deeds；　and　love　his　children　and

his　honor。　It　makes　him　meet　his　foe　face　to　face；　and　if　he　is　to　die　it

gives　him　strength　to　diea　man。　The　spirit　is　what　makes　him　different　from

the　arrow；　the　canoe；　the　mountain；　and　all　the　birds　and　beasts。　For　it　is

born　of　the　Great　Spirit；　the　creator　of　all。　Him　you　must　worship。



〃Redmen；　this　worship　is　understanding　your　spirit　and　teaching　it　to　do　good

deeds。　It　is　called　Christianity。　Christianity　is　love。　If　you　will　love　the

Great　Spirit　you　will　love　your　wives；　your　children；　your　brothers；　your

friends；　your　foesyou　will　love　the　palefaces。　No　more　will　you　idle　in

winter　and　wage　wars　in　summer。　You　will　wear　your　knife　and　tomahawk　only

when　you　hunt　for　meat。　You　will　be　kind；　gentle；　loving；　virtuousyou　will

have　grown　wise。　When　your　days　are　done　you　will　meet　all　your　loved　ones　in

the　beautiful　forest。　There；　where　the　flowers　bloom；　the　fruits　ripen　always；

where　the　pleasant　water　glides　and　the　summer　winds　whisper　sweetly；　there

peace　will　dwell　forever。



〃Comrades；　be　wise；　think　earnestly。　Forget　the　wicked　paleface；　for　there　are

many　wicked　palefaces。　They　sell　the　serpent　firewater；　they　lie　and　steal　and

kill。　These　palefaces'　eyes　are　still　clouded。　If　they　do　not　open　they　will

never　see　the　beautiful　forest。　You　have　much　to　forgive；　but　those　who

forgive　please　the　Great　Spirit；　you　must　give　yourselves　to　love；　but　those

who　love　are　loved；　you　must　work；　but　those　who　work　are　happy。



〃Behold　the　Village　of　Peace！　Once　it　contained　few；　now　there　are　many。　

Where　once　the　dark　forest　shaded　the　land；　see　the　cabins；　the　farms；　the

horses；　the　cattle！　Field　on　field　of　waving；　golden　grain　shine　there　under

your　eyes。　The　earth　has　blossomed　abundance。　Idling　and　fighting　made　not

these　rich　harvests。　Belief　made　love；　love　made　wise　eyes；　wise　eyes　saw；　and

lo！　there　came　plenty。



〃The　proof　of　love　is　happiness。　These　Christian　Indians　are　happy。　They　are

at　peace　with　the　redman　and　the　paleface。　They　till　the　fields　and　work　in

the　shops。　In　days　to　come　cabins　and　farms　and　fields　of　corn　will　be　theirs。

They　will　bring　up　their　children；　not　to　hide　in　the　forest　to　slay；　but　to

walk　hand　in　hand　with　the　palefaces　as　equals。



〃Oh；　open　your　ears！　God　speaks　to　you；　peace　awaits　you！　Cast　the　bitterness

from　your　hearts；　it　is　the　serpent…poison。　While　you　hate；　God　shuts　His

eyes。　You　are　great　on　the　trail；　in　the　council；　in　war；　now　be　great　in

forgiveness。　Forgive　the　palefaces　who　have　robbed　you　of　your　lands。　Then

will　come　peace。　If　you　do　not　forgive；　the　war　will　go　on；　you　will　lose

lands　and　homes；　to　find　unmarked　graves　under　the　forest　leaves。　Revenge　is

sweet；　but　it　is　not　wise。　The　price　of　revenge　is　blood　and　life。　Root　it　out

of　your　hearts。　Love　these　Christian　Indians；　love　the　missionaries　as　they

love　you；　love　all　living　creatures。　Your　days　are　but　few；　therefore；　cease

the　the　strife。　Let　us　say；　'Brothers；　that　is　God's　word；　His　law；　that　is

love；　that　is　Christianity！'　If　you　will　say　from　your　heart；　brother；　you　are

a　Christian。



〃Brothers；　the　paleface　teacher　beseeches　you。　Think　not　of　this　long；　bloody

war；　of　your　dishonored　dead；　of　your　silenced　wigwams；　of　your　nameless

graves；　of　your　homeless　children。　Think　of　the　future。　One　word　from　you　will

make　peace　over　all　this　broad　land。　The　paleface　must　honor　a　Christian。　He

can　steal　no　Christian's　land。　All　the　palefaces；　as　many　as　the　stars　of　the

great　white　path；　dare　not　invade　the　Village　of　Peace。　For　God　smiles　here。

Listen　to　His　words：　'Come　unto　me　all　that　are　weary　and　heavy　laden；　and　I

will　give　you　rest。'〃



Over　the　multitude　brooded　an　impressive；　solemn　silence。　Then　an　aged

Delaware　chief　rose；　with　a　mien　of　profound　thought；　and　slowly　paced　before

the　circle　of　chiefs。　Presently　he　stopped；　turned　to　the　awaiting　Indians；

and　spoke：



〃Netawatwees　is　almost　persuaded　to　be　a　Christian。〃　He　resumed　his　seat。



Another　interval　of　penetrating　quiet　ensued。　At　length　a　venerable…looking

chieftain　got　up：



〃White　Eyes　hears　the　rumbling　thunder　in　his　ears。　The　smoke　blows　from　his

eyes。　White　Eyes　is　the　oldest　chief　of　the　Lenni…Lenape。　　His　days　are　many；

they　are　full；　they　draw　near　the　evening　of　his　life；　he　rejoices　that　wisdom

is　come　before　his　sun　is　set。



〃White　Eyes　believes　the　young　White　Father。　The　ways　of　the　Great　Spirit　are

many　as　the　fluttering　leaves；　they　are　strange　and　secret　as　the　flight　of　a

loon；　White　Eyes　believes　the　redman's　happy　hunting　grounds　need　not　be

forgotten　to　love　the　palefaces'　God。　As　a　young　brave　pants　and　puzzles　over

his　first　trail；　so　the　grown　warrior　feels　in　his　understanding　of　his　God。

He　gropes　blindly　through　dark　ravines。



〃White　Eyes　speaks　few　words　to…day；　for　he　is　learning　wisdom；　he　bids　his

people　hearken　to　the　voice　of　the　White　Father。　War　is　wrong；　peace　is　best。

Love　is　the　way　to　peace。　The　paleface　advances　one　step　nearer　his　God。　He

labors　for　his　home；　he　keeps　the　peace；　he　asks　but　little；　he　frees　his

women。　That　is　well。　White　Eyes　has　spoken。〃



The　old　chief　slowly　advanced　toward　the　Christian　Indians。　He　laid　aside　his

knife　and　tomahawk；　and　then　his　eagle　plumes　and　war…bonnet。　　Bareheaded；　he

seated　himself　among　the　converted　redmen。　They　began　chanting　in　low；

murmuring　tones。



Amid　the　breathless　silence　that　followed　this　act　of　such　great　significance；

Wingenund　advanced　toward　the　knoll　with　slow；　stately　step。　His　dark　eye

swept　the　glade　with　lightning　scorn；　his　glance　alone　revealed　the　passion

that　swayed　him。



〃Wingenund's　ears　are　keen；　they　have　heard　a　feather　fall　in　the　storm；　now

they　hear　a　soft…voiced　thrush。　Wingenund　thunders　to　his　people；　to　his

friends；　to　the　chiefs　of　other　tribes：　'Do　not　bury　the　hatchet！'　　The　young

White　Father's　tongue　runs　smooth　like　the　gliding　brook；　it　sings　as　the

thrush　calls　its　mate。　Listen；　but　wait；　wait！　Let　time　prove　his　beautiful

tale；　let　the　moons　go　by　over　the　Village　of　Peace。



〃Wingenund　does　not　flaunt　his　wisdom。　He　has　grown　old　among　his　warriors；　he

loves　them；　he　fears　for　them。　The　dream　of　the　palefaces'　beautiful　forest

glimmers　as　the　rainbow　glows　over　the　laughing　falls　of　the　river。　The　dream

of　the　paleface　is　too　beautiful　to　come　true。　　In　the　days　of　long　ago；　when

Wingenund's　forefathers　heard　not　the　paleface's　ax；　they　lived　in　love　and

happiness　such　as　the　young　White　Father　dreams　may　come　again。　They　waged　no

wars。　A　white　dove　sat　in　every　wigwam。　The　lands　were　theirs　and　they　were

rich。　The　paleface　came　with　his　leaden　death；　his　burning　firewater；　his

ringing　ax；　and　the　glory　of　the　redmen　faded　forever。



〃Wingenund　seeks　not　to　inflame　his　braves　to　anger。　He　is　sick　of

blood…spillingnot　from　fear；　for　Wingenund　cannot　feel　fear。　But　he　asks　his

people　to　wait。　Remember；　the　gifts　of　the　paleface　ever　contained　a　poisoned

arrow。　Wingenund's　heart　is　sore。　The　day　of　the　redman　is　gone。　His　sun　is

setting。　Wingenund　feels　already　the　gray　shades　of　evening。〃



He　stopped　one　long　mo