Star: The Story of an Indian Pony

by Augusta Huiell Seaman

  Chapter XIX

  When Songbird awoke the next morning, Star had already eaten hisbreakfast, so she lost no time in satisfying her own hunger with a bitof the dried meat and pounded maize, finishing off her meal with a drinkof water from the pool.

  Then carefully tying up her bundle and tucking her doll into her belt,Songbird mounted her pony and started back to the village. She had notrouble following the trail now, for the ground was not so sandy orsoft. Besides, Star knew his way without any guidance.

  When they had left the Quahada village it had been dark, so they hadtravelled more slowly. It was late in the afternoon when at last theyneared the hill which overlooked the camp. Songbird knew that all thewomen and children would be preparing the evening meal.

  She felt very happy knowing that she would be with them safely in a fewminutes, and she knew they would all be glad that Star had brought herout of the terrible desert. But she was now rather ashamed of herself athaving run away without telling any one of her plans. Then she hopedthat her father had not returned and found her missing, for his anger atthe women would have been terrible, yet they were not to blame at all.

  Star loped lightly up the hill and stopped on the very top. WhereQuannah had halted Running Deer and looked down on the village, Songbirdnow looked down. Then she gave a startled cry.

  All signs of the village had vanished. Where she had left many tepees,she now saw empty space. Where children had shouted at play, silencegreeted her. Where camp fires had blazed, cold ashes stirred in thelight breeze.

  Scarcely believing her own eyes, she urged Star on a run down the hill,as though hoping the village might be there when she reached the veryspot where the camp had once been. But it was more lonely than even thedesert had been. For out there she had believed that she had a home andnow she had nothing.

  Almost frantic, she jumped from her pony and ran to the spot where herfather's tepee had been, calling his name over and over again, andbegging him to come back to her. Nothing familiar met her eyes exceptthe fire pit and the poles on which she had many times hung her father'smoccasins to dry.

  In a frenzy of grief and fear, she flung herself beside the fire pit,and Star, knowing that something was very wrong, called as loudly as hecould. But no pony answered, and no Quahada woman or child came tocomfort his little mistress who lay sobbing on the ground. So Star coulddo nothing but wait patiently.

  Songbird's sobs finally stopped, and she raised herself slowly until shewas sitting with her knees drawn up, her elbows propped upon them andher chin resting in her palms. For some time she sat staring at the topof the hill, while Star, only a few paces away, nibbling dry roots,paused frequently to look at her.

  "My father came back while I was gone," she said to Star, at last. "Heis angry with me and has moved the camp so that I cannot find him. But Iwill look for him until I find him and tell him I am sorry I did notobey him. I know he will not send me away from him, even though he isvery angry. If he will not let me come into his tepee, I will wait atthe entrance, and maybe some day he will forgive me."

  Comforted by this thought, she ate rather sparingly of her food supply.Then she curled beside the fire pit where her father's tepee had oncestood, and slept until morning, for she was very, very tired.

  So soundly she slept that she did not know the coyotes, sneaking aboutthe deserted camp site, had more than once tumbled over one another toavoid a sudden dash of an angry pony. Then, when they had sought safetyfrom his teeth and heels, Star returned to his vigil over his littlemistress.

  The sun had not yet peeped over the rim of the world when Songbird andStar started on their search for the vanished Quahadas. Both of themwatched for signs along the trail, and had no difficulty in findingwhere the lodge poles of the tepees had dragged on the ground.

  Star also noticed something that puzzled him. No unshod hoof printsmingled with the Quahada trail, but there were many distinct marks ofshod horses. He remembered that the Big Gray Horse and the Old WhiteHorse, when they had first come to live among the Quahada ponies, worestrange metal things on the bottom of their hoofs, and they had toldStar and the other ponies that all the white men's horses wore thesethings, which they called shoes.

  The Quahada ponies had thought it very strange that the white men'shorses could not travel on sharp rocks with bare feet, as the Indianponies always did.

  Star had not forgotten this, nor how the two cavalry horses had limpedat first, after the metal shoes had worn thin and finally fallen off inpieces. However, in a little time the Big Gray Horse and the Old WhiteHorse had been able to scramble over rough places just as well as theQuahada ponies could do.

  Songbird did not notice all these things as Star did. While theytravelled she kept her eyes on the marks made by the trailing lodgepoles. That was all she cared to know. For wherever the lodge poles led,she knew that she would find the Quahadas, and that her father would bewith them.

  For three days Songbird and Star followed, not resting until the lightwas too dim to see the trail. Then they lay down together on the groundtill morning. Wherever water could be found, the pony and the childdrank, but as they had no way to carry water with them, both sufferedfrom thirst many times. Only dry mud had been left in many water holes,because of the long drought.

  Star's sides shrank until his ribs showed and his hips stood out insharp points. Sparse clumps of dry grass constituted his only feed, andeven that had been cropped to its roots by the big band of horses on thetrail that Songbird was following.

  Her own supply of food was almost gone. The third night when she openedher bundle and saw only enough for the next morning, her lips quiveredas she wondered where she could find anything more to eat. Yet the nextmorning, after dividing what was left of her food, so as to make twomeals of it, she rose courageously and resumed her journey, alwayskeeping her eyes on the marks of the trailing lodge poles.

  It was late in the afternoon of the third day when Star, looking aheadfrom a high bit of ground, saw an object that made his ears cock sharplyand his nostrils distend, as he sniffed the air. Far away somethingfluttered at the tip of a white lodge pole. Then he remembered what theBig Gray Horse and the Old White Horse had said about the flag whichprotected Indians who were not fighting the white men. Songbird had beenso intent upon the track of the lodge poles that she did not see whatStar had noticed, and when the pony gave a loud squeal and broke into awild run, she did not know what to make of his actions.

  Down the slight slope he rushed. Then Songbird saw a tall white lodgepole with something striped in red and white fluttering at its tip. Shedid not know what it meant, but she clung tightly to Star's mane as heran directly toward a hollow square surrounded with strange buildings,which were different from anything she had ever seen in her life.

  Fast as Star ran, Songbird was able to catch a glimpse of men near thesebuildings, and the men had white faces. But Star did not stop until hestood directly at the foot of the big lodge pole. There, with Songbirdon his back, the pony lifted his head very high and called again andagain, as loudly as he could.

  Songbird, bewildered, saw men running toward her from all sides,shouting to one another. And knowing these were the terrible white menwho had carried Preloch away, and Prairie Flower, too, she bowed herhead, believing that they were coming to kill her.

  But as they reached her side, she saw kindly faces, and heard voicesthat were not harsh or threatening. One man spoke to the others, wholistened respectfully. Then another man led Star between a row ofbuildings, which Songbird stared at, half frightened, half curious.

  Back of these long buildings, which were made with places where menlooked out at her, she saw a great line of the familiar Quahada tepees,and in front of the very largest one stood her father, who startedtoward her, calling her name.

  Like a flash, Songbird jumped from Star's back, past the men who watchedher, and then she was in her father's arms. She knew that he was notangry with her, and nothing else mattered now. She had heard his voiceand had seen his joy, w
hich this time he had not tried to hide, eventhough he was the chief of the Quahada Comanches.

  Chapter XX

  The days that followed were the happiest of Songbird's life. Not onlywas she with her father and the rest of her people once more, but sheknew that there would be no more fighting between the Quahadas and thewhite men. Quannah had given his pledge of peace, and now the whitepeople were his friends.

  Little white children, dressed in clothes that seemed strange toSongbird, came to the Quahada camp and brought things that were verynice to eat. It did not take long for the Quahada children to rusheagerly and greet these visitors, though of course not one Quahada childcould understand what the white children were saying. But that made nodifference.

  Sometimes the white mothers came, too. They brought clothing like thethings the white children wore, and the Quahada squaws were much pleasedwhen they saw their own youngsters dressed in the new finery, with shoesand stockings on their feet.

  While the young Comanches walked awkwardly in their new things, ortalked among themselves about the toys that had been given them,Songbird sat apart, silent but happy. A wonderful doll with real yellowhair, and blue eyes that closed in sleep sat primly beside her, but adirty buckskin Indian doll was more often hugged to Songbird's breast.

  Then one great day Songbird was taken to play with two children in thehome of an officer. They brought toys and games, and she watched eachthing they did, trying to act in the same way. Her father had told herto watch and learn to be like the white children, now.

  After a little while she stopped playing and listened to the mostbeautiful sounds she had ever heard. Then she rose to her feet and movedsoftly toward the room from which the music came.

  Standing by the door she stared at one of the ladies who was seatedbefore a big box that had a great many teeth, and as her fingers touchedthese white, shining teeth, the Spirit in the Box sang sweetly.Wide-eyed with wonder, Songbird listened without moving. She heard inthe music the wind blowing through trees, the noise of the stream, thesong of wild birds and the cry of the Thunder Bird.

  The music stopped, and the lady, turning suddenly, saw the child in thedoorway. Smiling, she beckoned Songbird, who came forward shyly. Thelittle brown hand was lifted by the white, ringed hand of the lady.Songbird's fingers were pressed on the teeth of the box that sang, andas it spoke to her, Songbird's big, black eyes sparkled with joy, whileher solemn little face lighted with a smile.

  Then the lady motioned her to a chair, and for a long time Songbird satlistening to the singing of the Spirit in the Box. All this she told herfather when she went back to his tepee. Each day after that when shewent to play with the children, the mother of the children first tookSongbird to the room where the Spirit in the Box sang for her.

  And each day her father talked to her, telling her that she should learneverything that the white people knew, even how to make the Spirit inthe Box sing when her fingers touched it.

  There were many councils between Quannah and his head chiefs with thebig white chiefs. But there was no more talk of war among the Quahadas.And one day Quannah told Songbird that they were free to go and buildtheir camp again. Songbird did not tell him that she did not want topart from her new friends, but he understood her wistful face.

  "I will come back many times to see them," he said, "and you shall comewith me. Our new camp will not be far away from here."

  So she was happy again. And the next day the Quahadas set busily to worktaking down all the tepees and preparing to move to their own campinggrounds. Songbird and Quannah did not spend these last hours with theIndians, for they were in the home of an officer.

  After they had all eaten lunch together, the officer led the way to thefront porch. There, before the house, stood a soldier holding the BigGray Horse by its bridle, and on its back was a cavalry saddle.

  "The horse and bridle and saddle are gifts to you from GeneralMackenzie," the officer said to Quannah, and an interpreter, who knewhow to speak both the white men's language and that of the Comanches,repeated it to the chief.

  The officer spoke again. This time he looked at Songbird and smiled,while the interpreter said, "The officers give Quannah's daughter theblack pony which carried her into Fort Sill."

  Then Quannah and Songbird noticed a soldier leading Star to the gate.Star's little mistress ran down the porch steps and did not stop untilher arms were about the pony's neck.

  When she was on Star's back, and Quannah had mounted the Big Gray Horse,Songbird saw her father hold out his hand to the officers who hadgathered about them. Very gravely she did the same thing. None of theofficers smiled as they took her small, brown hand, for she was adaughter of a great chief who had won their respect as a soldier and asa man.

  Side by side Quannah and Songbird went slowly along the gravel road infront of the officers' homes; but when they had reached a point directlyopposite the tall white lodge pole where the flag fluttered gracefully,Quannah reined the Big Gray Horse, so that it faced the lodge pole.Songbird did the same.

  Her father lifted his hand, as she had seen the men and officers do manytimes. Without understanding, and without hesitation, Songbird, too,raised her hand and saluted the flag.

  Her father smiled approval, then he said: "That is the flag of theGreat Father, and we are his children now. It is as my mother, Preloch,would wish; and it is best for me, for you, and for all the Quahadas.The white men are our brothers. Together we shall dwell in peace."

  So they rode to the place where their new camp was to be built, not faraway from the garrison. Quannah explained, as they rode, that thebuffalo hunters could not come there to fight the Quahadas, and thatthere would be food enough for the Indians, and that now the whitesoldiers would be their friends. He told her how he planned to make hispeople understand the white men's ways, their children to learn thethings that white children were taught, and then, some day, maybe, hecould bring back Preloch and Prairie Flower. For the officers had toldhim, through the interpreter, that his mother and sister were both dead.

  Little Prairie Flower had lived only a short time after reaching thehome of the white people, and Preloch, grieving constantly for her son,had died a year later, so the mother and the baby had been buried amongthe white people.

  The officers who had told him this had shown their sympathy in theirfaces, and when Quannah asked if they thought that some day he mightbring his mother and sister back to sleep among their own people, theofficers had all been sure that the Great Father would think it was justand right.

  Then Quannah and Songbird reached a little knoll where they had a viewof a wide sweep of prairie land, broken by the outline of trees alongthe banks of a stream. Sitting silently on their horses, father andchild gazed at the place where a new era was to dawn for their people.

  Star's nose rubbed the neck of the Big Gray Horse, but his friend paidno attention to him. He was too busy watching a distant object whichStar had not seen. Then, he, too, saw a slowly moving black pony. Itshead hung dejectedly and it stumbled wearily as it approached them.Star's loud, shrill call caused the black pony to stop suddenly andfling its head high, while it gave answer. Neither Quannah nor Songbirdtried to check the swift pace of the Big Gray Horse and Star, as, sideby side, they raced joyously to meet Running Deer.

  When they met, Star pawed the ground in his delight, and his mother keptnipping his shoulder with her teeth to tell how glad she was to findhim. Later, as she trotted beside him, when Quannah and Songbird againrode forward, Running Deer told her colt how she, returning to camp withQuannah, had found that Star and Songbird both were missing.

  After the white soldiers had captured and taken Quannah and all thebraves and women and children to the garrison, Running Deer, assured nowthat her master would not need her for some time, stole quietly from thegarrison one night to search for Star and Songbird; for Star was verydear to her, and she had noticed, too, how Quannah, when alone, grievedfor his beloved daughter who was lost. She had come back to the Quahadacamp and waited t
here several days, feeling sure that Star and Songbirdwould return. When they did not, she continued on her way to find them,and finally came to the Great Desert of the Staked Plains. Withsorrowing heart she had reluctantly turned her steps back to thegarrison, for now she knew not where to search for them on the vast,trackless sand plains; and she herself was weak and lean from thirst andhunger. Imagine, then, her joy upon finding Star and his little mistresssafe and happy. But neither Star nor Running Deer knew that they alonewere left of the once great Quahada pony herd. All the others were dead.

  As the sun went down that evening, Quannah and Songbird, with the BigGray Horse, Running Deer, and Star, reached the place where the newvillage was to be built. Back of them, on the road, the Quahadas toiled,but the eyes that watched the setting sun were hopeful. They knew thatit would rise again to-morrow.

  Chapter XXI

  Quannah kept his pledge. Never again did the Quahada Comanches war withthe white people, for when their chief had given his word of honour, itbecame their honour to uphold him and keep his promise.

  Near the garrison of Fort Sill he taught his tribe the best ways of thewhite men, and he did his utmost to preserve a sense of fairness andjustice in all his transactions with his own people as well as with thewhite men. The children of the Quahadas were educated, and so Quannah'slittle daughter was taught the things that white children learn.

  Songbird saw her father honoured by the most prominent men of the UnitedStates; saw him living in a large house that was built and furnished andgiven to him as a token of regard from white people who had learned tounderstand and admire the "White Comanche Chief." She saw him a guest inhomes of the most noted men in the great city of Washington, and shewatched him ride in the big parade in Washington when Theodore Rooseveltwas elected for the second term as President of the United States.

  All that Moko had predicted the day Songbird had sat watching the oldPicture Maker work on the big buffalo robe had come true. Even Quannah'sdesire to have his mother, Preloch, and his baby sister, Prairie Flower,come back to sleep among the Quahada people had been fulfilled.

  The Congress of the United States, twenty-four years after Quannah hadgiven his pledge of peace passed a law which gave an appropriation of athousand dollars for a monument to be erected to the memory of CynthiaAnn Parker, whom the Quahadas called Preloch. It not only honoured themother of Quannah, but was also an acknowledgment of the valued servicesof her son, in cooperating with the United States to keep peace betweenthe Indians and the white people.

  And so Preloch and Prairie Flower came back at last to the Quahadas, andwhen Quannah died, he slept beside them, while the Indians mourned thepassing of the greatest chief they had ever known. Untutored andunlettered, he had taught his people the lesson of forgiveness and ofhonour, and in so doing he had won the respect of all men.

  Moko's words were again proved true when a town, Nocona, was named afterQuannah's father, Peta Nocona; and to-day, still another town bears thename of the son, Quannah.

  Star and Running Deer, after living happily many years, at last went tojoin the other Quahada ponies in the Happy Hunting Grounds.

  Sometimes when the Thunder Bird wings its way across the sky, and whitepeople think they hear distant thunder, Songbird stands with upliftedface. It is not thunder, but the sound of galloping hoofs that shehears.

  Beyond the dark shadows of the Thunder Bird's wings, she knows thatQuannah is riding on Running Deer. Near him is Peta Nocona, and withthem rides Preloch, holding little Prairie Flower closely against herbreast.

  On the other side of Running Deer gallops a black pony without a rider,his thick mane and long black tail streaming like the edges of a darkcloud. Songbird knows that the pony is Star, and that some day she willride him again beside her father.

  As the thunder dies away, she smiles and turns back to the work thatQuannah left for her to do, until she, too, shall answer the cry of theGreat Eagle.

  * * * * *

  _Books by Forrestine C. Hooker_

  PRINCE JAN

  STAR: The Story of an Indian Pony

  THE LONG DIM TRAIL