| Show THE LITTLE RED MAN an interesting legend current among the digger indiana indian the tha legend of tho the little red eed man is like the most of the stories of the diggers somewhat incomplete but it resembles so closely the stories that have been handed down by our own juvenile writers of the p abst ast I 1 have thought it best to relate it in my own way as the pigeon english of the indian is not easily understood many long years ago the captain of the pamblo tribe lay very sick in his I 1 in vain did the medicine in man an brew his herbs and apply hi hs s fomentations beat his and make his hia rattle tha fever could not be checked and the old man steadily sank all tho the tribe mourned and there was much feasting and self tor ture but the bad spirit that had sent the fever could not bo appeased one night the captain s youngest dau daughter ahter had a dream there appeared P to her the little red man who told her that he was the bad spirit i who had sent the fever but that if she he 5 would follow him he would civo heran her nn herb which when steeped in water would heal the sick she arose and followed him and after a great many hours of tramping across the hills hilla and valleys they came to a mighty gor gorge ge where the wonderful fever plant grew ule the little red man plucked tho the herbs from tho rocks gave them to her and told her to hasten back to her father it was only a dream but the girl could not nat forget it and tha next day she left the camp and endeavored to find tho the gorge where grew the healing herbs for several days she sought in vain and then as she was about to return she heard a voice wl whisper Lisper follow and saw the footprints of a man forming in the sand before her she obeyed the voice and followed and her invisible guide ulde led ld her to the gorge where gre grew w the healing herbs she put forth her hand to pluck them when a voice cried stop and the little red man S tood stood before her you must not touch the herbs now he said but follow me this is the second time lime you have seen me now you shall see the home oi 01 the bad spirit follow again she followed for she feared the little red man and was anious anions to please him they rhey entered the gloomy gorge where all was as silent as death here the birds andrees and bees and flowers were of stone and came to a mighty cavern the walls valls and roof of which were covered with glit glittering terin I 1 crystals that flashed forth all the colors of the rainbow in one corner of this lonely 16 hely cavern was v as a little spring that sparkled and sang with entrancing melody the little red man turned to her and said this is the home of the bad spirit that sent the fever to your father I 1 am he I 1 can save your fathers life but you must promise that when you have taken the herbs to him you will r return e turn to me drink of the singing ihring and rem remain tin with avith me ite forever but the captains daughter was frightened the little red man was old and bide hideous ous and a very bad spirit she fled from him and returned to her home and as bho entered te y ed her fathers teebee teepee the old captain caplain turned his face to the wall and died and unto this day the diggers believe that the little red man lives in a wonderful cavern somewhere in the coast range and sends sickness upon them because the captains daughter would not drink of tho in sing g spring and remain with him forever |
