Chico High School - Caduceus Yearbook (Chico, CA)

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Q . fn. F- 1 ka be yours. The Concows and the Mechoopdas must unite. Farewelli'-and in a softer tone, said Strike!H Vlfithout replying, Hoolipa calmly struck. VVhile Ceto lay prone o'er Hoolika's grave, his life'- blood flowing over the brown earth, Hoolipa drew his tomahawk and hacked off Ceto's head. Placing it on the point of his spear, he entered his own village. His mother wept with joy at thesigh.t. She immediately bedecked the spear with gorgeous ornaments, and painted the face. Vlfomen and children waited breathlessly for the ceremony to begin, but Hoolipa sat and silently gazed into the distance. His mother then started the war chant, while everyone followed. Faster and faster she sang and danced, mocking, hitting and tearing at the dead man's face. In the end the village was trans- formed into the dance hall of demons. Everyone joined in the ceremony, except Hoolipa and some scouts he had placed at the outskirts of the village. ' In the midst of the fiendish orgy a scout reported that a party of Mechoopdas were on their way to the village, and from th.eir appearance were councilmen and other leading men of that tribe. In a loud voice, Hoolipa silenced the people. He told them of the coming visit of the other tribe, and bade XY i A FAQ- them wait to hear the outcome of it. He then decked himself in his chieftain's robes, took the head of Ceto to where the body lay, and awaited the coming of the Mechoopdas. Cetok was the first to speak. Hoolipa, my father's blood has paid for yours, just as your father had said. I have been elected chief in my fatheris place. I came first for revenge, but the council has ruled, 'a murder for a murder, a chief for a chief,' and I see that it is just. 'fTherefore, I come in peace. Let us end our dif- ferences' Allow me to bury my father here with honors with yours. So saying he broke his spear. Hoolipa replied, So let it be. I break my arrows and bow to insure it. The Concows and th.e Mechoopdas are one. I resign my candidacy for chieftancy to you, Cetok said. Treat my people as yours-I must leave. Farewellf' , ' Into the woods he went, singing: 66 Intojthe land from whence I came, Into the land of rain and mist, Into the land of the setting sun, Into the land of rest-I gof' -HENRY AZBILL, ,is -26-

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grounds when Cetok killed you. May the Great Spirit supply you and your tribe with a bountiful season of such fish as this. Wfith that she forced a half decayed fish into the dead man's mouth. The cere- mony being over, they carried the remains, just as they were, to a hill a little distance from the camp. where they left it facing the land of the Concows. VVhen Hoolika did not return, Hoolipa, his son, rose early and went in search of him. When he came to th,e spot where his father had met the Mechoopdas he found a number of tracks and blood stains on the ground. He immediately came to the conclusion that his father had been killed, and quickly returned to the village. There he reported to the councilmen what he had seen and what he feared. They, too, believed Hoolika dead, and hastily elected Hoolipa temporary chief. Calling out every man, they left in has-te for the home of the Mechoopdas, where they arrived in time to witness the last of the war' ceremony. V At night they tenderly carried the mutilated body of their chief to his home and gave him a fitting burial. Qver the grave of his father, Hfoolipa vowed he would kill Ceto on that grave. Calling his men, he again set out for the home of the Mechoopdas. For several days they fought, but the Mechoopdas, being gre'ater in numbers, drove the Concows back to their mountain home. Here the Concows held council. The head councilman and the medicine men advised watching the Mechoopda village, for, said they, What care we for the blood of thegMechoopdas? It is their chief we wish., and we will have him. They all agreed and sent scouts out to watch the village. The Concows had not shown themselves for months. Ceto believed that their trouble with the Concows was at an end. One day he announced that he was going to the forest to pray in solitude to the Great Spirit for a successful harvest cropf Little did he think that several pairs of eyes werewatching his every move. He had hardly entered the forest when the Concow scouts, headed by Hoolipa, surrounded him. Ceto, said Hoolipa, I have waited all this time to get a glimpse of you, but the Great Spirit has favored me with better fortune, you are in my hands. I have vowed that your blood shall bathe the grave of my father. Hoolipa, replied Ceto, It is the will of the dead. Your father did say to Cetok that it would be thus. A murder for a murder, Hoolipa, and a chief for a chief. Take me to your father's grave. At the grave Hoolika again spoke. Hoolipa, with my death I feel there is the end of the enmity between the Concows and the Mechoopdas. They must unite, for with each new year more and more fair-skinned strangers come to this land. In,time the very land that you stand upon will no-t ' -25-

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THE TRUE HERO Of' said Uncle Dick, addressing the young folks around him, you want a hero story. Itc Wfell, let me think a moment. Ah! I know one, and if you'll pull your ch.airs up a little 5 closer round the fire-place you shall hear the story oflas true a hero as ever lived. Perhaps some of you older ones remember Gne-Arm Billy, but I think you,ve never heard the story of how he earned the title. I've never known why, but as far as I know Billy never told a living soul h.is story. And he seemed just as averse to having others tell it. After the accident he asked us all to 'forget itg' said he 'didn't want any fool reporters coming 'round to get his picture for the papers, 'twant nothing anyhow' He seemed to dread and fear publicity, and since he had given his arm and almost his life to save the life of a child we felt that th.e least we could do for him was to respect his wishes and try to 'forget it.' But now Billy is dead, and I suppose it can do no harm to tell the story. E It happened a long, long time ago in Grandfather Pearsonfs coal mine. Grandfather had a big house and there were always guests. At the time of the accident it was a party of his friends from the city, and of course they wanted to visit' the mine. There were two small children in the party, and though grandfather advised against it they were allowed to accompany the others to the mine. Billy was only a foreman, but he'd practically lived in the mine ever since he had come to us, and knew every track and tunnel of it. So, Grandfather asked 'him to sh.ow the party around. They visited the upper levels first and the children were beginning to grow restless when the party reached the lowest level of the mine. 'WVhy Billy didn't protest at taking the party there I've never been able to understand. It was part' of his nature, I suppose. Grandfather had given the order to show them the whole of the mine, and Billy wasn't the man to protest, even though he knew that tunnel wasnit safe. You see, some of the supporting timbers near the end of the .tunnel had given way and there h.ad been a cave-in. Close to the end of the cave-in a great boulder weighing perhaps twenty tons or more projected from the side and roof of the tunnel. If the boulder should fall, that whole section of the tunnel was in danger of caving in. Great timbers of the toughest wood had been placed under the boulder as supports, but the recent cave-in farther on had weakened and cracked these timbers, and the rock had partly given way. The slightest jar, or even a loud noise, might bring the .huge rock or even the whole tunnel roof crashing down. The miners had been warned to keep away from that vicinity until the damage dould be repaired. fwf- . f T-2 71- in