Read Online Another Chance by Janet Cooper - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Janet Cooper
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shrugged.
"Is anything wrong?" Luke asked .
"No ." She pushed her concern aside, but couldn't resist asking, "Why did thou shave thy head?"
"Lenape braves normally wear their hair long . When we go on the war path, we leave only a small lock of hair on the crown of our heads."
The word warpath had startled Sarah, but she tried not to show her inner battle. She must have failed because he added, "By leaving only a tuft of hair on top my enemy has less to grab." His face showed little emotion, but his eyes appeared to gleam.
She shivered at his words . "Thy people are going on the war path?"
CHAPTER FOUR
"We will destroy the soldiers who raided, murdered and violated our people and our land," he said, his voice a deadly calm .
The sky had darkened as if joining the Lenape in their sorrow . Would rain come or would just the mantle of heavy, gray clouds cover the land? she wondered. Sarah thoughts shook her. She broke her gaze and stared at the burial mound. Torches formed a boundary at the rear of the area and lit up the monument. An old woman approached. A closed cape-like garment hung to her waist. Shells and small glass beads decorated the front and embroidered borders graced the hem. From her waist to her knees, she had wrapped a buckskin skirt. She held it in place with a wampum belt. Beneath this, she wore leggings, also trimmed with embroidery. On her ankles and wrists, tiny silver bells dangled and rang softly as she walked. Her long hair, streaked with gray, had been pulled back, then rolled up and secured with a net bag of some type. She carried a basket filled with corn, squash, and pumpkin that she placed in front of the long oak log. When she had arranged the vegetables to suit her, she sat, faced the monument and wailed.
Sarah jumped. The mournful sound broke the silence that had surrounded the grave.
"My people tear their clothes, blacken their faces and cry as they lament the dead," Luke said, a testiness in his tone .
"They did that in the Bible," Sarah stated nonchalantly, for he had come full circle, back to the resentment she'd earlier sensed and heard. She intended to let him know, in a gentle manner, that the rites of his people intrigued, but did not appall her.
He glanced at her .
She smiled encouragingly .
"The food we place before the monument will help nourish the spirit-essence as it prepares for the long journey to the sky ." Luke kept his attention focused on Sarah as if waiting for her to show her revulsion at this custom.
"What a wonderful gift," she said with sincerity.
His features softened . "To our people, it is.
Sarah observed the old woman once more.
Wolf looked at her from the corner of his eye . She sounded sincere, he thought. Still, what did she really think about his people's burial rites? Was the ceremony offending her white beliefs? From her actions, he thought not, but what did her feelings mattered to him. He did worry her response might offend his grandfather. So far, he admitted, she had behaved well for an outsider.
While they spoke, the woman’s chanting increased in volume . Her voice sealed the early evening activities with sadness and melancholy. Soon, other men, women and children appeared, all dressed in a similar fashion. They dropped rush mats on the ground, forming an open circle. The burial monument became one segment, and the people completed the ring. In the center, a large fire burned giving light to the inside enclosure.
Benjamin and Little Turtle returned during this time . The boy handed a buckskin shirt trimmed with beads and small shells to Luke. When he slipped it on, Sarah felt a sense of disappointment. He glanced at her. She flushed, sensing he had read her mind. Luke led them to cushions of woven straw that directly faced the gravel mound. He placed Benjamin on the far left and Sarah next to him. The small boy squatted between Luke and White Owl. In profile, the three Keenans resembled one another. Little Turtle straightened his
"Is anything wrong?" Luke asked .
"No ." She pushed her concern aside, but couldn't resist asking, "Why did thou shave thy head?"
"Lenape braves normally wear their hair long . When we go on the war path, we leave only a small lock of hair on the crown of our heads."
The word warpath had startled Sarah, but she tried not to show her inner battle. She must have failed because he added, "By leaving only a tuft of hair on top my enemy has less to grab." His face showed little emotion, but his eyes appeared to gleam.
She shivered at his words . "Thy people are going on the war path?"
CHAPTER FOUR
"We will destroy the soldiers who raided, murdered and violated our people and our land," he said, his voice a deadly calm .
The sky had darkened as if joining the Lenape in their sorrow . Would rain come or would just the mantle of heavy, gray clouds cover the land? she wondered. Sarah thoughts shook her. She broke her gaze and stared at the burial mound. Torches formed a boundary at the rear of the area and lit up the monument. An old woman approached. A closed cape-like garment hung to her waist. Shells and small glass beads decorated the front and embroidered borders graced the hem. From her waist to her knees, she had wrapped a buckskin skirt. She held it in place with a wampum belt. Beneath this, she wore leggings, also trimmed with embroidery. On her ankles and wrists, tiny silver bells dangled and rang softly as she walked. Her long hair, streaked with gray, had been pulled back, then rolled up and secured with a net bag of some type. She carried a basket filled with corn, squash, and pumpkin that she placed in front of the long oak log. When she had arranged the vegetables to suit her, she sat, faced the monument and wailed.
Sarah jumped. The mournful sound broke the silence that had surrounded the grave.
"My people tear their clothes, blacken their faces and cry as they lament the dead," Luke said, a testiness in his tone .
"They did that in the Bible," Sarah stated nonchalantly, for he had come full circle, back to the resentment she'd earlier sensed and heard. She intended to let him know, in a gentle manner, that the rites of his people intrigued, but did not appall her.
He glanced at her .
She smiled encouragingly .
"The food we place before the monument will help nourish the spirit-essence as it prepares for the long journey to the sky ." Luke kept his attention focused on Sarah as if waiting for her to show her revulsion at this custom.
"What a wonderful gift," she said with sincerity.
His features softened . "To our people, it is.
Sarah observed the old woman once more.
Wolf looked at her from the corner of his eye . She sounded sincere, he thought. Still, what did she really think about his people's burial rites? Was the ceremony offending her white beliefs? From her actions, he thought not, but what did her feelings mattered to him. He did worry her response might offend his grandfather. So far, he admitted, she had behaved well for an outsider.
While they spoke, the woman’s chanting increased in volume . Her voice sealed the early evening activities with sadness and melancholy. Soon, other men, women and children appeared, all dressed in a similar fashion. They dropped rush mats on the ground, forming an open circle. The burial monument became one segment, and the people completed the ring. In the center, a large fire burned giving light to the inside enclosure.
Benjamin and Little Turtle returned during this time . The boy handed a buckskin shirt trimmed with beads and small shells to Luke. When he slipped it on, Sarah felt a sense of disappointment. He glanced at her. She flushed, sensing he had read her mind. Luke led them to cushions of woven straw that directly faced the gravel mound. He placed Benjamin on the far left and Sarah next to him. The small boy squatted between Luke and White Owl. In profile, the three Keenans resembled one another. Little Turtle straightened his
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