act toward him.

"When he walked into the wigwam, for nobody ever knocks at an Indian tent,
the maidens were a little startled at thus suddenly seeing this
rough-looking old beggar-man in their midst. The selfish, proud girl, whose
name was Misticoosis, at once began assailing him, and cried, 'Auwasta
kena!' (Get out; go away, you!)

"In vain he pleaded that he was aged and hungry. She would not listen to
him.

"Omemee, the other young Indian maiden, who had not said a word, but had
been pitying him from the first moment she saw how feeble and sad he
looked, now interfered, and remonstrated with her sister, whose tongue kept
up a constant stream of abuse. Taking the old man to her side of the wigwam
she seated him on a rug of deerskins and then built up before him a bright
fire. Then she quickly brought in venison, cooked it nicely, and gave him
the broth for drink and the meat for food. He thanked her gratefully, but
she checked his words and said that her greatest joy was in making others
happy. Not satisfied with what she had done, and noticing that his shoes
were old and worn, she took out of her beaded workbag a pair of splendidly
worked moccasins, and put them on his feet.

"All this time, while this good-hearted, generous Omemee was treating the
poor old man so kindly, the proud, selfish Misticoosis was talking as hard
and as fast as she could against such deeds of kindness to all old people.
In her opinion, when they had got so old and helpless as that old fellow
was, they ought to be killed by their relatives.

"The old man again expressed his thanks to the kind sister, and then went