The women fasten their heavy burdens to this strap, which goes around the forehead; the weight of the burden falls upon the head and back.

This occasions the figures of the Indian women to stoop, since they necessarily lean forward in order to preserve their balance.] went to a hill just above the village, and deliberately made her preparations for hanging, as coolly too as if she had been used to being hung for a long time.

But when, after having doubled the strap four times to prevent its breaking, she found herself choking, her courage gave way--she yelled frightfully; and it was well that her son and others ran so fast, for they had well nigh been too late.

As it was, they carried her into the teepee, where the medicine man took charge of her case; and she was quite well again in an hour or two.

Report says (but there is a sad amount of scandal in an Indian village) that the son has never offended the mother since; so, like many a wilful woman, she has gained her point.
Red Earth witnessed the cutting down of the old woman, and as she returned to her teepee, her quick ear warned her of coming footsteps.
She lingered apart from the others, and soon she saw the eagle feathers of her warrior as he descended the hill towards the village.