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she was not a little alarmed。
But does not the notion of living on frozen pomatum rather take the
gilt off the delight of being an Indian？ The old woman was as brave and
resolute as a man； but in one day she sold a hundred and twenty beaver
skins and many buffalo robes for rum。 She always entertained all the
neighbouring Indians as long as the rum lasted； and Tanner had a narrow
escape of growing up a drunkard。 He became such a savage that when an
Indian girl carelessly allowed his wigwam to be burned； he stripped her of
her blanket and turned her out for the night in the snow。
So Tanner grew up in spite of hunger and drink。 Once； when starving；
and without bullets； he met a buck moose。 If he killed the moose he
would be saved； if he did not he would die。 So he took the screws out of
the lock of his rifle； loaded with them in place of bullets； tied the lock on
with string； fired； and killed the moose。
Tanner was worried into marrying a young squaw （at least he says he
did it because the girl wanted it）； and this led to all his sorrows… …this and a
quarrel with a medicine…man。 The medicine…man accused him of being a
wizard； and his wife got another Indian to shoot him。 Tanner was far from
surgeons； and he actually hacked out the bullet himself with an old razor。
Another wounded Indian once amputated his own arm。 The ancient
Spartans could not have been pluckier。 The Indians had other virtues as
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well as pluck。 They were honest and so hospitable； before they knew
white men's ways； that they would give poor strangers new mocassins and
new buffalo cloaks。
Will it bore you； my dear Dick； if I tell you of an old Indian's death？
It seems a pretty and touching story。 Old Pe…shau…ba was a friend of
Tanner。 One day he fell violently ill。 He sent for Tanner and said to
him： 〃I remember before I came to live in this world； I was with the
Great Spirit above。 I saw many good and desirable things； and among
others a beautiful woman。 And the Great Spirit said： 'Pe…shau…ba； do
you love the woman？' I told him I did。 Then he said； 'Go down and
spend a few winters on earth。 You cannot stay long； and you must
remember to be always kind and good to my children whom you see
below。' So I came down； but I have never forgotten what was said to me。
〃I have always stood in the smoke between the two bands when my
people fought with their enemies 。 。 。 I now hear the same voice that talked
to me before I came into the world。 It tells me I can remain here no
longer。〃 He then walked out； looked at the sun； the sky； the lake； and the
distant hills； then came in； lay down composedly in his place； and in a few
minutes ceased to breathe。
If we would hardly care to live like Indians； after all （and Tanner tired
of it and came back； an old man； to the States）； we might desire to die like
Pe…shau…ba； if； like him； we had been 〃good and kind to God's children
whom we meet below。〃 So here is a Christmas moral for you； out of a
Red Indian book； and I wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New
Year。
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APPENDIX I
Reynolds's Peter Bell。
When the article on John Hamilton Reynolds （〃A Friend of Keats〃）
was written； I had not seen his 〃Peter Bell〃 （Taylor and Hessey； London；
1888）。 This 〃Lyrical Ballad〃 is described in a letter of Keats's published
by Mr。 Sidney Colvin in Macmillan's Magazine； August； 1888。 The point
of Reynolds's joke was to produce a parody before the original。
Reynolds was annoyed by what Hood called 〃The Betty Foybles〃 of
Wordsworth； and by the demeanour of a poet who was serious； not only in
season； but out of season。 Moreover； Wordsworth had damned 〃a pretty
piece of heathenism〃 by Keats； with praise which was faint even from
Wordsworth to a contemporary。 In the circumstances； as Wordsworth
was not yet a kind of solemn shade； whom we see haunting the hills； and
hear chanting the swan song of the dying England； perhaps Reynolds's
parody scarce needs excuse。 Mr。 Ainger calls it 〃insolent；〃 meaning that it
has an unkind tone of personal attack。 That is； unluckily； true； but to
myself the parody appears remarkably funny； and quite worthy of 〃the
sneering brothers； the vile Smiths；〃 as Lamb calls the authors of 〃Rejected
Addresses。〃 Lamb wrote to tell Wordsworth that he did not see the fun of
the parodyperhaps it is as well that we should fail to see the fun of jests
broken on our friends。 But will any Wordsworthian deny to…day the
humour of this？ …
〃He is rurally related； Peter Bell hath country cousins； （He had once a
worthy mother）； Bells and Peters by the dozens； But Peter Bell he hath no
brothers； Not a brother owneth he； Peter Bell he hath no brother； His
mother had no other son； No other son e'er called her 'mother；' Peter Bell
hath brother none。〃
As Keats says in a review he wrote for The Examiner； 〃there is a
pestilent humour in the rhymes； and an inveterate cadence in some of the
stanzas that must be lamented。〃 In his review Keats tried to hurt neither
side； but his heart was with Reynolds； 〃it would be just as well to trounce
Lord Byron in the same manner。〃
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People still make an outcry over the trouncing of Keats。 It was
bludgeonly done； but only part of a game； a kind of horseplay at which
most men of letters of the age were playing。 Who but regrets that； in his
〃Life of Keats；〃 Mr。 Colvin should speak as if Sir Walter Scott had；
perhaps； a guilty knowledge of the review of Keats in Blackwood！ There
is but a tittle of published evidence to the truth of a theory in itself utterly
de