Also, when they were sick or in trouble, some of the
weaker ones were heard to declare that they wished women were
invented, but as a rule they were blithe and gay as warriors in the
dance that follows a great victory. There were many ennobling
influences in this world before women entered it. Vanity did not
exist. Simplicity was the rule, especially in attire, which ordinarily
consisted of hunting coats and leggings, deerskin moccasins and
coloured blankets, enriched with beads. It was only once in a while
that they appeared in black eagle plumes, and gorgeous feathers,
garters gay with beads, moccasins worked with stained porcupine
quills, leggings of scarlet cloth, embroidered and decorated with
tufts of moosehair, dyed blue and red, robes curiously plaited of the
bark of the mulberry, and adorned with bear claws, hawks' bills and
turtle shells. Besides being plain and quiet in their dress they were
very upright in their lives. No man ever was known to lie to his
neighbour; but now when you see a man and woman too frequently
together you may be sure he is telling her things that come true about
as often as larks fall from the skies.
Pages:
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302