Short Stories
Learning for life
My pa, Julius, was only 7 and is the ninth child born to a Christian German family who settled in Oklahoma. He had to learn English besides dealing with the Natives. Indians! This was a new method of living for him. However, my pa could make new friends faster’ ya could strike a match. He loved people, and people loved him.
One story I’ll never forget is how he made a friend with an Indian the same age as he. Pa’s Indian friend, Indigo, decided it was time to teach my pa how to live life. So equipping himself with a homemade sling, and a few flat rocks from Bear Hide Creek they headed into the woods behind pa’s home.
“Ya see, it went like this”; Pa’d tell us kids when the chores were done and night time fell, “Indigo was much larger than me, he could reach the fourth branch on the big apple tree, I was lucky to jump and catch the second branch. Indigo, he was so strong he’d yank the leg right outa the muskrat he’d just trapped. And swim like a fish! Yes, sir, he could swim! That’s why’n I took up to him and wanted him to teach me all these things. So goin’ hunt’n wasn’t a huge ordeal. We set off walking, and walking, and walking some more. My feet began get n’ sore,” but Indigo replied, ”we’ve got’ta be inside where the sun ain’t’ so bright. Kain’t let’m see us, or they’s won’t come.” “What ‘they’s’ he was talking about I had no idea. I trusted him though. We continued in silence and walked on. At last, inside the bushes and brambles we came to a halt! Indigo wet his finger by putting it in his mouth, so I copied him. I found out why; he was teaching me which way the wind was blowing. Silently Indigo pointed to the direction in which to go. Indigo in the lead I followed. Very close! Every 30 steps or so we’d stop, listen, and survey every direction. “What we lookin’ for?” I whispered. A sharp glare of Indigo’s snapping brown eyes told me to ‘hush—crazy white man!’ so I would hush! Learning the Indian way of hunting was creepy. I could hear at least five or six different sounds of critters. The tall needle like weeds slapped my face and yet Indigo gave no sign of letting me know what we were tracking. Half the day had slipped by, had to have, cause my belly was rumblin’ like an old steam engine!”
Now, pa hunching down, his eyes darting from one of us six kids and back. He lowered his voice and all our heads hit as we met in the center tryin’ to hear.
“Then it happened!” Pa’d continue, “Indigo grabbing my arm pulled me down on the ground like I was a bag of wheat! With his finger to his lips he motioned for me to lay low and stay quiet. Then carefully he lifted his head and inch, then two. But it came down faster’n it went up! With my ear to the ground I could feel the vibrations of something, but what could make that dreadful sound? Bear? It had to be large and more than one! My heart was tickin’ so fast I thought for certain whatever it was could hear it too! Turning my head I saw Indigo had scooted a good 10 feet from where he’d been. I found it nigh impossible to move without produc’n lots of noise cause of the underbrush I was on Humph! I thought to myself. How’d HE do that? I wanted to jump up and run, but NO, can’t do that! My head said, ‘Pray’! Yeh, that I could do, so pray I did, and --- I waited, --- and waited! The vibrations had stopped; the horrid noise was no longer around. (Pa’s eyes were huge now), all at once I felt strong hands picking me up! (with this sentence pa grabbed me, and picked me up) letting out a scream, I found myself in my pa’s lap! “ya see my son, this is what happened to me.. My pa’d come lookin’ for us and found me – ALONE--. Thinkin’ I’d been kilt by a bear, he picked me up. We both had a surprise and learned a lot that day! Hugs tighter than a bear’s, it’ll stay with me for life!”
© June J. Walch
Molalla, OR
email, [email protected]
747 words
PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
Reader Count & Comments
Date
The opinions expressed by authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com. This is especially true with articles that
deal with personal healthcare and prophecy. We encourage the reader to make their own decision in consultation with God, His Word, and others as needed.
This article has been read 920 times < Previous | Next >
Read more articles by June Walch or search for other articles by topic below.
This article has been read 920 times < Previous | Next >
Search for articles on: (e.g. creation; holiness etc.)
Read more by clicking on a link:Free Reprints
Main Site Articles
Most Read Articles
Highly Acclaimed Challenge Articles.
New Release Christian Books for Free for a Simple Review.
NEW - Surprise Me With an Article - Click here for a random URL
God is Not Against You - He Came on an All Out Rescue Mission to Save You
...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them... 2 Cor 5:19
Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38
LEARN & TRUST JESUS HERE
FaithWriters offers Christian reading material for Christian readers. We offer Christian articles, Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction, Christian Bible studies, Christian poems, Christian articles for sale, free use Christian articles, Christian living articles, New Covenant Christian Bible Studies, Christian magazine articles and new Christian articles. We write for Jesus about God, the Bible, salvation, prayer and the word of God.