6. "Truly so," answered my brother, with a smile. Now, I was a
simple-hearted child who believed everything that was told me, although I
was again and again imposed upon; so, without another word, I darted out
of the door, and set forth toward the wood. My brother called after me as
loudly as he was able, but I did not heed him.
7. I cared nothing for the wet grass, which was sadly drabbling my clean
frock,--on and on I ran: I was so sure that I knew just where that rainbow
ended. I remember how glad and proud I was in my thoughts, and what fine
presents I promised to all my friends out of my great riches.
8. So thinking, and laying delightful plans, almost before I knew it I had
reached the cedar grove, and the end of the rainbow was not there! But I
saw it shining down among the trees a little farther off; so on and on I
struggled, through the thick bushes and over logs, till I came within the
sound of a stream which ran through the swamp. Then I thought, "What if
the rainbow should come down right in the middle of that deep, muddy
brook!"
9. Ah! but I was frightened for my heavy pots of gold and silver, and my
purses of money. How should I ever find them there? and what a time I
should have getting them out! I reached the bank of the stream, and "the
end was not yet." But I could see it a little way off on the other side. I
crossed the creek on a fallen tree, and still ran on, though my limbs
seemed to give way, and my side ached with fatigue.
10. The woods grew thicker and darker, the ground more wet and swampy, and
I found, as many grown people had found before me, that there was rather
hard traveling in a journey after, riches. Suddenly I met in my way a
large porcupine, who made himself still larger when he saw me, as a cross
cat raises its back and makes tails at a dog. Fearing that he would shoot
his sharp quills at me, I ran from him as fast as my tired feet would
carry me.
11. In my fright and hurry I forgot to keep my eye on the rainbow, as I
had done before; and when, at last, I remembered and looked for it, it was
nowhere in sight! It had quite faded away. When I saw that it was indeed
gone, I burst into tears; for I had lost all my treasures, and had nothing
to show for my pilgrimage but muddy feet and a wet and torn frock. So I
set out for home.
12. But I soon found that my troubles had only begun; I could not find my
way: I was lost! I could not tell which was east or west, north or south,
but wandered about here and there, crying and calling, though I knew that
no one could hear me.
13. All at once I heard voices shouting and hallooing; but, instead of
being rejoiced at this, I was frightened, fearing that the Indians were
upon me! I crawled under some bushes, by the side of a large log, and lay
perfectly still. I was wet, cold, scared, altogether very miserable
indeed; yet, when the voices came near, I did not start up and show
myself.
14. At last I heard my own name called; but I remembered that Indians were
very cunning, and thought they might have found it out some way, so I did
not answer. Then came a voice near me, that sounded like that of my eldest
brother, who lived away from home, and whom I had not seen for many
months; but I dared not believe that the voice was his.
15. Soon some one sprang up on the log by which I lay, and stood there
calling. I could not see his face; I could only see the tips of his toes,
but by them I saw that he wore a nice pair of boots, and not moccasins.
Yet I remembered that some Indians dressed like white folks; so I still
kept quiet, till I heard shouted over me a pet name, which this brother
had given me. It was the funniest name in the world.
16. I knew that no Indian knew of the name, as it was a little family
secret; so I sprang up, and caught my brother about the ankles. I hardly
think that an Indian could have given a louder yell than he gave then; and
he jumped so that he fell off the log down by my side. But nobody was
hurt; and, after kissing me till he had kissed away all my tears, he
hoisted me on to his shoulder, called my other brothers, who were hunting
in different directions, and we all set out for home.
17. I had been gone nearly three hours, and had wandered a number of
miles. My brother Joseph's coming and asking for me, had first set them to
inquiring and searching me out. When I went into the room where my brother
Rufus sat, he said, "Why, my poor little sister! I did not mean to send
you off on such a wild-goose chase to the end of the rainbow. I thought
you would know I was only quizzing you."
18. Then my eldest brother took me on his knee, and told me what the
rainbow really is: that it is only painted air, and does not rest on the
earth, so nobody could ever find the end; and that God has set it in the
cloud to remind him and us of his promise never again to drown the world
with a flood. "Oh, I think God's Promise would be a beautiful name for the
rainbow!" I said.
19. "Yes," replied my mother, "but it tells us something more than that he
will not send great floods upon the earth,--it tells us of his beautiful
love always bending over us from the skies. And I trust that when my
little girl sets forth on a pilgrimage to find God's love, she will be led
by the rainbow of his promise through all the dark places of this world to
'treasures laid up in heaven,' better, far better, than silver or gold."
DEFINITIONS.--2. Re-cov'er-ing, growing well. 3. Win'ter--green, a
creeping evergreen plant with bright red berries. 6. Im--posed', (used
with on or upon), deceived, misled. 7. Drab'-bling, making dirty by
drawing in mud and water. 10. Por'cu--pine, a small quadruped whose body
is covered with sharp quills. 11. Pil'grim-age, journey. 15. Moc'ca-sins,
shoes of deerskin without soles, such as are usually worn by Indians. 17.
Quiz'zing, making sport of.