Hanging-flower was pale and haggard now, and from day to day she was
losing weight. But one day she felt that she was mother no longer, but
the matron of her family. She called on Glad-tidings, the chief, and
standing before him, admonished him in ceremonial terms to desist from
his shameful ways, which were bringing dishonor upon his people. But
should he persist, such were her parting words, she would call on him
again, and then once more, accompanied by the Chief Warrior, and then
she would depose him and he would be chief no longer.
The days passed and the rumors persisted. Hanging-flower called on
Glad-tidings for the second time; and when she had spoken, he said
nothing. In a little while, she called on him for the third time,
accompanied by the Chief Warrior. As both of them stood facing
Glad-tidings, the Chief Warrior said: “I will now admonish you for the
last time, and if you continue to resist acceding to and obeying our
request, then your duties as chief of our family and clan will cease,
and I shall take the deer’s horns from off your head, and with a broad
strong-edged ax I shall cut the tree down.” Having spoken thus, the
Chief Warrior “took the deer’s horns off Glad-tidings’ head,” and
handed them to Hanging-flower, for from now on Glad-tidings was chief
no longer.
Hanging-flower then went to the Council house and informed the other
chiefs, in person, that Glad-tidings had been deposed. As she spoke,
her heart broke, for she knew that “the coals had gone out on the fire”
of her family, and the chieftainship was lost.
A few days after this, Full-moon called on Hanging-flower and informed
her in many words that Feathered-arrow, Full-moon’s son, was to be
chief in Glad-tidings’ place and that the chiefs of the League had
transferred the chieftainship to her family.
In the evening of that day Hanging-flower, wrapped in a blanket, went
outside of the village. For a long time she stood there, on the hill
above the cornfields. Her thoughts turned to the past and for a long
time she was lost in memories.... But of the future she did not care to
think.