The maiden sat in mute, overpowering affliction for many hours. The anguish of utter bereavement and desolation seemed to deprive her even of the relief of tears. At length she recalled her promises to the old man. She found a place under a high snow-drift, where the ground was yet unfrozen; and here she dug a grave, and deposited his mortal body. And it was not till all this was done, and the snow had been replaced over the spot of interment, and the fire had been heaped anew with wood, that tears and lamentations found vent with We-no-na.
But the grief of the young and healthy is like a flesh-wound that befalls them: it soon heals. Left entirely to her own resources, We-no-na found hourly occupation for her hands and thoughts, and at night slept so profoundly that, on waking, she often could not remember that she had even dreamed. She enlarged the little wigwam so as to make quite a neat apartment, well roofed, and with a floor of bark, on which was spread the skin of a bison. By laying large strips of bark sloping against the trees to which her wigwam was bound, she made a safe place for the deposit of the venison and other provisions. She constructed a canoe in anticipation of the river's melting in the spring; and out of the deer-skin she made moccasins and belts. And then a good part of the day was occupied in cutting and bringing in wood; so that We-no-na had little time for idle or desponding fancies. Occasionally, when the wind howled, and the snow whirled in wild eddies over the bluff, she would sit and feed the fire for hours, and then strange thoughts would visit her; and the consciousness of her lonely situation would press upon her heavily. But she was naturally cheerful and hopeful; and her day-dreams were oftener bright than gloomy. She was saddest when she thought of a little sister, who had died the winter before. But one night she dreamed that little We-har-ka came to her lonely wigwam, and promised to load her in good time to a land more beautiful than any she had yet seen, where there were birds and fruits all the year round, and where no violence was done, and no harsh words were spoken. After this, We-no-na was more content, and she loved to recall all the particulars of her dream. There were little brothers whom she had been obliged to leave in deserting her people. And did not We-no-na
