Custom Sensor Solutions, Inc.Custom Sensor Solutions, Inc.When Shattee approached Left Alone Woman's wigwam that day, he could hear the slow and steady 'thwack' of someone chopping wood in the nearby grove. Following the direction of the sound, he came upon Left Alone Woman working with more energy than he had seen in her in a long time. He watched until she had finished cutting down a tree and then he moved forward to speak to her.
The woman, pausing from her work to take in great gulps of air, turned as Shattee approached. She wiped her brow with the back of her hand. "Afternoon," she said as she expelled another deep breath.
Shattee only nodded once, slowly, as he looked at her. Left Alone Woman's eyes shone with spirit, but her face looked gray and her lips were a terrible dark color. He had seen this before. Sometimes, the old ones in his tribe would recover their youthful strength for a short time before it left them forever. It was sad to see this in Left Alone Woman. "This will be the last time we meet," he thought. The silence stayed between them a moment longer as she caught her breath and he silently said good-bye to a friend.
"Have you come to trade now?" she asked, finally looking at the small bark basket and the cloth bag that he held.
"Yes," he said, adding, "We leave tomorrow when the sun rises."
"Come with me then," she said, leading the way back to her dwelling. When they reached her doorway, she lay down the ax and went inside to get her husband's shirt. Shattee stood outside, waiting. As he waited, he looked around the campsite and saw that there was very little remaining of the discards from her people. What Left Alone Woman had not used herself, or traded with his people, had been destroyed by animals and bad weather. Aside from the barrel that she kept by the wigwam for collecting rain, only a few wooden boxes remained. Shattee put the sugar and coffee beans down on one of the wooden boxes and went over to look into the barrel. It was half filled with water, which would save her some trips to the spring. That was one way she could save her strength. "Left Alone Woman has much to do to live through the snow time alone," he thought.
Shattee went back to the box where the coffee and maple sugar lay. The sugar was his payment for the shirt. The coffee really belonged to her, although she did not know it. It had been given to him long ago by her departing friends. He had agreed to return her to Fort Dearborn, when she was ready, in return. To spare her pride, she was never to be told of the trade. Shattee had stored the beans, waiting for the day he could complete his part of the bargain, but since she never went back to the fort, the beans belonged to her. To settle this dilemma honorably, he hoped that she would think the beans were part of a fair trade for the shirt. Left Alone Woman would need both the sugar and the coffee, along with all the food she could gather herself, to help her through the snow time.
By now, it was clear that the woman could not continue much longer on her own. The Potawatomi had watched her struggle to stay near her daughter in spite of severe weather, her physical deterioration, and her dwindling food supplies. Help was certainly available at the settlement, which was now growing and thriving. They would not tell anyone of her existence, however, since the settlers might try to interfere with her choices. Left Alone Woman had faced her struggles with dignity and courage. She was as brave as any warrior, and entitled to choose the way her life journey would end.
The woman came out carrying the folded shirt in her hands. She laid it carefully down beside the coffee and sugar on the wooden box. Then, after examining the contents of the cloth bag and the bark container, she looked very pleased and said, "So much coffee and sugar; now I will not have to go into the trading post!"
Shattee, in turn, unfolded the shirt and held it up. He could see that it was well made and hoped that she would not realize that the amount of maple sugar he had given her was itself worth the shirt.
"I made that shirt myself, in Ireland," she said.
Shattee had never understood where Ireland was, but he nodded and, holding the shirt in one hand, said, "It is a good trade."
Left Alone Woman smiled and offered to make him some coffee, but he asked for water instead, knowing she would need to keep her supplies for the snow time. They talked for a while longer about the journey his people would be making, and about the work she must get done before the snow fell. When it was time to go, Shattee said he would be returning with some of his people at planting time.
"I will still be here," Left Alone Woman said with a smile. But Shattee did not believe that she would. Her only chance was to go to the settlement and he knew she would not do that. Shattee took one last look at her and he left. There was much to be done at his village and nothing more he could do here.
Current May 26, 1998
Contact us at info@customsensorsolutions.com