Leppard, Lois Gladys - [Mandie 02] (13 page)

Joe and Dimar sat on either side of Mandie. Joe was aware again of Dimar’s interest in Mandie. She never seemed to notice. Joe was determined Mandie would be his wife when they grew up, and he didn’t want anyone else making eyes at her. He liked Dimar, but not when he stared at Mandie.

As they arrived at the reservation center the seven-sided, dome-roofed council house came into view. There must have been several hundred Cherokees milling about it. Every Cherokee in North Carolina must have come to vote. They laughed and talked happily with each other. Almost all the women had red kerchiefs tied around their heads. The young girls looked as if they were wearing their best dresses as they shyly chatted with the young Indian men. It seemed to be a great big party.

When Uncle Ned found a place to leave the wagon and unhitch the horses, they all got down and walked to the council house. All the people turned to look at the group. Mandie smiled at them.

Elizabeth turned to Joe. “Well, I guess we’re the only white people around, so we’ll have to wait outside,” she
said, laughing. “Let’s stand in the shade here by the doorway.”

“Sure, Mrs. Shaw,” Joe agreed. Turning to Mandie who was going ahead with Uncle John, he called to her. “Don’t forget. Vote for a church, a hospital, or a school. Maybe a hospital would be best, the way Tsa’ni keeps getting himself hurt,” He laughed.

Mandie called back to him. “Maybe that would be the best anyhow.”

She followed the crowd inside. The Indians moved back to make way for her. She gazed at the inside of the huge building. There were bleachers to sit on. Stout log poles held up the dome-shaped thatched roof and the symbols of the clans adorned the posts. The place of the sacred fire was directly ahead as they entered. Behind the fire sat men with stacks of papers and books.

Uncle Ned was watching her, proud to show off his people’s council house. He pointed to the men. “Vote,” he said and led them across the room. He explained in Cherokee who Mandie was. Most of the Cherokees knew Uncle John from his visits.

The six men sitting behind the papers got up and smiled at her.

“Jim Shaw’s papoose vote,” one spoke, indicating the papers.

The second man said, “Papoose find Cherokee gold.”

Between Uncle John and Uncle Ned they called the men’s names as they spoke to the girl, but Mandie was too fascinated with everything to remember who they were. However, she knew they must be important people to occupy the place behind the fire.

The first man handed Mandie a piece of paper. “Vote,” he said.

She took the paper, looked at it, saw that it was completely blank, and turned to Uncle John. “What do I do? Just write down what I think should be done with the gold?”

“That’s right. Just write down whatever idea you have about using the gold.” Uncle John turned to the first man and took a piece of paper for himself. “Have all these people already voted?”

“Yes,” the man answered.

“We must be late, Uncle Ned,” John whispered to the old man.

Uncle Ned had a sly smile on his face. He moved away from the others and wrote on his piece of paper and handed it back to the man who was giving them out. The man carefully recorded it in his book.

Mandie sat down on a bleacher and wrote the word
hospital
on her slip of paper and returned it to the man, as Uncle John, Morning Star, Dimar and Sallie all gave their papers back to the Indian in charge.

“We wait,” Uncle Ned told them, pointing to seats nearby.

Mandie turned and saw Tsa’ni being brought in by his father, Jessan. Meli, Jerusha and Uncle Wirt followed. They took pieces of paper from the men, wrote, and returned them. They turned around and looked at Mandie and her group.

Mandie quickly turned to Dimar and Sallie. “I hope they don’t come over here with Tsa’ni.”

Before they could reply, the other group headed their way and sat down on the bleachers in front of them. She pulled her long skirt back and moved her feet to keep from touching them. No one spoke. Everyone seemed to be waiting.

The men with the papers began gathering up all their
things. The first one, who had spoken to Mandie, stood up. He beat on a drum a couple of times. Silence fell over the crowd.

“Vote is done. We have counted all votes,” he said in a loud, booming voice. “I will read the decision of our people on what to do with the gold found in the cave.” He picked up one of the open books and began reading from it. “We, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina, do not wish to accept the gold found in the cave.” He paused and looked up.

Mandie couldn’t believe her ears.

He continued, “Even though it was purported to have belonged to our great warrior Tsali and to be left by him for our people, gold has always brought bad luck to our people. Therefore, we hereby designate as the holder of the gold with complete authority to use it as she wishes, the daughter of our beloved Jim Shaw, who has gone on to the happy hunting ground. We leave it in the hands of Amanda Elizabeth Shaw, who found the gold, to do whatever she deems best with it. Signed—The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina.”

Mandie was really in a daze now. She couldn’t even think straight. The gold belonged to her Cherokee kinpeople and was worth a fortune, according to Uncle John, but here they were refusing to accept it and were giving it entirely over to her. She didn’t know what to do.

The man was still talking. “This decision was made unanimously. There was not a dissenting vote.”

Mandie heard that all right. That meant Tsa’ni had voted in her favor also. She just couldn’t believe it was happening. She must be dreaming. She pinched herself to see if she was awake.

“Amanda Shaw, would you please come up here and
accept the decision of our people?” He was looking straight at her, waiting.

Mandie turned to Uncle John. “Uncle John, I can’t walk up there. I’m too scared. Why did they do such a crazy thing?”

Uncle John smiled, got up and took her hand, pulling her to her feet. “Come on. I’ll go with you.” He walked over to the man, practically dragging Mandie with him. The man extended the sheet of paper to Mandie.

“This is your authorization from the Cherokee people,” he said.

Mandie trembled as she took the paper and turned to face the hundreds of Cherokees. “Oh, I love you, my Cherokee kinpeople. I love you.” Tears came into her blue eyes. She held the paper against her heart. “I’ll do my best, with Uncle John’s and Uncle Ned’s and Uncle Wirt’s help, to use the gold wisely.”

Something that sounded like a war whoop went up from the hundreds of Cherokees as they showed their gratitude. Mandie just stood there, unable to move. The first thing she knew Joe was tugging at her hand.

“Mandie, let’s get out of here,” he whispered.

The crowd started moving. The people passed by to speak to her, some in English, some in Cherokee.

She lifted her face as she moved along toward the others. “Thank you, God. Thank you. My people do love me.”

She and Uncle John sat back down. Joe and her mother had taken seats next to them, now that the voting was over. Everyone was saying nice things to her, but she couldn’t understand a thing they were saying. She was still in a daze.

She was staring directly into Tsa’ni’s face as he
turned to look at her. He managed to get up on his good foot and extend his hand to her as he turned around.

“Love, my cousin, love!” he said, his face lit up by a big smile. “Please, forgive me!”

“Oh, Tsa’ni, my cousin, love!” She smiled and put her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek. “My Cherokee kinpeople.”

She turned and smiled at the people surrounding her. “I think we will build a hospital for my people!”

The crowd cheered.

She was sure she had made the right decision.

But now she felt that something even greater had been accomplished. She had gained her cousin’s love and acceptance as a Cherokee. God had overruled. After having struggled so long with negative thoughts toward her cousin, the battle was won. She was proud to be part Cherokee, and even prouder to be a Christian.

About the Author

LOIS GLADYS LEPPARD has been a Federal Civil Service employee in various countries around the world. She makes her home in South Carolina.

The stories of her own mother’s childhood are the basis for many of the incidents incorporated in this series.

Publication Info

Mandie and the Cherokee Legend
Copyright © 1983
Lois Gladys Leppard

MANDIE® is a registered trademark of
Lois Gladys Leppard

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number
83-70894

ISBN 0-87123-321-5

Cover illustration by Chris Dyrud

All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in
a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any
means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise—without the prior written
permission of the publisher and copyright owners.

Published by Bethany House Publishers
A Ministry of Bethany Fellowship International
11400 Hampshire Avenue South
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55438
www.bethanyhouse.com

Printed in the United States of America by
Bethany Press International
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55438

Rear Cover

MANDIE
and the
CHEROKEE
LEGEND

Join Mandie and her friends in another
exciting adventure!

A mysterious legend among the Cherokee people
tells of some long-lost gold, hidden for centuries by an
Indian chief. Would it truly bring a curse upon the
white men who found it?

Can Mandie and her Cherokee friends outsmart
their kidnappers?

When they explore the woods and find the
entrance to a hidden cave, are they ALL in danger?

Version Info

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• Scanned and proofed 2009-01-17
  
• Changes/corrections to the printed book
  
  • Someone else must / “Someone
    
  • turned in his directon / direction
    
  • from the the other end / from the other