Chapter 13

As they were walking, Victoria looked out the window and saw her mom and then saw her uncle and grandfather.

"Guys come on its grandpa and uncle," said Victoria running out.

All the girls came running out of the house and they all jumped on Black Elk, hugging him almost knocking him over.

"Hey girls, wow you've grown, you've been helping your mom around the house?" asked Black Elk.

"Yeah, we have, are you guys here to stay, or are you just going to leave again without saying anything," saddened Victoria.

"No, were here for good, were staying, besides this place needs updated yeah," smiled Black Elk.

The girl's eyes jus lit up with joy, they were so happy. Luther came up and the girls ran towards him and hugged him and he smiled. He was truly glad he got to see his family again.

"Come, and I'll cook us all something to eat, "said Gloria walking inside the house.

They all walked inside and sat down at the table, Victoria made coffee for them as well. And they all sat at the table and started eating. Then it was getting late and they cleaned up and went to bed. As they were sleeping, Luther and Black Elk were sleeping on the floor. Black Elk was dreaming about what happened, he started sweating and yelling in his sleep, Luther got up and Gloria came running out of her room, Black Elk woke himself up and sat up.

"Son you were dreaming, its alright, were safe now," said Luther Standing Bear.

Black Elk got up and went outside, he looked towards the hill. Luther and Gloria walked out with him.

"I can still hear them dad, there screams, the soldiers yelling, and that iron horse, I see their faces with fear, I can still smell the smoke from the iron horse," said Black Elk looking up at the stars.

"I know son, we will never forget, we shouldn't forget, but we should move on, be thankful that we got to see your sister, my daughter, our nieces, my granddaughters, if not we would be in the ground with our people, but we are not. Now we must make the most of it, even if we do have to live like the white men were still Indians. Make us white, were still Indians, change us, were still Indians." Said Luther Standing Bear.

"Come on, get some rest," said Gloria walking inside and going to her room.

Luther and Black Elk went back inside and laid back down on the floor and went to sleep. The next day was a new day. They all woke up and ate breakfast. Then Luther Standing Bear and Black Elk went into town. The Sheriff saw them from where he was sitting, he saw them go in the general store, so he walked over.

"Hey, I've been worried about you guys, wonder what happened to ya'll I heard what happened yesterday with the blue coats, and I'm sorry. Whoa, is this Black Elk?"asked the Sheriff.

"Yes, it's me Sheriff," smiled Black Elk.

"Wow, you've grown a lot, what are ya'll doing?" asked the Sheriff.

"Well, were going to get supplies and take them back to the farm, and cut down trees and were going to build a log cabin for me and my son to live in," said Luther Standing Bear.

"Really, alright, I'll help you build it, if you don't mind," said the Sheriff.

"Thank you," said Luther Standing Bear.

So they went inside the store and bought tools to build with. Then the Sheriff came on his horse and they went back to the farm and started working, the girls were sewing making table clothes and curtains. They got busy on the house, and started building. The girls started to make some tea for them, because it was very hot outside. At the end of the day they finished the log cabin. It looked just like Gloria's log cabin. They were so pleased that they had their uncle and grandfather living beside them as neighbors. The Sheriff smiled and shook Luther's hand and wished him well, he got on his horse and rode back to town.

They stepped away from the house and looked at it. They did a very good job on the house, no more sleeping on the floor. They were one big happy family, nothing bad happened while Luther Standing Bear and Black Elk lived there, or when they went into town they had no trouble even if a few soldiers came riding in, they didn't have a problem with them either. Life was good for them, and they hope it stays that way.

"The white people, who are trying to make us over into their image, they want us to be what they call "assimilated," bringing the Indians into the mainstream and destroying our own way of life and our own cultural patterns. They believe we should be contented like those whose concept of happiness is materialistic and greedy, which is very different from our way.

We want freedom from the white man rather than to be integrated. We don't want any part of the establishment, we want to be free to raise our children in our religion, in our ways, to be able to hunt and fish and live in peace. We don't want power, we don't want to be congressmen or bankers.... we want to be ourselves. We want to have our heritage, because we are the owners of this land and because we belong here.

The white man says, there is freedom and justice for all. We have had "freedom and justice," and that is why we have been almost exterminated. We shall not forget this."

(From the 1927 Grand Council of American Indians)