South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1835-05-23
SATURDAY, MAY 23, 1886.

| WIS oiHduCntCu WIN q P'"sS" N"Si"6
Of red and blue cloth. The steed he
backed was every way worthy of such
rider. 1t was the partisan Petalaha-
roo, and his charge Leksho, the Ar.
row.
! The large dark eye of the young
warrior wore an expression of serious
ness and concern but little in unison
with the festivities of the day. And
ever and anon, he turned to look along
the edge of the thicket,-and graspsd
the handle Of his tomahawk, as if as
FESTIVE as the champing courser be.
meath him. But his lips were COM
pressed in resolution rather than anger,
and the nervous bracing of his feet in
the stirrups, gave an air, of high deter.
animation Of his whole figure.
At length, the different groups Of In
dams were collected around one central
spot, where cross was erected upon
slight elevation in the prairie, and the
captive Lataka was led forth among
them, to be offered up as sacrifice to
the Grea, Star. Her youth and beauty
were lost upon the sterner part of the
assemblage but her gorgeous apparel
rich with wrought ornaments ofthe pre-
cious metals, and gay with the woven
texture of beads and feathers of the most
elaborate and costly workmanship,
drew murmur of admiration from
those other ownsex, who mingled with
the crowd. The multitude were gen.
orally overawed by the solemnity Of
the occasion, and preserved decorous
silence, as the principal Meta, with
bis train of Ouabineaux, led on the
captive. A few, however, would thrust
their heads over the shoulders Of their
neighbors, and fix their savage eyes as
eagerly upon the victim, as if, by read.
ing her feelings in her face, they could
enjoy, in anticipation, the horrid fest.
val. But Lataka was an Indian maid
en-, and her soul was too proud TO let
the enemies of her tribe guess the feel.
iug which swelled in her bosom, as she
moved with the step Of an empress, to
the spot on which she was 10 be immo.
lated. The Ouabineaux now, under
the direction Of the Meta, entered at
once upon their barbarous Office and
rudely seiging the fragile girl, her limbs
were bound to the stake almost before
she discovered the fall extent ofthe fate
that awaited her j; and still not a MUIR
muir was made by the Indian maiden
-and a sob nor a sigh escaped the lips,
that quivered in the effort to redress
the thrilling emotion Of the moment
Her eye wandered mildly around the
duskey circle of faces, as il seeking
rather for sympathy than rescue---as if
she wished only for some one being to
appreciate the fortitude with which she
could offer up her life. The grim gaze
of motionless multitude was all that
met her view. There was no one
there, TO have an emotion kindred to
her own. There was no one there,
who could care for Lataka; and rails.
ing her eyes to heaven, she commend
ed her spirit to Wahcondah, who cares
for ALL
And now the solemn dance com.
menced around the prisoner, slowly e.
silently at first, but gradually increas-
ing in rapidly, as, with savage yells
they encouraged each other, until the
fiendish faces of her executioners whirl-
ed around her in one continuous chain
ofgIariog and demoniac chances. The
motion ceased, and the chief Of the ma.
gi stepped into the open space to make
his sacri6cial prayer to the Great Star.
"Myself--myself--B Behold me, and that
look like myself.
sit down in the lodge of the metai--
the lodge of the spit.
am magician, the roots of shrubs
and weeds make me magician. Snakes
are my friends.
lam able 10 call water from above,
from beneath, and from around.
come to change the appearance oil
this ground, make it look different in
each season.
|; Notwithstanding you speak evil ofme,
, from above are my friends, my friends.
eau MIL any dntuini, pSShuSO Tue louu
speaking thunder helps me, I can kill any
animal.
Thus have sat down, and the earth
above and below has listened to me, sit
ting here"
The eye of Lataka had been cast hea
, ven-ward during the u!terance of his
prayer, and when it was concluded she
: merely muttered the plalntive--Da dan
ish-ta a--Oh! alas! from me-" And re-
signed herself once more to her cruel
fate. The master of the internal rite
then turned round to give the signal for
S her torture, g. the deep roll of the Indian
!. drum commanded silence while he spoke
1. d.