Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1850-09-14
The Maiden or the Neon. 3
A uHtrrEwAY LEaFNp.

Penadua, OF the Female Pheasant end
hardly know which to admire inost--tlle
simple beauty VI the plot. or the graphic
and unique manner of the narrative, Of
which, | regret to say, can hardly giyea
faithful translation
Among The rivers Of the North, none
cnn boast OF more numerous charms than
The St. Louis; md the faiiest SPOT of Il o
earth which il waters, is thut wllere new
stands the trading post Of Fond din Lac.
Upon this spot. many summers ago, there
lived Chippewhy chief and his wife,
who were the parents of an ony dauglittr.
Her name was eesll-Ko-da- e.inire, IL
the Sweet Stta Wbefry.-and size was az.
knoWedged 10 be tile tt,ost beautiful fnai.
den Of her nation. lIer voice was like
that Of the tnftledoye, and the red deer
was not more graceful in its FORM Tie
young men OF every nation had striven to
win her heart, but she smiled Upon none.
Curious presents were sent to her 1rotil
the four quarters OF the world, but she re-
ceived them not. Seldom did she leign
to reply to the many warrior; who entered
her father's lodge and wien she did il
was only TO assure them that, while upon
earth, size would never nhunge her ebttdis
ton. Her strange condtict astoniehel
them but did not stbdue their affection.
Many and noble were The deeds they pr.
formed, not only in winning the white
plumes Of the eagle. bnt in hunting tie
elk and the black bear But all their ey.
ploits availed them nothing, for tie heart
Of the beautiful girl was still untouched
The SHOWS Of winter were all gone, and
the pleasant winds Of spring were blow
ing over the land. The time for making
sugar had arrived though the men lt,d not
; yet returned from the remote hunting
grounds, and in the9fnapIe forests bright
fires wefe burning, and the fragrance of
the sweet sap filled nil the air. The ring.
ing laugh Of childhood and the mature
song Of woman were heard in the valley
but in no part Of the wilderness could bs
found, iitore happiness than On the banks
Of the ST. Louis. Bit the Sweet Straw.
berry mingled with the young men and
naidens Of her Tribe in n thoughtful mood,
) and with downeast eyes, She was evident.
ly bowed down with some mysterious
grief, but she neglected not her Oates and
though she spent much Of her time alone,
her b.lcl,ere.bucket was Us frequently filed
with the juice as any Of her companions.
Such was the condition OF affairs when
a party Of young warriors from the far
Nor h came upon froiic to the st. Louis
river. Having seen the many handsome
maidens Of this region, the strangers be-
: came enamoured Of their charms, and
each one succeeded in obtaining the love
Of a maiden, who was TO become his brida
during the marrying season Of summer
The warriors had heard OF the Sweet
strawberry. bltt neglected by all OF them,
she was still doomed to remain alone. She
! witnessed the happiness Of her old play
) mates, and wondering at her own strange
| fate, spent much Of her time in solitude.
I She even became so unhappy and bewil-
) dered that she needed not the tender words
, Of her mother and from that time the
} music OF her voice was never heard.
. The sugar-fnaking season was now rn.
pidly passing away, but the brow Of the
Sweet Strawberry was still overshadowed
with grief Everything was done to re4
store her to ller wonied cheerfuluess, but
she remained unchanged. Wild ducks in
, innumerable numbers arrived with eveiy
southern wind, and settled upon the sur.
rounding waters md proceeded to build
, their nests in pairs, and the Indian maiden
] sighed over her mysterious doom. On
one occasion she espied cluster OF early
sprlng flowers peedng above the dIy
leaves Of the Forest and, strange to say,
eyen.these were separated into pairs, md
| tn, Ia. asa.
ALI things whispered 10 her Of love, the
happiness Of her companions, the birds Of
the air, and the flowers. She looked into
her heart, and, inwardiy praying for d com.
I pnnion whom she might love, the Master
OF Life took pity upon her lot and answer
cd her prayer.
4 1t vas now the twilight hour, aud in The
maple woods the Indian boys were watch
ing their fires, and tie women were bring.
ing in the sap from the surrounding trees.
The time for making sugar was almost
gone, and tbs welI-fed mosucks, which
might be seen in all the wigwams, testified
that the yield had been abundant. The
hearts Of tie Old women beat in tlIaf,t fttt-
ness, and the young men and naaidans
were already beginning to anticipate tie
pleasures OF welded life and those associ-
ated with the sweet summer time Ent
the brow Of the Sweet Strawbafry con-
tinued to droop, and her friends Ieoicd
upon her as the victim OF a settled messr.
choy. Her duties, however, were per-
formed without Il murmr, and 80 conin-
ned TO be performed until the trees re-
fused 10 fill lier buchere-bucket with COP,
when she stole away from the sugar camp
and wandered to retired pace TO nyuso
upon her sorrows. Her unaccountabie
grief was very bitter, but did not long en-.
dure, for as she stood gazing upon the
sky, the moon assembled above the hills
and filed her soul with joy she had never
felt before. The longer she looked upon
the brilliant object, the more deeply In
love did she become with its celestial
charms, and she burst forth into song--a
loud, wild, and joyous song. Her musical
voice echoed through the woods, and her
friends fastened TO ascertain the cause.
They gathered around her in crowds, but
she needed them not They wondered at
the wildness Of her words and the airy
like appearance of her form. They were
spellbound by the scene before them, but
their astonishment knew no limits when
they saw her gradually ascend from the
earth into the air, where she disappeared,
as II borne upward by the evening wind.
And then it was that slfey discovered her
c,asped in the embraces Of the moon, for