The Woodville Republican, and Wilkinson advertiser. (Woodville, Miss.) 1853-18??, 1853-03-01
For he RpabiicaH.
The Choctaw Rose Tree.
ny FRANK FLORENCE.

] Nolue ten wears since, on a sunny daV in th
month Of March, while suffering under Al
acute attack Of the great southern epidemic
a fever for making more cottoh-I was buSil,
engaged experimenting the hands Of the plan
tahon who were 0RRcrsRg moro land 10 th
already large field, when my attention was ar
rested by the laundering fall of an immens,
Magnolia. Trees were daily falling around me
endangering, not unfrequently, lie and limb
and hardly attracted moments attention. vet
now ! was irresistiby drawn to where III,
prostrate trunk was lying, of what had been
that morning, one Of the proudosL most glo.
rous trees Of the forest / confess TO som,
c.ompunctons as stood by It, and more par.
hcularly when ! counted the rings Of the
growth and found that for three centuries lis
brilliant evergreen leaf had glittered in the
sunlight 1t had fallen into the opening of a
lew acres which had evidently been cleared bv
the Indians, and my observation being once
awakened, was struck with the singular ap-
pearance Of the place and of the unusual
growth around it. A grove Of Catalpas--a
tree OF which grew nowhere else in the neigh
6orhood-flled the lower end of the opening.
while a multiilora rose of massive growth and
encumbcred with wild vines occ,pird the mid
die. The whole was surrounded with hcauti-
iuly dark evergrcens, and was reached hv a
path which wound among them, and the rust,
ling of the wind among their leaves wa, an
Swered by the ripping Of a small clear stream
winch was flowing around the gentle SLOPE
somehow forgot cotton, hands, and every
thing as | wondered over the singular and
beautiful place--wondercd how Indians could
nave selected so romantic spot-wLy they
had planted roscs--whether there was any s,,.
credness about the grand old tree now w.
ing near me, when the barking of conccitcd
hound puppy, that would always follow me.
ana always imagine that he saw or smet rab-
bits in the most impossible paces--arousod me
from my revery. For once the puppy was
right; but in place of rabbit, an old neigh
Dor 10y the name Of Hare, came rlsting on his
ms horse through the leaves of the wood, aud
with an unusually grave Good evening" rode
up to the fallen tree. was struck with his
singular soberness; for although quite advanced
IN hfe--indeed one Of the oldest residents
his face was always radiant with good humor
and the mth Of the present was always pro-
longed by his thousand sunny "reminiscences Of
the past.
A plague on cotton" said he, "they1 be
cutting me down next. heard the fall and IT
'mote my very heart for remembered this
tree and it seemed 10 me That nothing but il
could have given the land such a shock. But
hey are all gone now--they1l never miss il,
md yet ! have seen the day when a man had
Us well have cut his throat as broke a twig Of it,"
The old mans remark awakened nv keen.
'st tcuricsIty-conling as it did so freshly after
ny own pecuIations-and ! begged him to
light and tell me what he knew Of the tree |
# the place, and then told him how | had
'een struck with the rose--the Catalpas and |
he beauty Of the whole situation. Nv reaIest
eemed to soothe and TO crafty hiln--for he
owed the past, and the thought that | had not
destroyed any Of his old associates, |,
'ut could appreciate the interest he felt pleased
i'm. So securing his horse 10 one Of the Ca
alpas he came and sat with me by the fallen
rec and told me the story Of the Choctaw rose
nd marriage tree,
Many years ago when there were but few
'hte settlements here, quite considerable
ortiOn Of the ChOctaws had various encamp-
lents in what is now Wilkinson county. and
le parish Of West Feliciana. Their Chief
hose name was Nation sab, resided principal
! upon what's now the Sligo plantation, where
lere was quite village, while two branches
the same tribe had their houses, the one in
ouislana and the other where we are now
ting. Ma-tOm-sah was generally feared,
lough for the most part good natured and in {
olcnt, for, through his whole family ran the {
ood Of treachery; so that we always were {
Ireful and suspicious Of him and bis sons
be families who lived in Louisiana were gen 9
ally liked, but those who resided here were /
liversal favorites among the whites-especial- t
the widow Of an old Chief and her two /
Iughter, DulaEl and Kah-che-tah. In fact. i
is place had once been the headquarters Of I
G whole tribe, and the influence Of the old v
lif had been very e&tensiye--for he traced I
S descent far back through the highest Indian a
GOD Of the settlement Whether there be- d
ything in blood or not is matter Of opin. d
n /; but one thing is certain, that never saw h
beautiful or, as ] must call it, refined Indian /
RS as the two | have mentioned. never "
canned that the Indian dress was tasteful un- ca
Isaw how they woye il, and they only, Of all v
e Indian girls, knew how 10 weave beautiful
eathes for their hair, Of the yellow jessa- !,
ne and wild azalea. ] have looked a hun !,
ed times through the bathrooms in New Or p
ms, but never could see among the most !,
autiful--nosi graceful Creoles, such dignity. !,
n grace, as Dula She had the sweetest :,
Ice, the darkest most brilliant eyes, and !,
uld have adorned --T II
Here | could not forbear tapping my old it
snd's shoulder rather significantly, but he HI
family replied, "No, never admired her d,
] would admire an enchanting landscape, cd
] listen to her as would TO the fnockihg- I'd
d by moonlight, and would as soon have f.
en- in love with either as with her. She had Ii