The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1855-08-23
Select Storm,
From Bilious Pictorial
THE BLU Z DOVE.
A LEGEND OF THE TUNAS OF
MISSOURI.
BY BEN: PERLEY PooRE,

It was the green-corn festival Of the
Tuna tribe, fine race of red men who
dwelt near the base of the famed iron
mountain, in what is now the State of Mis-
souri,. Surrounded by all that could rem
der the wilderness attractive, and inheriting
prond recollections of victorious contests
with the tribes around them, they were in
the ascendancy at the grand councli-fres
of the united tribes. Nor was there, in
the whole alliance of the Missourians, a
more beautiful maiden than the Blue Dove,
whose voice was music to the decaying
spirit of the War Eagle, her father, and
the chieftain of the tribe. As she brought
him bowls of hominy, or put on his moe
casins, the work Of her own hands, a light
would come into the clodness of the old
warriors eye, and her glances were the
sun of his thoughts-the light of his re-
joicing.
The corn, encased in its bright green
husks, simmered in the large earthern pots
over smouldering fires, and the rejoicings
in honor of the harvest were about to COM
mence, but the Blue Dove, usually the
gayest of the attendant maidens, was sad
Occasionally she would leave the fire un-
der her charge and walk to the edge Of a
cliff upon which the tribe celebrated its
rites, as if watching for some absent one,
| but she could discover no form among the
hunters who were returning laden with
spoil, that brought smile to her olive
cheeks.
The Blue Dove is sad' said her moth
er. Does she wait the coming Of the
adopted warrior?'
THE Blue Dove will not abide in the
buzzard's nest said the Arrow Head,
who was her brother, and the heir-presump-
tive to the chieftainship. He was a cruel
man, with a tattooed face, over which the
shadows of his evil passions passed like
clouds over the windows Of the stormy
heaven, while his wrath, once excited
ragged like anundying pest lence. Among
the objects of his hatred was the Hunter,
a young warrior whom he had taken pris
oner in foray against the Kanzas anc
whose dying agonies he had hoped to en-
Joy. But just as the young man had beer
bound to. the stake, widow, whose only
son had been slain in the expedition, cam'
forward and claimed her privilege of adop
ting the prisoner. There was no appeal
but from that time the wrath of the Arrow
Head to the Hunter was inextinguishable
Nay, when in subsequent skirmsh witt
the Kaskaskias the valiant hunter savet
the life of his former conqueror, 1t onl,
added fuel to the flame. The chance G
defeat and the thirst of revenge gnawe
into the heart of the young chief like yuI
lures, for he would rather have fallen be
meath the war-club of his foe, than hay
owed his life to the valor Of his old cap
tive.
Yet with every other member of tn
TRIBE, the Hunter was favorite. No on
returned from the chase with more grace
and when at last his valor gave him tn
right to recount his adventures at the cour
ciI-fres, his unassuming manners game
n for him the friendship Of all, and calle
forth the most generous feelings from tn
ruthless warriors. Soon it became evider
that be had made favorable impresslo
:, upon the beloved Blue Dove, and the ol
e gossips hoped that his suit would be re
ciprocated. In his heart there was n
doubt. The Blue Dove was untutored
y those arts which refnementhasa adopted
C conceal the widest passions Of the sou
and as she accepted his carefully dresse
n skins, or gay feathers, she gave him ev
= dence of an ardent attachment which Il
artifce could have heightened.
r, Meanwhile the evening star rose slowl
up over the iron mountains, and the Blu
Doves dark eye gazed sadly upon it.
), The Hunter had not returned, although
week had elapsed since he had gone o!
= to set traps for beaver upon the mountal
u streams, and this was time when ever
j. warrior should be present. Soon the te'
= tivities commenced, and after the custom
ary invocations to the Great Spirit tt
. sweet ears were devoured, with roaste
beaver-tail, baked buffalo hump, and otht
, delicacies of the forest The feast col
!, cluded, the hunters grouped around IL
i council-fre, where the fragrant tobacc
= was kindled, and the warriors, with in
y passioned gestures related the deeds
st their prowess. Their wives and daugl
ters, grouped around the outside of Il
= circle, listened with undisguised exultatic
Is to the cruel variations, and all SCENE
L