Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-12-10
From Godey's Lady Book.
THE ABORIGINAL BALL-PLAT And DANCE.
BY ELIJAH EEESE.


1t was bright, lovely day in September; moi
Il cloud obscured the deep azure OF the skies
Eurus sporled in flful dances DER grassy plain
and tangled thickct the bowing forests were
filed with !he harmony of mellow:ihroated
birds. singing The last song OF departing SUM-
mer. In the distance rose the ciilfy heights OF
The AIirghanes, upon the soft blue Of which
the eve might rest with delight; near at hand
were signing Wales, picturesque hills and towcry
slopes A glimpse of The keowee's shining
waters might be caught by an observer OF the
romantic aid beautiful in natural scenery. The
foliage of tree, shrub and creeping vine. so soon
to Le cut of by the chilling froslS Of winter,
had assumed r:ore lively and pleasing hue
ibaa even young Spring, with her magic pencil,
could possibly impart--ls little children, about
to be translated to Heaven, are sometimes re-
IN rkabc for their cndearing dcmeanor and the
startling briliiancy of their conceptions. But
Natures solemn lnvcliness' va, nnherded by
the curinus cruwd. which had been collected by
The attractive notice of Il IS shoe An aboriginal
ba-p!ay aud d,nre having been previously an
noulred with pompous iurnlaliIy. Along the
streets. and abuu, the public square ct one "l
| the mountain villages III the 's0hhy pnlm"tt"
State" fingered, in detected and siess attitudes.
solitary band OF that strange, mysterious pen
pie. about whuse origin there has been 81 much
futile discussion aud win specua ion 10. 70! tlle
lfsfi,sds sutnrrrr's,-
/ arly touching il lie munrnful fate of The lIi.
diaus. Tie pug ou!cast AborlgIrIes. once the
proud lords of the broad Western ConiinenI,
seem 10 he conscious uf that giunIny destiny
wlica is last sweeping their tribes into The
.brrczclrsS SEA of infinite Oblivion" Soon
will The sad remnants "t our rcd brethren be
gathered to the spr;l-and of their fali" r.,
where the glorious light of peaceful bliss iiumcs
Tie Elysiar gruscsSand living streams! Fme
fla, of decay andullimalc humiliation has gone
forth from the irlsrrniab!r councils ut The Great
Eternal. a,ni soon the widowed wild rusc" will
hnuu over The lone tomb of the la>t I',dian !.
Reflections like these passing through The minds
uf Tie NOR. Ecdi.alivc porIl"n ot the SlecI"-
tors, were well calculated 10 throw charm OF
interest abnu; everything c"nHer'ed with l''"sr
n lid, unlulorrd sayagrs, who had siraycd lr,'tn
Ghrir secluded relre:i! in Tie mountains. But
to Our tale"
The bai-pay, it seems has ever been favor
it.. pas,imr with the Indians Of America; but
whether This or any other species of gaming
WI, in vogue among them before their ;'rqual-
larye with the paic faces, is Il question which
would probably puzzle The aniiquary, wlih tatl
his du ,ly tones aud mystical relies. The biaz
inr sun had careerei up il,e "LIu,Ing -kes"
to mid.heaten, ere the warriors OF stern as-
pccl' and scanl, antique garb. bad commenced
tie exciting game Of ball. For The perform
ance. a beautiful plat of ground, with green.
carpel.l like sward. had, in much good taste, been
selected At either goal, two slight posts, dis
Mar
ed. through which the ball. 50 wnndrously pro-
duclive of contention, WAS to bc thrown. From
these points, two equal divisions OF the actors
iu this norcl play advanced with loud who"p
from the leaders. answered by chorus OF fierce
canine Yrlps from The subordnates, 10 IN inter-
mediate position, where the ball was tossed up
to be caught 1T by their spoon-Iike Implements
But not one of either party could ever-get II
without Il scramble or Il hard struggle. And
even when Il swft.looIed player was so FORUM
ate as to get possrssion Of 1t, some one else
WAS always ready 10 intercept him or arrest his
arm in The very act of hnrling ii, III triumph
bryord the appuinied mark. Any one would
be astoundcd 10 behold with what perfect lnl-
puniiy aud nonrhalaiice they would callse each
other to fall with the ullnust violence against
The earth. Al one time might be seen, inter-
spersvd over the entire field, pairs Of thusc
iorest-warriors, furioUSly grapped and strug,
ulug. rs though il were an affair OF life and
death: or, penhance, 10y mutual f"rbearance,
guiely and passvely contemplating The scene
| At another, The whole troop, with hair streaming
| long and dark in the breeze, might be seen tiy-
inr across The plain, like herd OF startled deer
which hears the omin0us sound OF the hunts
mans horn in unison with the prolonged bark
| of the pursuing hounds. Anon, The contest
grew we'll nigh "as terrible as storms" and
! then, perhaps, a temporary calm succeeded. In
deed. few exhibitions could be more cInincnIy
conducive TO excitement and animation i'll the
bphoIder, than the Indian ball.play. But the
uazc of the philosopher would not alone have
| been rive,ed to the scenic aciings OF the BAR
b,rians. His attention would, likewise, have
been arrested by The ciriii=ed lilrung which hung
| in heavy columns al the outskirts uf the grounds.
i There, al Il glance, might have been deserted
almost every possible contrast and variety OF
characteristic pc,Isivc beauty and the to"lllless
rrune the thoughtful student and The Careless
dolt The gigantic Hector and The minikln dwarf;
the farunrurs bacchaualian and The man OF The
most exemplary morals and incorruplible integ-
ri,y b, sides. Tic appauding shouts which
l,rokc forth frnm the multitude as The "plnt
thickcned," showed that the striking original ty
and the prineva wildness of the sport were
fully appreciated. A solitary few might have
been deserted, apart from tic crowd, intense
" regarding the gymnaslic movements of The
Indians. and, doubtless, wandering under he
puidauce of Fancy Through vast Of new and
Sweet inaginings" In about the space of sin
tv minutes the game terminated. The scene
closed like an eve in spring, leaving naugh. be-
hind save the soft, din slarght Of memory.
The Cherokces brtook themselves to the diiltr-
ant stores ia the village, and the Curoliniaus
i repsirsd for lime 10 their respective h0uss.