The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1857-10-29


the Colonels story" s,r
"Wsll, we'll, boys, let's take family
! drink first, thought 50
4 vi course there was no objection to this;
SO. after Smiling" all round, we lit our
Havanas, and liste led to the sold man elo.
4 quent."
+ ~ THE cl.oNEL's STORY.
t, "lsuppose you all know that in almost
every place whore deer are hunted, the
same Old story is current Of a spectral buck
haunting some par tticular drive; modified, of
course, 10 suit circumstances aud the tastes
OF the narrators. Well, up in ST. Stephens,
when lived there, some ten years ago, we
had our version of the legend; and as YOU
may never have heard it before, I'll preface
my adventure with tho tale.
Many years ago-perllaps century, or
Iionger-when the Catawba tribe of Indians
hunted over the northwest portion of our
State, there was among them II beautiful
young girl, daughter of the head chief of
the nation, who was known amonr the
braves by the title of Oman o.ree, or the
Bounding Fawn. Her black and luslrous
eyes were moro terrible to the Catawba
warriors than the watch fires VI u hostile
war'party; and many q warrior, who puiled
his calumet in stoical Indifference when the
bounding Fawn passed near him, would
have given his wealth Of horses aud wan
pun, despite his affected stolidty, if she
would have consented TO share his lodge
with him. But in vain did they aspire 10
her hand. Pipe after pipe was smoked be-
tween her father and the elder braves, but
to no purpose; and many one of the
! younger warriors walked the war path
alone, in search of some gallant adventure,
on which to base his claims still o.
man o-ree remained maid. Wa hus pa
alone, of all the young braves, had never
sued tor her haud. He WAS young and
poor, but he was proud, and he knew that
his spirit could never brook the scornful re.
fusal, which he felt sure would be his lot if
he dared TO ask the War. Eagle for his
daughter; for Wa-hus- pas face had never
yet ieit The warpaint, and no hostile scalp
yet decorated his belt. But the panther-skin
which screened the enhance Of his lodge
was larger by a hands breath, every way,
than any in the village, aud The grizzly
monster from which it had been tom had
fallen before his hunting knife ia single
combat. Twice had he despoilel the She
bear OF her cubs and slain her with his axe
when she rushed to avenge her loss. The
old men looked with pride on his athletic
limbs and splendid form, as he sa, naked
on his horse, armed for the chase, and pre-
dic.ed that the fearless and successful hun
ter would some day become ,hunderbolt
10 the enemies of the tribe.
! II have sse that Wa i,us pa had never
made suit for tho Bounding Fawn.
Why, then, did the eye of the maiden gis-
ten with pride, when she looked on the
moccasins, the bolt, and the culver Of the
young brave, and saw that they were form.
ea-nom The spotted coat o: the beautiful
creature whose name she bote? or why did
the blood go bounding 10 her dusky cheek,
when she glanced at the spear.statf, which
WAS planted in front Of his lodge, and saw
dangling from it his medicine bag Of stuff
ed tawn skinl On the other hand. wIenca
came that daily tribute of fish or venison.
which WAS laid by some unseen hand a, the
door OF the War.Eagie's lodgel And on
that bright July morning. when o man
Zee was walked from her shady slumber on
the bank Of the Catawba, by the we'll
known dreadful rattle, and stood transtixcl
with horror at the sight of the hdeous rep
nie, which was preparing 10 give the fatal
blow, whose nervous arm and unerring eve
winged the shaft which pinned the monster
TO the oak, at whose base he was coiledl
Many asked these questions, but none could
answer them, till the War Eagle arose one
morning, and called in vain for O man o.
rec TO bill his pipe. She is bathing with
the maidens," said the chief; but the mai
dens had not seen her Nor was i. until
whisper reached his ear that Wal hus pa.
too, was missing, that The truth flashed up
on her fathers mind Then was there
mounting in hot haste" and the war.whoop
rang through the ancestral pines, rs the
warriors secured off in pursuit. But even.
ing brought them back again, with no ira.
ces OF the iugi;ives. The old chief foalned
with rage aud sorrow, and his brother, the
prophet of the tribe, donned his mvs,ic
robe, and with spells aud incan,aton,
howIed out his curse upon the lyng pair
Meanwhile, Wa-hus pas stout gelding had
borne the lovers gallantIy on. Three days
and nights, with scarce an Interval of rest.
brought them to the neighborhood of old
81. Stephens church, and here the noble
sieed gave out. Weary and faint, the low.
ers agreed to rest here for awhile; anil
spreading his panther robe beneath thick.
boughed holly, the young brave placed O
man o.ree upon it, and left her to slulnber,
while he wandered off in search of some
game for meal. He had not proceeded
Tar, before he came upon lovely, half
grown doe, reposing beneath the shade of
a holly; quick as thought, his shaft was on
me slfng, and the next instant was quver.
ing in her heart lie spraug forward TO se
cure his quarry, and before him lay the
liteless form OF his bleeding bride! The
curse Of the prophet haL followed him; The
spell was upon bia senses. He gazed mo.
ment upon the horrid sight; then, tearing
the garments from his body aud limbs,
rushed into the depth of the swamp, a ua.