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

the Colon nel's story. ss,s.,r ~
!. Well Y 9 we'll boy, let's take 4 family
{ OF course there. was NO objection to tliis:
SO. after sslnilingn all round, we lit our
lavanas, and ylisteped 70 the sold man clo..
quent. -; s ~ ~ s.,
/ - THE. coLoNEL's STORY.
isuppose youaiI know that in almost
every place where deer are &huated, the
same old story is, ,cunentof-a spectral buck
haunting some particular drive; modified, of
course, to suit circumstances and tho tastes
Of the narratots. Well. up, in ST. Stephens,
when Lived there, some ten years ago, we
had our version of the legend; and IA YOU
may neve,. hiue, heard il before, Ill preface
my adventure with tho tale.
Many years ago-per!taps century, or
longer er-when the Catawba tribe OF Indians
hunted over the northwest portion Of our
State, there was among them I, beautiful
young girl, dauglitersof the head chief of
the nation. who was known among the
braves by the tito Of O Imam oree, or tue
Bounding Fawn. Her black and luslrous
eyes were moro terrible to the Ca,awba
warriors than the watch fires u a hostile
war.part,y; and many warrior, who putfed
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 stoldiiy, if she
would have consented to share his lodge
with him. But in vain did they aspire to
her hand. Pipe after pipe was smoked be.
tween her father and the elder braves, but
TO no purpose; and many ono of the
younger warriors walked the war path
alone, in search of some gallant adventure,
on which to base his CLAIMS and 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 scornfu 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 felt the war paint, 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 torn, had
| fallen before his hunting knife 10 single
| combat. Twice had he despoilel the She
bear OF her cubs, aid 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 lie sat naked
| on his horse, armed for tile chase, and pre-
dic.sd that the fearless and successful hun.
ter would some day become q ,huuderbolt
TO the enemies OF the tribe.
al have sRie ti,st-sv..,i,us pa, lad never
made suit for the Bounding Fawn.
Why, then, did the eye of the maiden glis-
ten with pride, when she looked OH the
moccasins, the bolt, and the quiver Of the
young brave, and saw that they were form.
eatfroni he spotted coat of the beautiful
creature whose name she bore! 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, aud saw
dangling from it his medicine bag Of stuff
ed iawn skinl On the other hand, whence
came That daily tribute of fish or venison,
which WAS laid by some unseen hand a, The
door of the War.Eagle's lodgel And on
that bright July morning, when O man o
ree was walked from her shady slumber ON
The bank Of the Catawba, by the well.
known dreadful rattle, and stood transtixcJ
with horror at the sight of the hideous rep
tiie, which was preparing 10 give the fatal
blow, whose nervous arm and unerripg eve
winged the shaft which pinned the monster
to the oak, at whose base he was coledl
Many asked these questions, but none could
answer them, ill the War Eagle arose one
morning, and called in vain for 0 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 it until a
whisper reached his ear that Wa hus pa,
too, was missing, that the truth flashed up
on her fathers mind. "Then was there
mounting in hot haste" and the wal. W hoop
rang through the ancestral pines, as the
warriors secured off in pursuit, But even
ing brought them back again, with no ira
ces OF The fugiives. The old chief foalned
with rage and sorrow, ard his brother the
prophet OF the tribe, donned his mystic
| robe, and with spells aud iucantalions
howled out his curse upon the flying pair.
Meanwhile, Wa.hus pas stout gelding had
borne the lovers gallantly on. Three days
and nights, with scarce an interval of rest,
brought them to the neighborhood Of old
ST. Stephens church, and here the noble
steed gave out. Weary and faint, the Low.
ers agreed to rest here for awhile; and
spreading his panther robe beneath a thick.
boughed holly, the young brave placed O
man o.ree upon it, and left her to s!umber,
while he wandered off in search of some
game for meal. He had not proceeded
far, before he came upon lovely, half
grown doe, reposing beneath the shade Of
a holly; quick as thought, his shaft was on
the string, and the next instant was .quiver.
ing in her heart. He sprang forward TO Sc.
cure his quarry, and before him lay the
l'teless form of his bleeding bride! The
curse Of the prophet had followed him; the
spell was upon bis senses. He gazed mo.
ment upon the horrid sight; then, tearing
The garments from his body and limbs,
rushed into the depth Of the swamp, ua.
L