The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1862-11-14
In Memory of Hon. James w. Lynd.
BY GEORGE d. PRENTICE.
From the Louisville Journal

From the Louisville Journal.
Our beloved and lamented friend, James
W. Lynd, of Redwood, Minnesota, was,
we have just definitely learned, one Of the
earliest victims of the horrible Indian mas
sacre. Our deceased friend was the son
of the Rev. DIR. Lynd, the eminent Bap-
tist divine, and was formerly resident OF
CovingtOn in this State.
Inheriting equally from his learned and
now venerable father and his noble and
accomplished mother a physique at once
vigorous and refined, and a native spirit
correspondingly dauntless and susceptible,
he was constitutionally pioneer, schol-
ar, and poet. Having received, under
his fathers excellent auspices, fine gen.
eral and classical education, and deeply
and naturally imbued with an unpretend-
ing but soul-absorbing love of all that is
romantic and beautiful in Life and Nature,
he was worshipper of Art, proficient
in Music, and not only a connOiSSeur of
polite letters, but himself, although he had
published little, gifted and industrious
producer. With an enthusiasm for the
wild and picturesque that knew no bounds,
he became, long before his removal to
Minnesota, singularly interested in the In
dian character, aud constantly availed
himself Of every opportunity and resource
to acquit himself with the legends, tradi-
tions, languages, and ethnology of the
aborigines. He covered the walls of his
apartments in college with Indian words,
and learned to speak the language or
rather languages of the Dacotahs with the
fluency and idiomatic intotations of the
natives themselves. With all the enthusi-
asm of poyageur and the indefatigable-
ness of an antiquary, he removed nine
years ago directly into the midst of those
whom he so much loved to study. Set
Ting at Irarers deS SiOuc he renewed his
Investigations with more ardor than ever,
mingling constantly with the Indians. Sys-
tematically gathering and arranging the
varied and abundant materials thus accu-
mulated, he at length condensed his labo-
rious researches into most interesting
and carefully prepared MS. volume, which
we have had the pleasure to examine, and
which, if published, would, we have no
doubt, pove very able and valuable con-
tribution to our obscure knowledge of this
disinherited and vanishing race. cit ap-
pears, says the affective letter which con-
veys the confirmation of his sad death,
"that he had removed to Redwood, and
Oh the morning of the 18th of August the
Indians came yelling up to his door, being
denuded. He stepped out to pacify them,
and, while speaking to them, seven In
hoh ;nI hot
dead instantly" Thus, as is but too often
the case in the experience of mankind, he
became the victim of those to whom the
best part of his life and labor had been de-
voted. Our deceased friend was for some
time editor of the Henderson MINI. DEM
ocrdt, and had served with credit as State
Senator and in various other offices of pub
lie trust in his adopted State.
He was exceedingly shy, modest and Sc
cretive in reference to his personal affairs,
purposes and aspirations, even toward his
most intimate friends; yet he was pecu-
liarly generous and genial companion, a
delightful correspondent, and, as a friend,
forever staunch and true. He was, at the
time of his death, nearly thirty two years
of age, and, perhaps fortunately, unmar-
ried. His house was pillaged and burned
by the savages, but it is believed and hoped
that his manuscripts of "The History, Le-
gends, Traditions. &c. OF the DacOtahs'
were saved by the safe which contained
them. His afflicted family and friends
have our sincere and heartfelt sympathy in
their great bereavement. Immortal as he
is, we feel it boots not now TO stir above
his autumn-draped and tranquil head an
idle g dust of praise; for he was strongly
and habitually averse to all poor and
narrow notoriety, and never, we be-
lieve, indulged himself in the publication
of fugitive effusion. The following,
among several other graceful and charac-
teristic specimens Of his early muse, has
long been in our possession:
HERODOTUs.
The graces of a summer day
Were sporting merrily at play.
When thus, the sporting DER, did gay
The fair Euphrosyne;
"Sisters mine, sisters mine,
BY brook and bower, Gale and dell,
Sisters mine. sisters nine
] have pleasant tale to tell
GAS DER the fields chanced to stray,
Singing OF our froics gay,
And tripping softly on my way,
As light as light could be,
Sisters mine, sisters mine,
What think you that | saw,
Beneath the creeping Byzantine,
And stately Dahlah?-
4 youth of golden locks, and brow
Whittier than purest crystal snow,
The shady trees and vines below,
Smiling in slumbcr lay!
His locks strayed DER his glowing cheek,
II f;,li ri nod TO
What did | to the blooming Greek?
Fair sisters shall I say?
| crowned his brows with myrtles green,
His parted lips my rod between
placed and well endowed | ween
! The youth with Eloquence;
touched the bosom Of the youth, :
And in his inmost heart, forso0th.
Arose that burning love of Truth
That burns without pretence;
kissed his brow us he reclined.