Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-02-21
NEW SERIES---NO.I5l

q view to remove some of her OBJ
jections, they took means to pro-
vide for her future maintenance.
and presented to the warrior all
that in their simple mode of living
an Indian might eovet. About that
time a party was formed to ascend
from the village to Lake Pepin in
order to lay in a store of the blue
clayf which is found upon its
banks, and which is used by the
Indians as a pigment. Winona and
her friends were of the company.
1t was on the very day that they
visited the lake that her brothers
offered their presents to the warrior.
Encouraged by them, he again adj
dressed her, but with the same i'll
success. Vexed at what they
deemed an unjustifable obstinacy
on her part, her parents remon-
strated in strong language, and
even used threats to compel her
into obedience.
Well, said Winona, you will
drive me to despair. l said 1 loved
him not. | could not live with him.
l wished to remain q maiden but
you would not. You say you love
me that you are my father, my
brothers, my relatives; yet you
have driven from me the only man
with whom / wish to be united.
You have compelled him to with
draw from the village; alone he
now ranges through the forest, with
no one to assist him none to build
his lodge; none to wait on him;
yet was he the man of my choice.
Is this your love But even it APP
pears that this is not enough; you
would have me do more you would
have me rejoice in his absence;
you wish me to unite with another
man, with one whom l do not love,
with whom | never can be happy
Since this is your love let it be so;
but soon you will have neither
daughter, nor sister, nor relation to
torment with your false professions
of affection
Gas she uttered these words she
withdrew, and her parents, needless
of her complaints, decreed that on
that very day Winona should be
united to the warrior. While all
were engaged in busy preparations
for the festival, she wound her way
slowly to the top of the hill when
she had reached the summit, she
called out with a loud voice to her
friends below She upbraided them
for their cruelty to herself and to
her lover.
"'YOu,' said she, were not sat
isfed wilh opposing my union with
the man whom | had chosen; you
endeavOred with deceitful words to
make me faithless to him; but
when you found me resolved upon
remaining single, you dared to
threaten me. You knew me not if
you thought / could be terrified
into obedience. You shall see how
well can defeat your designs
"She then commenced to sing her
death song; the light wind which
blew at the time waited the words
towards the spot where her friends |
were. They Immediately rushed,
some toward the summit of the hill
TO stop her, others to the foot of the
preeipice to receive her in their arms;
while all, with tears in their eyes,
her to desist from her
fatal purpose. Her father promised
that no cOmpulsive measures should
be resorted to. But she was re-
solved, and as she concluded the |
words of her song, she threw her
self from the precipice, and fell, q
ifeless corpse, near her distressed !
friends.
'''Thus, added our guide, has
his spot acquired a melancholy |
it is still the Maiden's |
Rock, and no Indian passes near it |
voluntarily casting his eye
.oward the giddy height to contem-
plate the place whence the unfor-
innate girl fell a victim to the
,ruelty of her relentless parents. >"
/. Pine creek above. but what areek is there
IelOw. Doctor, till We reach BOgus2
t DIR. Estes once made a diligent search for |
his blue clay near Maiden Rock. 1t was not |
0 be found; but a sort of earth was seen, in
mall deposits. which might have been used by |
y the Indians to paint their faces.