Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-01-14
yVHEETTEEEs,S lAST POEM.
ktNNuhEuE TIC MeacOn.O

ssSNuANuSAk9t "A tAAc EGACOHsD
Nauhausht the Indian deacon, who of old
| Dwelt, poor but blame.ess, where the narrow
ing Cape
Stretches its shrunk arm ont to all the wind
| And to the relentless shifting of the waves,
Awoke one morning from pleasant dream
OF good angel dropping in his hand
A fair, broad gold piece in the name of God.
He rose and went forth with the early day
Far inland, where the voices of the waves
Mellowed and mingled with the whispering
leaves,
As, through the tangle of the low, thick woods
He searched his traps. Therein nor beast nol
bird
lie found; though meanwhile in the reedy
pools
The otter FLASHED, and underneath the pines
The partridge drummod; and rs his thoughts
went back
To the sick vile and little children at home.
What marvel that the poor man felt his faith
Too weak to bear its burden--hke a rope
That, strand by strand uncoilirss, break above
The hand that grasps it. Even now, 0 Lord
Send me-" he prayed, "the angel of my dream
Nauhaught is very poor; lie cannot wait!
Even as he spake, he heard at lis bare feet
A low, metallic c!ink, and, 3an-n down,
lie saw Il dainty purse with disks of gold
Crowding its silken net. Awhile he held
The treasure up before hi eyes, alone
With his great need, feeling the wondrous
coins
Slide through his eager fingers one by one.
So then the dream was true. The angel
brought
One broad piece only should he take all these
Who would be the wiser in the blind dumb
woods?
The loser, doubtless rich, would scarcely miss
This dropped crum from table always full.
Still, while he mused, he seemed to hear the
cry
OF starved child; the sick face of his wife
Tempted him. Heart and flesh i'll fierce revolt
Urged tho wild license of his savage youth
Against his latter scruplcs. Bitter toll
Prayer, fasting, dread Of blame, and ptiIcss
eyes
To watch his haltng-had he lost for these
The freedom of the woods-the hunting
grounds
Of happy spirits for walled in heaven
OF everlasting psalms? Oac healed tho sick
Very far off thousands Of moons ago:
Had he not rayei him nigh and day to come
And cure his hoI-bound wife? Was there IA
hell?
We're all his fathers people writhing there
Like the poor shell fs set to boil alive
Forever, dying never If he kept
This cold so needed. vou,d the !rcadrul God
Tormcnt him like Il Moh,,~k.s captive stnck
With slow consuming spliatcrs? Tn in hoay-
en-
Would the good brother deacon grown 50 ri,h
BY selling rum to Indians, laugh to see him
Earn like a pitch pine torch Ills Christian
garb
Seemed falling from him with the fear ana
Of Adam ralrj at thc cool Of 1av
lie gozcI around A black snake Inv in coil
~, H., .an1 , cr,,y ,yi.h .ilclon5. IN
WatcLo1 from = 3.al hop,b An bi3 india,
lore
or OWL blondinr With = convo,t,s f,itb
n tbn snnrrnal tsrrors j thc Roas
Va sa,. tbo .on,ntnr IN ,Ia c',i,;nc sn,l,o
srl nTninaps hiact win ,ol hird :. AMI all II,
whila
-rl,o lou ra,,,Lin,, or +bo ,is.,,t ,,ros
SILL in unon him l;ltn the Voice Of Gnd
Anon. the frees of Edrn GirIjn,un
- Io:ns ,ith ,o.l,,to L,,,1 = = t,rrs
rrbo No. ,hor,,Lt fro,, Nm. N,,bou,h, i,
,san
c..rvo ir nocd Lo lint ,,b;ro ,o,, ,iyo loo,
,,t
r,o,,, bo,ost o,,cs ~, al No, nnoshamol
"a hnln mot T,,,. ,,nocon of ,Lc oI,I,rcb
bapti=cd, praying Indian! Should do
This secret meanncss, even the baraen knots
or the old trees would turn to eyes to see IT.
The birds would tell OF 1t, and all the leaves
whisper above me: "NaGhauSht IS thlef
The sun would know 1t, AMI the stars tha
hide
Behind his light would watch me, and at ish
Follow me with their sharp accusing eyes.
Yea, 'thou, God seest me !. Then Aauhaugh