Middletown transcript., 1872-08-17
popul'r Stlis(rllanu.
Red Line Romance.

Hundreds Of newspapers have quoted
the dolcful Indian Romance of the former
Miss Barber, Treasury clerk at Washing
ton who. having married Sioux Chief
tain during his visit 10 the National Cari-
,al and returned with Kim to his tribe as
a wife and q missionary, now comes back
to civilization in lonely and dismal
plight. with tale of drudgcry, and abuse.
and savage ignominy as reflects anything
but honor upon the chivalry of the forest
The pitiful story is not vithout aptncss as
"a commentary upon the vanity aud self
dclusion Of the young to do extraordinary
things aud fancy themselves possessed of
an intellectual fitness for relations aud ~.
ventures from which the wiser and modest
members Of their sex shrink appalled, hnt
there i ttill an nff.r' q il il not rcrnato
page of our social history which embalas
the much pcasanier nh"rigna! romance Of
that accnnplisrd lrly who not long agn
became the wife 1T the present Chief Of
the Chcrokces Several wears since, Col
Downing the rtirf'rin jus, mrniiorai
was speaking ipr ii. ,.rople in fhiladel.
phin. the story hr toll 4 The former rel
lords of the Allcgliany Valley aud the up.
lands of Carolina Georgia AMI Alabama.
so wildly impressed the Imagination %
Miss Ayers, a cultivated aud wealthy laly
Of the Quaker City. that she adopted the
idea Of casting her future lot with the
remnant Of the old heroic tribe and deyo.
ting her life aud fortune to their welfare
Kindred aud friends demonstrated, Of
course but the lady was not 10 be shaken
in her resolution aui departed for Iuiian
Territory on her Suddenly chosen mission
Establishing home IL the beautiful Cher
okee village Of 1'alequah her immediate
activity in iurtheriug the religious aud ed
ucaiional interest of tho simple hearted
people around her was made productive Of
immcasurahlc good. and under The friend
ship of the grateful chieftain she attained
/ consequence and influence making her a
| bcnciiccut power in the State Colonel
/ Downing's son, a bright aud handsome
| boy named Lewis, whose Indian mother
| had little capacity to rear him apprccia-
lively. she adopted as her particular care.
and has since watched over his training
and education as though he were her own
Not more than year ago she presented
him on his birthday un elegant cottage
over looking the village, furnishing it. as
for young prince, with every adornment
| Of artistic taste. 1t was at about the time
of the presentation OF this choice gift that
the Indian wife Of Colonel Downing died
and in few months thereafter. or not far
from the present time. the Chief rendered
a new homage 10 the Lady Bouniful OF
his people. and she did not disdain to nc.
ccpt it Loyalty Hence tho iormer Phia-
dclphia hciFrss is now Queen Of the Cher
okees. aud as proanl and happy AS any
Governors lady in the Land Her story
is in strong contrast with poor Miss Bar
ber's, though beginning in nearly the
same way but then !, must be borne in
mind there is vast difference in the saw
age. brute Sioux aud the gentle Chero-
KEGS. The latter are civilized. with
schools, churches. and an organized sys-
TEN Of government. and the Chief comes
Of an ancestry honorable for military SER
vice to the United States in the war oi
1912, when their prowess received hearty
praise in the dispatches Of General jack
son. AS general thing. however, the
romance Of Indian life for American wo-
men does not exist outside Of novels, and
those who seek to find it in reality are far
more likely to suffer with Miss Barber
than to prosper with Miss Ayres.