The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1874-06-26
VOLUME III-NUMBER Is

always had high regard Tor tue
signcrs Of the Declaration Of Independ-
ence, but now they do not really seem
to amount to much alongside the signers
Of Niagara Falls. To tell the plain
truth, the multitude Of signs annoyed me
II was because noticed at last that they
always happened to prohibit the very
thing ] was just wanting to do. de-
sired to roll on the grass the sign pro-
hibited it. wished to climb a tree; a
sign prohibited it. And / was just in
the act of throwing stone over to as
iouish and pulverize some parties as
might be pic-sicing below, when a sign
I have just mentioned forbade that.
Even that satisfaction was denied me
(and ! iricndlcss orphan). There was
no resource now hut to seek consolation
in the flowing bowl. ! drew my flask
from my pocket, but it was in vain. A
sign confronted me which said:
mo drinking allowed on these prem
ises."
On that spot I might have peri,hed Of
thirst but for the saving words Of an
honorcd maxim that fitted through my
memory at that critical moment:
"All signs fail in dry time
Common law takes precedence Of the
statutes. was saved.
The noble Red Man has always been
a darling of mine. love to read about
him in tales, aud legends, and romsnces.
| love 70 read Of his inspired sagacity I;
and Of his love of the Wild, free life Of
mountain and forest and Of his grand
truthfulness his hatred Of treachery I;
and his general nobility Of character /;
and his stately mctaphorical manner of
speech: and his chivalrous love tor his
dusky maiden and the picturesque pomp
Of his dress and accoutrements. When
| found the shops at Niagara full of
dainty Indian bead-work aud stunning
moccssins, and equally stunning toy fig
ures representing human beings who car
ried their weapons in holes bored through
their arms and bodies, and had feet
shaped like a pie. | was filed with emo
tion. knew that now. at last, | was
going to come face to face with the no
ble red man. A lady clerk in the shop
told me, indeed, that all her grand array
of curiosities were made by the Indians,
aud that there were plenty about the
Falls, and that they we're friendly, and
| it would not he dangerous TO speak To
them. Aud sure enough, rs | approach
ed the bridge leading over to Luna
Island, | came upon a noble old sou of
the forest sitting under tree, diligently
at work on bead reticule. lie wore n
slouch hat and brogans, and had short
black pipe in his mouth. Thus does the
baneful contact with our etieminate civil
lihation dilute the picturesque pompwhlch
is so natural to the Indian when far re-
moved from us in his native haunts. ]
addressed the relic as follows:
lis the Wawhoo.W .Wang.wang of the
Wack -a.W hack happy? Does the speck'
led Thunder sigh for the war-path, or is
his heart contented with dreaming of his
dusky maiden, the Pride of the Forest
Does the mighty sachem yearn to drink
the blood of his epemies. or is he .ati.-
fed to make bead reticules for the pa.
pooses of the pale face? Speak, sublime
relic of by-gonc grandeur-yenerable
ruin. speak y
The relic said:
"An' il is mcself, Diunis Hooligan,
that we'd be takin' tor bloody lnjin. ye
drawlin', lantern jawed spider-legged div
il BY the piper that played before No
ses, I'll ate ye!"
went away from there.
By,and-by in the neighborhood of
the Terrapin Tower, came upon . gen
tie daughter of the aborigines, in fringed
and beaded buck,kin moccasins and leg.
gings, seated on bench with her pretty
wares about her. She had just carved
out a wooden chief that bad strong
family resemblance to a clothes-pin, and
was now boring hole through his abdo-
men to put his bow through. hesitat-
ell moment, and then addressed her;
"Is the heart Of the forest maiden
hcayyS Is the LaughingTadpole lone
ly? Does she mourn over the exiting
uished councilfres Of her race, and the
vanished glory Of her ancestorsy Or
does her sad spirit wander afar toward
the hunting grounds whittier her brave
Gobber of the Lightnings is gomez Why
is my daughter silenty Has she aught
against the palciace strangery"
The maiden said
"Faix, an is it Biddy Malone ye dare
to be calm names Lave this, or Ill
shy your lean carcass over the catharaci,
ye sniveling blagyard!"
adjourned from there also. "Con-
found these Indians" | said, "they told
me they were tame but, if appearances
should go tor any thing, ! should say
they were all on the war-path,"
made one more attempt to fra!ernize
with them, and only one. | came upon
camp of them gathered in the shade
of a great tree, making wampums and
moccasins, ard addressed them in the
language Of friendship;
"Noble Red Men, Braves, Grand Sa-
.ha,,a ~. sl..f. II.rL