The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-08-09
Written For The True Northerner.
U:7B.7SS.a,S LIKE

l.
With forest leaves the zephyrs play,
Pond-lihes kiss the silver wake
The sinking sun, with softenipg ray
Slants DER Wabassa's gilded lake.
Wabassa's Lake ID deep and clear,
Wabassa's tribe Is camping near;
Gay robes are spread upon the ground,
The Chief and warriors gathered round;
The white mans bounty for their land
Is circled by the dusky band
For, in accord with custom old,
The Chief divides the bounty gold.
But fired with drink and crazed with greed
some. citing rank or daring deed,
Or service rendered to the band,
more than equal share demand.
Words blow the superficial fre
I'LL reasons lost in frenzied ire.
With flashing eyes the warriors glare
And many naked blade was there,
And blood must answer angry word,
When loud Wabassa's voice was heard
And sheathed was every threat ming brand
For well they marked their Chief 8 command
He babe them leave the glittering gain
I'LL sleep had cooled the heated brain
And Stacked the frenzy Of their rage,
When they could list to counsel sage.
"Wabassas braves would fight" he said,
Then curse the gold and wall the dead
The truce was gained; Night lit her lamp
And Morpheus reigned throughout the camp
The sky let loose her dancing stars
And Venus winked across at Mars
Blue ether, with its starry boon.
Hangs DER the forests dusky brown;
Through feecy clouds the silver moon
Upon WabsSsa's Lake looks down.
Wabassa's bark is on the deep.
Wabassas tribe Is lulled IN sleep.
Grieved that the gold had made the strife
And brother seek brothers LIE.
With stealthy step he sought his oar
And. pushing lightly from the shore,
With scarce ripple or wake
Rowed to the center OF the lake.
The stroke is hushed, the paddles sleep.
And through the nights still waters deep,
Soft as leaf, the light canoe
Floats DER the sky's reflected blue
With all Its arch Of stars complete.
A plunSe-the waters part-and meet
a murmur, like trucking rill-
An eddying wave-and all IS STILL
The hateful gold, with tempting glow.
Lies shining on the sands below.
The stars are paled, the owl is hushsd, 1
And folded are the wings Of night, :
The East with golden morning flushed. e
Wabassa's camp fires burning bright. I
Again the robes are on the ground
Again the warriors gathered round
WABASH marks their searching eyes c
He knows their thoughts and thus replies: q
: WABASH grleved to see his braves 8
Become the pale faces idols slaves: a
He saw the gold was not for good, q
1t made his children thirst for blood: "
WABASH grief has made him bold - l.
lie gave the lake the pale faces gold L
Wild was the whoop that rent the air a
Ana fierce the vengeance mingled there. ei
From of the ground the warriors sprang. in
from DER the lake the echoes rang al
Again the Chieftaln gave command, q
Again was sheathed each threat ming brand.
But in his heart for every hilt
Vas with Wabassas life blood gilt: 81
They hewed him down with vengeful storm OF
Md danced around his mangled form G.
" al
No more the dusky hunters chase OF
The brown doe there with baying hound. re-
But still the same moons silver face Al
Upon Wabsssas Lake looks down.
" abassas grave Is on the shore WI
tribe is there no more: wy
The woods are green the shore is fair. "
md youths and maidens revsl there di
md hear the mystic legend told 81
Vabassa's son Is weak and old,
'ut oft as summer gilds the wave
lie kneels beside his fathers grave:
md though greedy hands have sought to rake %
he treasure from Wabassa's Lake. CHI
he Warden Of the secret deep su
las locked it in his watery Keep. es
F. L. M
The author Is indebted to a correspond mr.
Of the Detroit Free Press for the Incidents nm
his sketch OF pretty little lake about three At
es from the village OF Greenville Montcalm An
nty, Michigan, (which sounds" as his in an
mant saws, more like an Indian Tradition