Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-10-04
How the Mohawks Were Used U.

There is very tender and touching legend
about these falls. l knew there must be- If
there had been none should have made up one.
something hate to do most awfully, because [
like all nay romances to have dash OF truth In
them There was, on a time within the mem.
DRY OF The Oldest inhabltant, trouble among the
Indians. The Mohawks, If 1t was the Mohawks,
and the Nilicetes, If that is the way you spell
it. fell In love with each other, and each begged
the other for lock of his hair to remember MIN
by. Ard at the same time, the ardent sutton
begged The poor boon of being allowed to cut
off the lock himself. Moreover, to show that he
meant business, he ground his little thomas
hawk aid honed up his persuasive little scalp
1ng-knfe and announced that he was In the
hair business, no trouble to show goods, new
crate just opened to-day, orders from the coun-
try promptly attended to.
Well customers came right along from the
day the sign was hung out on either SIDE and
both establishments had all they could do The
supply seemed equal to the demand, and the
demand was steady and constant, with a rising
fendeDCy. But after While it was evident
that the NohaWkS had the most and the best
men out on The road, and had got the dead wood
on tie country trade, and vast quantities of
Miliceie hair was worked up at prices to suit
the times. Things run on in this way until at
last the -dilicete Indians were forced out of the
jobbing trade entirely, buying In small lots and
manufacturing only home orders, all sales at
thirty days, on margin Of about two and one
half peg cent. But the greedy Mohawks put up
a few b: anch stores TO kill off this stand, and
the Mllicetes were at last driven to little put
tering side street business, hardly getting
enough hair to run the heading machine
Meanwhile, the demand in the Mohawk mar
ket for Milfcete hair continued undated, and
runners for The house were untiring in their ef-
forts 10 secure the new crops and whatever
there was already in the stack or bins. And
when they brought in word one day that the
rival firm had skipped out OF the country TAX
ing ali the Milcete hair there was along with
them. On their heads, the Nohawks got up. put
on their war pain, piled into their canoes and
started down the river in fierce pursuit. Night
closed In alike on the pursued and the pursrl-
ers, but IL didn't stop the circus minute The
Milfcetes padded till their backs ached, and
the MOhaWkS made the rippleS fig right behind
them. At length the roar of the falls sounded
In the ears OF the flying Mlcetes, and they
turned TO the shore; beached their light banks
and ST; uck for tall timber.
All but one. A woman, as usual, was the last
one In the train. A Squaw, whose aboriginal
name either forgot or never knew-Mary Jane
johnson. maybe-was sculling along at the tail
end OF the procession. For two or three miles
before reaching the falls she had made up her
Womanly or squawly mind that she would save
her tribe, and at the same time avenge them
50 she lighted kerosene lamp. or 1t may have
been pire knot, and set 1t In The stern of her
canoe. The pursuing MOhawkS saw It. thouyht
1t was the last act OF sullen, hopeless defiance
ana they hOWled TILL their corhS ached trying to
reach 1t. When the fugitiyes landed above The
falls Mary Jane johnson landed, too but she
did not strike for the weeds. She picked up her
Kerosene lamb and trotted around the fails on
the rocks. From rock to rock she nfmbly
sprung al lightly scrambled until she reached
point far beyond them, where her flaming Sig
Ldl liitu IhC pursuing WlCQ the
'split rock" just midway in the cateract. on
came the Mohawks, their fierce eyes fastened on
the flame that danced before them, their fiercar
cries drowning the roar of the cateract until
suddenly the angry white foam leaps into their
faces from the swift and eddying rapids that
catch their fragile barks, and before their saw
age yellS OF hate can be changed to the notes of
their death song the mad plunge is taken, and
the gorge is so full of drowned Indians that the
coroners office is worth $500 year for the
next six weeks.
1t used the Mohawks up completely. They
went out OF business and joined the Spirttua-
lists. Tie MiliCetes also, what was left of them,
Tribe Is now settled in an Indian village down
below here little ways, at the mouth OF the
Aroostook, where they live on the interest of
their taxes. Mary Jane johnson was highly
chief and granted her the free privilege of cut
ting wood and hoeing corn and cooking for her
husband and fifteen children all the rest OF her
life BuTdette's Grand Falls IN. By Letter to
BttrliEqtOH HQrkeue.