River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-08-21
An Indian Legend.

Illustrated st. Paul and Firesi6e Companion
There is something peculiarly fascinating
about an l0dian tradition, handed down as
it IA, not il books, but from father and son.
while smoking their pipes around the wig
VAN FIRE; and there is something addition
ally charming in the story as told by the In
dian hims :.
Some fifteen years ago, while on our way
10 Vermlion lake with a company of ex-
plurers, we eamped on the banks of a beau
it'll sheet of water some twenty miles from
the city 81 ST. Paul. when our "Neoarnis,"
or hist fIiFnd--thGt is an Indian in the
ubtty who had attached himself to our per
: entertained us through our interpreter,
Porter, with the following intensely interest
ing legend
MANY moons ago. said the Indian, with
a Whit of his pipe, "a party of Sioux In
dams crep' down silently 10 the shores of
Me. de.wa sa--now Lake Como-and gazing
a momcrt disappeared in the tnick under
brush tina eneircled the lake. A young
Chippewa girl, beautiful as the faWA, with
features raitiant with perfection, was sitting
upon the hank. toying with the gentle waves
az they came and kissed her tawny feet, but
Ahen she saw these enemies of her race, she
screamed and ran 10 the tepee, which was
located nenc the identical spot where the
| hotel now stands Nim-pe-wa pa, her broth
er-brave gallant, affection" te-hke deer
dashed from the wigwam nd catching his
sister in biz arms, asked-'what fearS" He
leo pa poipted 60 the brush, and tremblingly
replied, Sioux :"
The Iudmn was silent. He gazed upon
the blazing fire: gave out glutterai sound,
sul thon whiting his Pipe several times,
continued
''Nim pt-wa pa bravel MIN pe-wa-p pa no
fear Sioux MIN pc wa-pa's heart be bigg'
housing the band the Chippewas were soon
IN pursuit of tue fleeing enemy, led 10y MINI
pe-wa-pa; but they had passed the boundary
line, and could only reach them by confront
ing the whole Sioux nation; so, chaiing for
revenge, they returned to their camp ON the
silent shore Of Me de-wa-ka!
IL was night. The full orhed moon sent
ray Of mellow light down upon the beautiful
scene, willis from all parts of the shores CT
the lake numerous bands of Indians RECALLED
| themselves. either reclining upon the messy
banks, or riding =. In.ir light canoes. The
prattle apd laughter OF childhood, the ring
ing notes of maidens tn paintive songs of
mothers, rs they rocked their loved ones TO
sleep. gave a charm TO the scene and pre-
! S, nted a picture uurivaled in beauty and III
I innocence.
Thesta stopped down and kissed the fair
maiden, He le o pa, as with soft tread ana
/ a light bound, sue skipped among her com
| panious tbs ARREST OF them all. With
! perfect figure; beautiful, soft black eye jet
/ black hair, and clear compilations with
n rry laugh, and heart warm and gener-
ous IN its impulses no wonder she was the
queen Of her sex and the loved Of her tribe.
| just Is m ons had passed over her fair head
aud sull SO innocent, still so lovely, still
/ 80 charming"
! The old Indian paused, dropped bis head
| upon his bHhd-; utttIed moan, and then as
| il recalling something III the long past, be
cume as cal'u and as cold as marble and con-
unued his tory
/ Up SHIRT distance from the lake, embos
oned in tho arms OF nature. nesting with
/ tic flowers and listening to the whippoor-
| will wande red He-le-o-pa. The noise OF the
/ children hnd ceased: the moon was high III
the blue sky; quietness brooded over and
about thu bake; the Indians pulled their pipes
and recalled the stirring scenes of the fight;
when, all Of a sudden, there was piercing
scream II broke out again, and the echo
came back 10 remind the peaceful Indian
! village that an enemy was in their midst
| The women and children entered their te
p,es-thc tuen clutched their guns, and
! hast, ming he the direction of the noise, halt
J co. NhHt Aktutlh IL W 10 - ihtoaiAAB
/ II seems that while He-le o-pa wandered
/ in the moonlight, taking, as it were, with
invisible b, 'ogs, a company OF thirty Sioux
/ stole in upaa her--seized her bound her to
pony and was living with her to the camp
OF the enemy. Before any concert Of action
could te 0evIsed by those WHO had congre-
uated where the noise was beard, Nim-pe-
wa.pa gave most mOurnfui wall and
/ bounded in among them, uttered impreca-
I lions upon the mlscTeHnts, end with-"He-
| lc-o-pa-rewauge aud de' tn" dashed into
tho thiclet followed by his friends.
The lndiaa paused again. de refilled his
pipe; 4 stretching hlmsflf up to his full
height. aimed "Nisisshin. good, and
closed bis sony in the following graphic
manner
.Nim.pe-va-pa sped ike an arrow.
Through thu bushes, over logs, Jumping ra-
yines he seemed to possess the power OF the
incarnate lIerode the air, and his men
fed libo birds at his command. The re
treating Sioux are in the distance Ten Of
biz men have left the main party to inter
cept them. On they rush, pel-meil. The
Chippewas tire gaining the Sioux arc scat
tripg. With the impetuosity of hurricane,
MIN pe-wa TA darts down upon them. lie
approaches hem and IN the full moonlight,
fires. Mad with revenge, he continues the
onslaught. He DE WIS nearer; again
he fires; a Sioux falls. How he gloats as he
tears the sea % from his bead, and then agdn
continues pursuit. In the meantime his
friends have 9ome up to the rescue and soon
begins one oi the fiercest Indian fights on
rculd. Hand to hand they meet; hand 10
hand they tull: hand to hand they die,
Where Is Hole o-pay Death! DEATH The
party % ten Chippewas have intercepted the
a. oil. in NM than
Red, CORY blood cnrdles in the moonlight.
Nm-pe-wa pa rides like demon. Fave OF
the enemy lave fallen by his uneriing aim;
and still. with loss Of vital force from a
dangerous wound he conlilues tie con
hict Dasbipg into the thickest Of the
fight, he makes one desperate effort, and In
that effort be confTonts the Sioux who has
He le-o "a hcund 10 his horse, and with an
i0peiuous plnnge, dlsmouuts bin. but IN
the act 1he 8uimal upon which hir sister is
secured falls dead. MN. pc. wa-pa reels,
stapgers, drops 10 the earth. The conflict il
over, Several Chippcwas and eight Sioux liz
dead upon the field. twenty-five Of the
Sioux have escapod-three ChIppeWas art
nfejess. nc bodies Of He-is-o-pa and
Nim pc wa % ART brought ienderly back 10
The lodge, and there, amid great lamenta-
ton, they repose side by side All Of q sud
desi there IL great CONSERVATION ia the
camp. He-le-o pa breaihes. opens her eyes
move g. live IS not dead.
The old lad1an arose from the camp fire,
strobe back aud forward for few inmates,
aud then ugnrnfnlly added:
They buried MIN -pe-wa-pa on a little
knoll overlooking Me-dc- wa-ka, near the
Ki-s,-le- pa OF old tepee ground, near where
the hot+l nov stands) and for fifty moons
the faithful! He le-o-pa visited and planted
flowers upor the grave of her noble, brave
aud devoted brother.
Parties aho visit the lake can zee the spot
v here be was buried, which IL marked by q
bt dy Of stones, placed there by the hands Of
the whole tribe, who reyered the merlcry OF
the n, a. sud goo Nim-pe-wa-pa.
Ladies wrfu blonde hair use dark tor
pins in stan or Marguerite
shape, while the Silver ornaments are
lrpferred by brupt it's Flowers so elab-