The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-03-05
IR0NETA,
OR THE LAST OF THE PEQU0Ts.

OR THE LAST OF THE PEQUOTs.
The legends related of the wild tribes
that inhabited North America when the
Puritans erected cabins on the hills and
in the valleys of New England, and with
the industry always peculiar in their
race cultivated the alluvial soil, making
it bloom in beauty, are always read with
interest, and seem poesy and romance.
The Puritan worshiped the Creator
with his rife in his hand; he titled the
earth, erected houses dedicated for the
praise Of the Supreme Being; but never
was his rife silent; and many 'brave"
fell upon his face never to rise again
upon the soil over which he had chased
the deer before the coming of the blue
cy;ed and bearded men from across the
great sea. Sanguinary battles were
fought, but the white man bending over
his wife and child, with the formidable
weapon of civilization in his hand main
tanned his position upon the hunting
grounds of the red tribes Whittier,
Longfellow and Campbell have sung
sweet songs of this race Of men, almost
gone, and who needed but n knowledge
of the art Of war, and a use of weapons
of destruction known to civilization, to
have made them equal 10 the strongest
battalons of Europe.
In the year 1G42, on the Mystic River
in Connecticut, Just when the leaves
were becoming tinged by the winds OF
autumn, all the warriors Of the Pequot
tribe assembled in council; and it wa,
decided to attack, kill and drive the
pale-faced invaders from the hunting
grounds given to them by their forefath
ers. In the midst Of their council, aftcl
the patriarcha had spoken and givcr
their voices in favor Of the destruction o
the white men, a young chief named Tai
equot, noted for great intelligence ant
bravery, rose and said: 1.-TWO moons vii
not pass over the wigwams of the Pc
quots before the blood Of the pale-face
will redden the leaves on the ground
They are red now; but the blood Of tn,
white man is redder. The Great Spirit
has spoken. The stars look red. Th,
Peouots do not want the arm OF the Mar
ragansctt to help them strike. The Pc
quots have fought before; they know
not fear, and point to their wigwams full
Of scalps Of their enemies"
All seemed inspired by the Language
of Talequot, their most intrepid brave
He sat down amid IL silence dreadful,
ominous. The light of the declining SUI
,lanted under the trees, over the wig
vans, and through the creviceS of th
council house, lighting the faces OF til
dusky warriors with an almost super
natural fire.
In the midst of the silence figure Ell
tered the broad door of the counci
house. A deep murmur arose, 1t wa
,3Ironeta, sister to Talequot, the PequC
chief She was known among the tribe
of New England, and by them though
to possess supernatural power. Eve
the Puritans held her in high esteem fc
hcfgreat beauty and dignity Of chara'
ter. In the councils of her tribe he
, voice was always consulted. There VIZ
. music in it, and she never failed to il
spire the young braves with heroisl
: almost unnatural.
Ironeta was superbly beautiful, with
, figure of faultless symmetry and face {
. marked contour. Her hands were sma
and delicatcly formed, and her feet arcl
:, ing and cXquisitely shaped; eyes deepl
| black, and hair silky and long. Aroun
: her hands she wore a band covered wit
beeds OF various colors, and her form vi
clad in the most delicate and cost
| skins, ornamented by her skillful liam
i She advanced toward the circle Of wa
t riors; and as she stopped to look aroun
: the sunlight, mcllowod with the goldt
t tint, of autumn, fell upon her slend
a figure as she stood in a graceful attitud
a Her brother spoke-"What has Il
sister of Talequot to say? Must not Il
Pequot braves. march to battleW
"Ironeta, who loves her people and t.
spirits of her dead ancestors who are nc
+ strong in the happy hunting -grount
II has had vision, When the sun W
+ over the tops of the trees she slept in h
wigwam beside the water that rests
,; quietly toward the rising sun. The gre
d chief of our ancestors, who died ma
+ moons ago, came to her and said: II
e the Pequots to 90 not to battle. L
e pale men are now on the Mystic Rive
q they fill many canoes; their arms
J. kissed by the sun; great chief les
L them; the sun will not rest again bcft
le their white faces will look through t
le red leaves into the Pequots. The Grt
E. Spirit is with them they fall upon fp,9f.n.I ! TIP
re faces and talk to Him. The Pequ6ts {
G. brave, but they must turn their bat
+ upon their enemies. If they donot, th
lg will fall as the leaves Of the forrest, a
n be known no more among the great tri'
r. of red men, Ironeta listened and "
sad. Gathering her bow, her arrows, a
her CULVER, she has come, as swift as
y swallow and as straight as the crow fii
ssr TO the council OF her people"
4. The voice of the Great Spirit seem
ii to speak to the braves Of the Pequt
an Never before had they been invoked
IN turn their backs upon the foe, and ab
ell don the war-trail. Talequot listened
y, his sister as she spoke in musical acce
res to the braves of his tribe; then rising
tai the splendor of his paint and plum
,ut and beads of vsriegated colors in
nd amber light of the evening sun, he sa
"Pequots never turn their backs II
an enemy. The Narragansetts have be