The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-02-10

ne were supernatural being.
Rfhile crumbling the tobacco the
'7ss lay at his side, and when he was
10y to light up again, with another
go more dramatic gesture, he seized
snS iens and held it toward the sun
g.. With three or four cries of mys.
,sIous and startling import to the
lpplans, began whiting the blush
stnpKe as coolly as before.
Py this time the superstition of the
saRages was in full operation, and
NY were ripe for almost any display
u henton's supposed supernatural
W}Ner. Probably no people on the
Whole globe were ever more sensitive
% such influences than the native
trip@ Of North. America. What they
|sestlA not comprehend they dreaded
WIN craven fear, especially itema
mated from the sun or clouds. Seeing
his advantages, Kenton stretched
forth his hand again, holding the
glass SO as to kindle the leaves near
him. Then with strange, wild cry,
he swung his arms above his head,
adroitly shifted the lens to his left
hand and then quickly started a
smudge in another place.
Next, struggling to his feet, tied as
they were, gave an almost superhu-
man leap-jumping being Kenton's
special forte-and brought himself to
the heap of fagots that had been gath
cred for his particular entertainment,
and seating himself near them, went
through pantomine more weird
than before, whereupon a blaze
sprang up around the stake, as if the
victim were already fastened to it,
and ready for torture.
His next performance was to beck
on to the chief to come and unbind
his ankles. The mystified Indian
hesitated. but finally ventured eau
tiously forward as if not daring to
disobey such man and began with
nervous fingers to tumble at the deer
skin thong.
While thus engaged, Kenton lifted
one hand, and instantly a hurled
blistering point of fire fell on the red
mans wrist. With an "ughr" he
jerked his hand away, only to feel
the burning focus on his head.
This was even too much for an In
dams nerves and with a cry of ter
ror the old chief efsprang away and ran
to the nearest tree, behind which he
took shelter. The rest of the savages
inflated their leader, leaping behind
adjacent trees and while with Won
derDg eyes they stared at Kenton,
he proceeded leisurely to unbind his
own ankles.
This done he waved his arms to-
wards the sun, as if giving thanks or
invoking still further aid; and then
went to powder-dorn dropped by
one of the Indians, and withdrawing
the stopple, placed it as he wanted it,
fixed his sun-glass so that the focus
would enter the horn and stepping
towards the Indians, gesticulated
fiercely at them. Instantly there was
vivid flash and roar, the powder
horn disappeared, and the frightened
savages fled as if the Great Spirit had
come suddenly to destroy them.
At this Kenton considered himself
master of the field, and in less time
than it takes to tell it, flung upon the
fire whatever the Indians had left be-
hind them, seized his own property
that they had taken from him, gun
and all, and made haste from the
scene.
A few years later, when peace had
been restored between America and
England, and the Indians were on
pacific terms with the Hunters of
Kentuckcy," Kenton had the pleas
ure of meeting at ''pow WOW" with
some of the warriors who had COM
posed the party so signally worsted
by the sun-gIass. They knew him at
once, and showed an ungovernable
fear as he came forward to shake
hands. During the "pow WOW" he
often detected them gazing at him
furtive glances, and as he still had
the lens, he mischievously seized the
first opportunity to. call down fire
from the sun to light his pipe again,
accompanying it with strange ges-
lures.
Afterward he learned that they be-
lieved him in league with the "Great
Spirit" and able, if he wished, to
summon the sun to battle for him.
Vide AaU0ke.
Snow was such a novelty in Stock
ton, CAL, that a snowstorm the other