Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1884-04-05

HUNTERS" FINAL ANSWER
WARNED OF HIS FATE BY THE
HISS OF A SNAKE AND THE MOCK
ING LAUGH OF THE GIRL HE WAS
TO BETRAY.
The legends of various Indian
tribes of South America furnish no
more terrible one than that of "Saw
na-dawa, the Berry Hunter" a
young girl possessed of more than
ordinary beauty, for one of her race.
The daughter of the chief of the
Aburanian tribe of Guatemala, she
was naturally proud of her blood
and station, and revengeful of an
insult to very desperation. Often
had she been wooed, but never won.
The arrow that was to reach her
breast appeared not TO have been
feathered until Carlos Estalez, an
agent for fur house, took up his
abode in the vicinity Of her people
and filled her ears with glowing &C
count of how Pocahontas had been re-
spected and treated. Then her pride
awoke as it never had before, and
she longed for such position. Her
fondness for attention was flattered
by his constant visits to the wigwam
of her father, and her love of dress
pampered by his snowy presents.
She held her head still higher above
her :companions-passed them with
a cold stare and naughty tread, and
took but little pains to disguise her
determination to become the wife of
the white man.
And so, far from other female So
ciety that was at all attractive, it
was very pleasant, without doubt,
for Estalez to coquette with the In
dian girl-to have her watch for his
coming-to see that she dressed and
decorated herself exclusively for
him, and to feel that she loved him.
But it was a very dangerous pas
time. The fox was not more crafty
nor the rattlesnake
MORE TREACHEROUS
and bitter for him if he made either
of them a companion. Yet the girl
loved him to alteration. He was by
far the most handsome man that had
had ever trodden her shores; one, in
fact, that any girl would gladly have
accepted for lover. bringing as he
did, the charms of education and
money to back those of manly bear
ing and beauty.
During the entire winter he had
been attentive to the Indian girl and
with the coming of the warmer
months they often fioated over the
crystal waters OF the rivers, or wan
dered through the evergreen woods.
At first Estalez had thought nothing
Of her save as pleasant companion;
but as the days passed-his stay pro-
tracted, and orders coming for him
to remain another year-he began to
realize she was necessary for his com
fort, and his liking grew into some
thing very like to love. Then he
built wigwam Of much greater pre-
tensions than any in the village and
resolved that she should ill it; in
short, be his wife-wife, as such
marriages were viewed by him, that
is, simply marriages of convenience,
to be entirely ignored by the hus.
band when he departed, no matter
though half dozen half-breed chill
dren had the right to call him father.
There was one OF the number that
constituted Carlos party that look
ed more clearly and honorably upon
the matter than did Carlos. Old
Pedro Miguel had been a trader and
trapper among the red men in that
locality for more than a score of
years. He knew their character too
well tojudge them otherwise than
Alright, and he shook his head solemn
ly as he saw the matter verging to-
ward climax.
"What are you taking so much
trouble about that wigwam for, Car
los ?" he asked him one day, as he
saw the rude but comfortable struc-
ture near completion.
"To live in, Pedro" was the an
swer.
wasn't the one you wintered in