Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-07-09

top Of the bluff, and Seco cried out like the
wild cat, and the Dakota chief and braves,
who were camped up there. heard him.
They ran quick.
"Win0ua saw them, and went TO the
very brink chanting the death song She
bowed herself Ia the earth, wrapped her
blanket about her breast, and with wild
cry sprang out into the dark air Of the
night.
The braves drew near the place where
/ the Young squaw had stood, and they
heard the sound Of heavy fall
/ They looked down into the blackness.
. but could see nothing four trees deep, but
a splash of water was heard. and they
knew Winona was no more. They went
with quick feet to the Pepin lake, but the
moving water had carried the dead squaw
away forever, they said. and they turned
sadly back to their lodges
And they never found the body of the
girl," | asked.
head.
They did not find the body because it
was not left beneath the high hill, and it
never went down into the lake"
The lover darried it away, suggested,
new thought entering my head in
stantly.
1T went away with Little Coon, but he
did not carry it. WinOna was not killed" !"
The Idea was absurd
\ human being could not descend, I'M
der full power of gravitatiOn, hundreds
of feet, and amid broken rocks, without
causing instant death. The red hermit
divined my thoughts, and he said:
al hay TOLD thnt the lpNnrs nlannpI
to deceive the Dakotas. and they did.
"Winona secreted long. rawhide rope
under her shawl and dropped it where her
lover was secreted without stopping to
speak as had been planned.
when darkness came Little Coon went
to the top of tire bluff and making moose
on one end of the long rope, he laid the
circle at the edge of the rock, put the
thong around the projecting point OF
stone, and lowered the end To the earth
below, and then went down to await the
coming of WinOna.
when he heard the death song from
the young squaw's lips, he grasped th !
rope firmly.
"Winona wound her shawl about hcr
breast and then put the moose around her
body under her arms, and was ready for
the leap.
4 wild cry rang ont and Little Coon,
who was a very stout young brave, held
tightly and let the little squaw down.
AT the same time he pushed with his
foot large, round stone from its resting
place, and it went splashing into the
waters of Lake Pepin. As soon rs Win
ona touched the earth she and her Chip
pewa lover ran to the water where ths
canoe OF Little Coon was lying, and they
padded away. The long rope was taken
with them. They swept quickly up the
smooth surface of the pretty Pepin, and
when the light came they were hidden in
thicket where Little Coon had left some
food.
When the sun went down again they
hurried away from the big river to the
east and when light came they hid again.
After a long Journey they came to an
other river and when this was crossed
they were in Canada. Here they lived
with new names, and became friends OF
the whites and no one knew the truth.
The DakOtas knew that WinOna was
dead, and the Chippewas thought Little
Coon killed at the hands of the enemies.
] have heard the story many times"
And did they ever return to the Missis
sippir7 asked.
NO, they never went back to their peo
pie. and their people never knew they
lived"
Where did Winons dwell,"
The pretty squaw and Little Coon lived
eighty years together in this grand forest,
They led the free life of the red man, and
but little time ago Winona died, leaving
her old and feeble companion alone. She
died in this very lodge, and is buried be
meath the pines"
Then you are the COmpaniOn'"
Yes, am Little Coon. the Chippewa"
L ann Mnr..1ifh in Dntrnif Free Press