Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1886-10-29
KIssENINI EE.
Tho Prose ana Poetry OF II,

Nearly four years ago, Mt the date of
tile visit OF the Ohio Editorial As
socintio to Florida, and after the greater
portion OF its members had started on the
return home, party OF nxteen editors
and ten ladies yet remained at Jackson
willie. A proposition was made 10 the re.
naming tiiors, by Major Forbes, Super
in,endent OF the Okeechobee Drainage Co,
to lenye the ladies at Jacksonville aud
make a trip OF 200 miles up the St. Johns
and AZ miles further south over the South
Florida Railroad to Kissommee City, and
then by small boat across Lake Tohoreka-
liga TO see the work of their big dredge III
the first few months efforts 10 drain H.
100000 acres OF land in the everglades OF
lower Florida, belonging 10 the Dison
purchase and the State. The ladies would
not have it that way. They were willing
TO take the chances with their husbands
and fathers and put up with the then i'm
perfect hotel Accommodations in the rural
districts in order to zee all OF Florida that
wns possible while stopping in the State,
Their determination caused slight tangle
IN negotiations, but their point was gain
ed and they went and saw for Themselves.
None regretted, of either sex, that they
were there.
That country is rich in legendary lore.
One runs thus: An Indian, who sought
to prevent the inlrusion Of the pnle.face
into his tropical elysium, said "Where
The Wnllula (sand crane) builds her nest
and the curtain OF death hangs from every
bough is no place for the white man. 1t is
the home OF the Indian"
But the white man got there "allee SAM
ee," long before the Ohio editors
thought of going, as will be seen by the
following legend by Major E. s. Wilson, OF
the Ironton Register, who conght the in
spiraiion while on this visit. The same is
alao exqnisitely told in poetic inspiration
by Mrs L. A. Alderman, one of the ladies
who accompanied the party, and wife of The
editor Of Marietta Register, Il Q established
treasurer OF the Editorial Association.
The poem came under our notice one year
after the excursion, got misplaced and has
Just been unearthed. Both the prose
and the poem keep we'll, and Will be
read one hundred years hence with inter-
est, as follows
"In the n,isls OF antiquity came the white
man to the shores of the crystal stream
that connects the cluster OF lakes which
feed the broad basin of Okeechobee. There
dwelt the Indian tribes, the ancestors OF
the Seminoler, who yet linger with zeal
GUS devotion around the graves OF their
fathers. The white man bartered with
their chiefs, ate bear and venison In their
wigwams, and made love TO the dusky
M aidens, who, coy ard tremulouI, would
flee to the cypress shade at the approach OF
the amorous Spanisrd. One day, on the
bank of the limpid river, and in moment
of sweet and gracious confidence, the white
man planted kiss on the sunny check OF
the bronze lass. which so astounded and
thrilled her that she broke from him, and,
rushing breathlsssly among her maiden
com panions, cried, "He kisse.me, he kirse-
:" and then, in soft and tender tones,
confided to her wide eyed listeners, how
rap;urous ii was SO that the tale bsgot III
the mellow damsels the longing for kin
drsd experience. And so, when the white
man sat on the low bank OF the river, in
the gilt OF golden sunset, watching the
curlew and egret homeward sail on weary
wing, the Indian girls, lowering among
the curtained expresses nenr by, cried out
Kisse. me, kisss-me, kisse me; and from
the tangled yarn Of so pleasant a legent
came the name of the river, the lake and
| the town"
Men from the North, who go to sec
The lake and river Kissimmss,
Hear oi pretty legend, old,
oi Indian girl and Spsuiard, told.
A sober sire whose haunt had been
For ysIrs along this lake and stream
Said, Long ago, this Southern wild
Was not tile home Of white m.n's child.
"Ths Seminole, for good or i.l,
Reamsi through the forest al his will;
And dussy msidens in their glee,
came here in childish re's'ry.
The hunters whoop they heard afar,
And watched the glimmcr OF star,
The waters mirrored sak aud moss,
Or plumaged birds that LaT across.
''In time, there came, by men beguiisd,
Some SpanirdI TO this sunny wild,
In quest OF gold and tabled spring,
Allured by tales that sailors sing.
As nckle az iairy dream,
The Jest proved but all idle scheme.
Dslud.d To thsss barren lands,
They wandered sad upon the sands.
zone nom his comrades listlesa strsyed
And found n dark.syed lndlAn maid,
She, coy And bsshful, pleased TO see
This kAIght OF Spanish hsraldry,
he held in he her willing hand;
His No.ds she failed to undsr'tand.
In his dispair, upon her cheek
A word Imprinted she could speak,
"In spanish. yet it was the same
10 her, as IL by Indian name.
In Tapturons bliss, she sang in CLEO
The tsll-talo story, 'ki,,-him-me.'
Her playmntss heard in Wild delight
The story + hgr lovers plight,
They fingered long ABOUT thu stream
To sec ihis'knight. in glittsriug shssn."'
The egret stands In silent mood, 3
| The deer is cha, . / from out the wood,
The curlews ny on easy wing
From cypress trees ths MOSES swing
The Spanish knight aud Indian maid
by simple language were betrayed,
The sweet childsong, as you can see,
Once "Kin-himmee," now Kis1immss.
| Marietta, Ohio. l.. A. ALDERMAN.
|
| South Florida.
A $40 HOLIDAY PRIZE Il.
The readers of this paper are offered {
prize of (S90 Twenty Dollars in Gold tc
/ tho nnrann MI nLinn the f,raatnst nnnhel