Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-04-22
fHE PRINCESS LATOKA.

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| fHE PRINCESS LATOKA.
Marshall county, in ths north Of Nj
sisippi. contains = pretty little town
called Holly Spring. In o,dsn times
in the riosious days bsfofs the war-s
was often styled the Athens Of the South.
Today. though dear little place, where
. wealth Of flowers bloom and the far
famed magnolia tres lift aloft their
stately blossoms Of snowy whiteness and
tropical odors, it is not what it was In
the storied days of ths ''Old South"
Like many another place in the valley
Of the great Father Of Waten." this
has q history peculiarly its own The
wool and warp Of tradition lend . charm
to even very commonplace localities,
and ever since the time when the red
man owned and loved this vast region.
there have been legends and wonderful
stories connected with its fields and for
ests.
And this ID the one which the stately
old trees that Stand guard along the
broad walks of Holly Springs whisper
under their breath to each other during
the long moonlit nights when mocking
birds sing and give voice to the shadowy
spaces.
A long time ago there lived where the
I town NV stands . great Indian chief
tain. BE had his wigwam here and
hunted through all the forests for the
graceful deer and huge bear that abound
ed. 1t was a pretty wigwsm the old
chieftain had, all painted and ornament
ed with curious devices drawn in red
and blue paint by the hand Of the young
princess. who, as she grew taller and
taller, was like comely plant-so the
old father said-or like the graceful
young crepe myrtle trees that stood about
their home.
The days few by and the young prin-
cess was child no longer. but . rarely
beautiful maiden. Her hair was dusky,
like the blue black smoke that curled
above the wigwam, and it swept about
her like the clouds when q storm is gath
ering, but the large. luminous eyes that
rivaled it in color were soft Is the young
rose, and full of light which seemed to
attract like q magnet all upon whom
they rested Her lips were like the flush
on the fame bush for color and bright
ness, and her soft glistening skin was as
the chestnut when it il ripe and ready
for bursting.
Very. very beautiful was the young
Princess Latoka, still she knew it not.
Yet . day came when, going with her
father to the stream few miles distant,
she gazed more and more upon the face
that looked back from its waters, and
wondered upon the change that she saw
there
Il Then q time came when, as she wan.
dered under the grand trees, a new pathoa
seemed " thrill in the notes Of the mock
ing birds that called to each other and
made much ado in the swaying branches
Even the scent of the flowers seemed
changed in q manner, to possess some
new essence, but she knew not what it
meant nor realized that q sense Of loneli-
ness had come into her life. that she
longed for companionship. and finding il
not felt, Is never before, the all pervad-
ing loneliness of nature. and discovered
with it a mystical kinship through the
song Of the birds. and through the ex-
quisite fragrance of the flowers.
Now among the young braves who
came to her fathers wigwam, who had
been wont to come since first she could
remember. was the matchless Tullahoma
brave in fight, skilled in chase, envied by
all his brothers, adored by all the maid
ems. She could not look back upon q
time that Tullahoma was not known e
her.
Now he, the fiery, the willful Tulla'
homa, loved the maiden with all the
} power of his untamed heart, and only Z
J VOW to the old chieftain had kept him
from telling her SO many moons ago.
mo, no." the old man said ''she il bu,
q blossom-but half blown flower; leave
her with me in peace for yet twelve
moons When they have waned, if shs
will, thou mayest take her 70 thine
. own wigwam that she may b thy wife.
So Tullahoma dared not tell in world
his love to the princess, but oftentimss
she found his coal black eyes resting
upon her in so strange a manner tina,
perforce she would rise and leave his
presence, would go out to hold commune
ma,ah 49, 70, ~ 80 ~. ~.
n.y." CO.,. a;..,n, go eh.nr;.~ 80 :.
, rest.
She wondered, and could not explain,
that in these day. she felt AFRAID q, n,
voung chief Something mad. her tr...
hle under hi. gaze. .ometh;no hold h.,
bach when she would have had sneecb
with him; something drew her eyea
away when she would have lifted them
to his face
And now there came one day another
young brave with band of brothers Ia
hunt in the rich forests about Latoks'-
home; her father gave consent and they
followed the game for many weeks ere
time for departure was arrived
But the young chief Psola, tall and
supple Of limb, strong and graceful a