The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-08-31
A SMASH TRAGEDY.
The Sad Story Told by Buck
to His Sweetheart.
CHIEF PEEcHEcHEE's SORROW.
The HeartIess Indians Crime and Its
Lifelong Punishment Death
Alone Brings Relief.

"Kla-how-ya, Peechechee Mika wake
hyas kiosche tum-tum?" (How are you,
Peechechee Are you down-hearted.)
handsome half-breed, familiarly known
among the Indians with whom he lived
as Eagle Eye, spoke thus TO an Indian
who with bowed head was soiemnly
watching a number of Indian canoes
that were gliding across the smooth
water seeking cover before the
darkness settled down upon them.
Peechechee did not answer Immediately.
His form, which in years gone BY had been
a. straight as an arrow, hut nov was bent
with age, was wrapped in a red blanket
which was allowed TO hang picturesqueiy
from one shoulder while withered hand
grasped the folds in front to keep 1t from
falling to the ground. The old Indian
looked up into the face of the questloner,
his wrinkled face betraying signs OF emo
ton and he replied:
''Na-yit-ka. Nika wake hyas klosche.
Nika tum-tum cultus" (You are right.
/ do not feel well. My heart bleeds.)
Eagle Eve was turning away when he
was stopped by a raven-haired, dark-eyed
girl, apparently several years younger
than himself, who placed her hands upon
his shoulder and asked:
Whats wrong with Peechechee. He
says he is sorrowful.
1t was plain by the smile that played
about the girls mouth that the question
was asked more as an excuse for being
near Eagle Eye than from concern for the
old Indian; but the young half-breed did
not take the query that way for he an
swered:
"Come, Juanita; III tell you."
The lovers. for such they were, turned
toward the sloping green banks of the salt
bay, and, selecting corner in canoe that
was gently marking the restless swell of
the waters. they settled down in quiet har-
mony with natures surroundings. The
girl, resting her nut-brown elbows on her
lovers knee, looked up into his face and
was all attention.
at was years ago, before either you or
were born, commenced Eagle Eye, allow
ing his eyes to drift out over the surface of
the water, which the sinking sun was tint
ing with all the prismatic coors of the
rainbow. "Peechechee was born of Warm
Spring parents. and was the grandson of
old Chief Wasco. OF course he lived with
his people OH the Columbia river. His age
we cannot reckon, for some say
he is more than a hundred, and
he neither admits nor denies the many
stories. Ny mother was a Warm Spring,
and from her learned the story of Pee
chechee's sorrow.
''As young man Peechechee was strong
and fleet of foot and for his cunning and
daring while on the hunt he was noted
among the whole tribe above all others.
Naturally he had many lovers; every
girl in the tribe sought his smile
and his good graces; but he would
not yield to his fathers advice
and take unto himself wife The younger
daughter of Chief Wasco, Youth See-aw-
list, so named because she was young and
beautiful, loved Peechechee better than
her life, and everywhere he went she
would follow, hoping by showing her love
to win him. In the hunting fields she
would cross his path, and even
in his own wigwam he was not
in private, for she would seek
him. In desperation she communed
secretly with the sun god and before him
she laid her cares and asked advice The
sun god took an interest in Youth See
aw-lst and gave her ali the power he him
self possessed.
before her lover, but he was as heartless as
stone. So persistent was she IN her
pleadings that one day he fed from
his people and crossed the Columbia.
From Chief Hwah Hunl-Kih, at Cello,
Youth See-aw-ist learned that Peechechee
had crossed the river from that place, and
fearful that she would never find him
again, she gave way to tears. In pity the
in few seconds what was once
the beautiful maiden became an
immense rain cloud, which crossed
the river and fioated over the land until it
caught up with Peechechee, who was max
ing all haste TO be away. When the cloud
was just above the runaway lover, the sun
god struck it with his rod and immedi-
ately the cloud burst and flooded the
valleys for forty days walk around.
As soon as the cloud burst Youth See-aw-
ist became Immediately transformed into
maiden again and appeared in the Lake.
Peechechee braved the waters and came to
the surface in such an exhausted condition
that he was powerless to swim and he
would have drowned had not Youth See
aw-ist grasped him in her arms and
brought him safe to shore
when safe on land the maiden again
pressed her suit, but Peeehechee was
enraged. and, grasping her by her tender
throat with his strong right hand, he de-
manded:
You seek me STILL and why? Have
not avoided you? Now you follow, and
because you saved yourself from being NV
murderess you ask to be my queen. 1t
never shall BET
And in the heat OF anger Peechechee
stabbed the maiden to the heart and cast
her body into the lake that she, herself.
had formed
This action so grieved the sun god that
he drew all the water from the lake until
it formed into three smaller lakes. and be-
tween the larger two he placed Youths