The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1892-11-22
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in eight years was ready for occupancy. The
donations of Maryland $4,000, and of Vir'
Gna, $4,000. assisted to pay for it, and in
April. 1900, four months after Washington's
death, congress appropriated $150U to pay
for its furniture. Thenccforward it became
the chief mansion in the nation.
IOSHOW MS COFFIN.
stump OF the Tree in Which De Soto Was
Buried.
1T seems not to be generally known"
said Buck Howe, of Tahlequah, prominent
citizen of the Choctaw nation, at the Grand
Pacific yesterday, that Mississippi is to
furnish for the worlds fair most interest
ing relic connected with the earliest explo-
ratioLs of America. 1t isn't strange though,
after all, for people in their zeal to honor
Columbus seem to have entirely forgotten
that there We're any other explorers The
retic OF which | speak is nothing less than
the hole left by the decaying of the stump
upon which grow the tree that furnished
Ferdinand de Soto's rude coffin.
You will remember that De Soto, fasci-
mated by the marvellous stories of FIoriIa's
wealth brought to Spain by the four surv-
r,ers of Narvaez's expedition, set sail for
the wonderland with a company of 600
armed men in the spring of 1889 After
wandering about n the interior for three
years he slckened and died the banks
OF tie MISSISSIPPI in 1871. His followers
cut down an oak at the dead of night. h0E-
lowed GTt the trunk, placed De Sot0's body
III 1t, AID rolled it into the FatAef If Waters
~ handsome dragon named Ell Hudu in
De Soto's comma and one dav rescued o
Ch0ctaW maiden from drowning The ma
tlves were very much afraid of the fair
Slunned men mounted on such strange
tcrocl0us-lcoklnS beasts, for they had never
seen horses before and they nearly broke
their neckS getting out of the way when
De Sotto's little army appeared Goroo
the maiden, in her haste to vanish had fall
, Ell into deep creek. When she found ont
she was not to be eaten she felt grateful
to her re5Guer Goroo fell madly in love
with FL Hudu She tried in every way
consistent with aboriginal propriety TO
touch a responsive chord in the dragoon's
heart, but in vain. So she followed the ex-
plorers secretly and at a distance, content
if she but caught u glimpse Of her he
loved III a whole days travel. Goroo was
lowering about the camp the night of De
SOI0's burial, She saw detachment OF
soldiers armed with axes walk to the OUT
skirts OF the camp take off their doublets,
hang them upon Il Sapling, and begin chop
ping down a tree. I'll Iudu was among
the number, SO Goroo crept M as near as
possible and squattcd down behind a bush
10 gaze upon her adOred. While III Eudu
was chopplng away he raised his ak
little higher than usual for a mighty stroke;
II caught in grape vine, the bit struck
the tree sidewise, and the poll came down
With terrific force on lei Hudu's big toes
with howl of anguish that seemed to
rend the heavens he grabbed his foot in
both hands and danced off on one leg
straight into the bush that concealed Go
roo. As GOroo had no time to run she
decided to make the best Of it. After re-
marking in her musical native tongue. %,
dear, Mr.. Hudu, this is so Unexpected
she pucked the leaves of a certain plant,
chewed them, and applied them to the
dragoon's wounded two. Her tender So
Icitude melted the heart of the stern SOL
/ bod late5 H.,
and there and returned with Goroo to her
people. Naturally, the spot ever after
held peculiar charm for this pair and
they used often to visit it.
The story has been handed down and
the stu16p pointed out to generation after
generation to the present day. | am
ilncal descendant of n Hudu and Goroo
and | know where that tree grew as well
as though ] had planted it myself OF
course the stump rotted after awhile but
it left II hole which never filled up. It is
that hole which l, in company with other
capitalists of my nation, propose TO ex-
hibit at the worlds fair. As a proof of
authenticity we propose to bring along
the forest, on which the soldiers hung
their doublets that night Trenches will
be dug all around the hole and long. heavy
plankS Will be driven under it. To these
Will be bolted plankS on each Of the four
sides, making a huge box This box will
be transferred to q specially constructed
barge in the river; the barge will be lowed
up the Mississippi and Illinois rivers IS
far as possible. Apparatus used for NOV
ing houses VIII then be brought into requi-
stion to transport this remarkable relic
the remaining distance to Chicago"
The First POET.
In morn's first ray my spirit roamed lament
ing,
Reading the future ns an open scroll;
The world, with Ill its SHINING and repenting,
Fell like mighty burden on my soul.
And in that morn, whose lonely light and
serious
Struck my strange spirit as with chasten-
ing rods,
I roamed, seIf-conscious in a dream delft.
riOus,
Sad in the glorious gardens of tho gods
Unto my voice the eloquent winds replying
Brought messages from al the world to be,
The pain Of birth, the awfulness of dying,
Came like the gospel of the Christ to met
I saw the mother bending DER the beauty
Or the first child, and knew that love Was
loss;
saw the Magdalene from paths Of duty,
swervins to nan her white heart to the
Upon my vision dawned the cruel bIisses
OF love- with ali its melody and moan
And children chung around my neck with
And made the marvel Of their love my own.
All gricfs all glories TO my mind were given.
SO that my lips moaned with each mortal
breath,
And | beheld men passing into heaven
Sad through the fowerless valleys OF nuts
death.
And so l came from Gods own gardens
dreaming,
And still L dream the dreams no mortal
knows,
And on my life the lonelest glory cleaning
Colors with crimson one immortal rose
Which still wear within this bosom beating
FOR all mankind-a heart that hopes and
fears
And through all time in music is repeating
The meaning and the mystery of the years!
FRANK l.. STANTON
An Echo OF the Summer.
He in the ribbon department. She
saw bin and rushed to meet him.
.Ah, have found you at last!' she cried.
'This weary search that began away last
summer is ended.
What" he asked in perfect composure
"can ! do for your
Il want engagement broken. It has
worried me more than tongue can tell"