Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-03-03

who had not yet become familiar with
even the face of the white trapper and
trader. Even the inception of their
1abors in this wilderness has a strange
and pathetic history.
Popular tradition has it that a few
fugitive Iroquois, who had heard the
gospel story from the missionaries in
their eastern home, repeated it to the
Occur d'Alene Indians So deeply were
the latter stirred by this strange, new
message that. early in the thirties, they
dispatched little band to undertake
the long journey to st. Louis, and ask
that a missionary be sent to instruct
them. The country between their Mon
tana home and st. Louis was full OF
hostile tribes. The tribe waited many
months for the return of its braves.
They did not come. Again the chiefs
dispatched another band. Months came
and went and brought no tidings Of
them or of the missionaries for whom
they were sent. Then the third posse
was dispatched and one of the number
at last succeeded in reaching st. Louis,
and delivered his message, in response
to which Father De Smet was returned
with the messenger. reaching the Coeur
D'Alene in 1889.
One of the earliest and most interest
ing missions in the present state Of
Washington is the old st. Paul mission
at Kettle Falls. The place was first
visited by Father De Stnet in 1912; but
the mission was not established until
about two years later, when the quaint
old log church shown in our sketch was
erected.
This was the nucleus of little set
Element consisting at first of a Hudson
Bay Fur Company trading post and a
small garrison. The mission soon added
schoolhouse, a grist mill and a saw
mill, and still later two churches. To
give more than hint of the trials of
the persistent priests, who endured the
keenest privations to plant and main
tain their little post, and then prac-
ticed infinite patience in piercing the
stolid darkness of the Colville Indians
mind with the first rays of intelligence
and decency, would be tedious. But
they have gradually distilled into their
charges few fundamental notions of
civilization, which have in time served
to lessen the sum total of their igno-
rance, laziness, gambling and icentious-
ness; qualities in which they seem to
excel the other tribes of the northwest.
The theory that natural scenery inn
presses any of its likeness upon the
characters of human inhabitants. would
seem to be thoroughly refuted by a
glance at the wonderful beauty and
| grandeur of the natural scenery in
which generations of the Indians of the
Colville country have been reared, and
| a casual knowledge of the persistent de-
pravity of these aborgines.
Although, in its long, winding course,
the Columbia river shows many views
more magnificent than at Kettle Falls,
| there the scene is one Of striking
| beauty; the crescent group of falls
pouring their clear waters in a common
caldron, the little village, with its old
mission buildings and new manufac-
tories, clustered about, and the great
dark fir forests in the back ground
It is about 1.-The Old Mission as it is
commonly called, that perhaps the
! greatest number of interesting legends
| and associations cluster. Not only is
the mission building itself more pre-
tentious and permanent than other
mission structures, but its location is
slightly and commanding. It occupies
| q Ol0 1OOL dill Oh q SlQc spur OF
the Bitter Root range, and overlooks q
| pleasing stretch of prairie The Church
OF the Sacred Heart, the most imposing
of the buildings, is a mixture of classic
antiquity and pioneer rawness- Tha,
it should partalSe at all of the latter
| quality was no fault Of the designer
Father Revalli, who was fresh from
the Imperial city. where he wa.
educated The heavy pillars which
ornament the north front Give 8
| massive and almost ancient appearance
to the building. The mission was frs.
located on the ST. Joe river, in 1874
but was removed to its present situa
ton two years later. The church
however. was not completed until ter
| years subsequent to the latter date.
The friendly walls of the old mission
1 have sheltered many a weary ano
grateful pilgrim, and have been yer
liable city Of refuge to more than ont
hard pressed pioneer in moments of pc
cufiar peril A typical instance of thi'
kind was the rescue OF q miner namet
Wilson in the sixties. He had organ
{and a rninsup Marty in the stafeR. am