New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-21
THE LAST or THE MOHICANS.
HIS ASPECT ~ FICTION CoNrRADIcTED By HIS
FAME Is FOLK LORE.

HIS ASPECT IL FICTION CoNrRADTCTED By HIS
FAME IL FOLK LORE
HARDWOOD Sullivan County y. y, Feb. l''-fcw
u the old cnalicd and weather beaten lnhaOihh'S "a
the pines and b0uders Of sullivan County are e'e''
renders Of books or students Of literature. ON the
contrary tho man who subScrbcs for The county
weekly newspaper Is the man who has attained sun"
icut po,iton 10 enable him b. leave his farm hoor'
for literary pursuits. The historical traditions OF u
region have been handed down from generation To
generation, nj tho hrc,idcs In the old homeS"a"''
Tho aged rrardslre rccitcs legends t. his grandson
and when the grands)ns head Is sllvcred Il" taxes lis
corn cob pipe from lls mouth and tran'hNes MS
chIdrcn and his chdrens children with stirring tales
a, hunters cxplot and Indian battle Historians
are wary Of this form Of procedure insignificant
facts told from mouth to mouth down the years. nave
been known to become Of positively appalling Import
ance by the time they have passed from behind the
lat corn cob In the last chimney corner Nevertheless
most Of these nrcsldc stories are verified b. books
written BY learned men. who have dved Into plies Oh
mouldy documents md dusty chronicles TO establish
tholr facts.
This gives tho great sullivan County tlunderbolt
Immense weight. And they hurl II at no less head
than that which once evolved from it, inner recesses
the famous LeathcrStocbng Tales. The old story
tollers OF this district are continually shaking meta
pboricaI Gsts THE Last Of tho Mohcans' Of j.
Fenlmoro Cooper. Tell them that they are aiming
OF the standard novels OF American
utcInture ana they scOrNtullN hDf'F' cHu'iNOT W
oppose them with The inicaclcs OF Indian history and
they shrek defiance No consideration FOR the author.
tho literature the readers stay their hands, and
they claim without reservation that the last Of the
Mohcans The real and only authentic last Of the Mo
hicans. demorIzcd. diapldated nhabltant OF
sullivan County.
The work in question IS Of course n visionary tale
and the historical value Of tho plot Is question
~ Importance. But when ;he two heroes Of sullivan
County and J. Fenimorc Cooper respectively, are com
pared, pahos lies In the contrast. and the lover Of
the noble and hct0nal UncaS Is overcome with great
sadness. Even Cooper claim, that his Uncls
the last Of the children OF the Turtle. do the sagrs
Il sullivan County from ont their rockbound fast
ucsses that their nondc.crlpt Indian the last
the children Of the Turtle Tho plthos lies In the
tra,t between the noble savage Of fiction and the
,worn.to ella 1iant Of sullivan Comfy
All know well the character OF Cooper's hero. Uncas
that bronze god in North American wilderness. that
warrior with the eye OF The eagle. the Of the fox,
the tread OF tn cat like panther aud the tongue OF
wise serpent Of fable. over his dead body warrior
cries
why has thou left II. pride Of the wapaunchld !
Thy time has been Hike that Of the sun when in tho
trees; thy glory brighter than hi, llgh at MONDAY
Thou art gone, youthful warrior. but u hundred Wy
andos are clearing the bIlc:s from thy path to the
world Of spirits. Who that ,sw thee in battle wouli
believe that thou couh,t die Who before thee has
ever shown ottawa the way into the nsht Thy feet
were Hike the WINGS Oi cages, thine heavier than
falling branches from tho pine and Thy voice like the
Manltio when he speaks In the clouds. Thr tongue
Of Itiawa i weak and hi, heart exceedingly heavy
Pride Of the Napnuachh. why hast thou l,t IL,
The last II The Mohicans supported by sullivan
COuaty Is totally different character. They havs
forgotten his name. From their description Of him
he warrior who yoarncd after thu blood of his
enemies Is the hart panteh for the watcr-brools on
the contrary he developed craving for the run u the
white men which rose superior TO all other anAiete-
lie had the cmblcmaC Turtle taitOoel som,w hcrc
under hi. shirt front Arraycd In tattcrtd, torn and
ragged garments which .omc white man had thrown
of, he wandered nses.y from village to VILLAGE and
from house Ia house. hi, only ambition being beg
borrow or steal drink. The settlers helped him be-
cause they knew his story. They knew OF the long
line ~ mighty ,achemS lccpng under the pines of the
mountains. He WIS ycrltablc poor Indian" lie
dragged through his wrcchcd lfo in helpless misery
40 could be more alone In the world than lie and
when he died there to call him pride
OF anythlns nor to Inquire why no had left them