St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1892-04-23

who had not yet become familias with
even the face of the white trapper and
trader. Even the inception OF their
labors in'this wilderness has . strange
and pathetic history.
Popular tradition has It that: . few
fugitive Iroquois, who had heak-d the
gospel story from the missionaries in
their eastern homo, repeated it to the
Occur d'Alene Indians So dceply were
the latter stirred by this strangs, new
message that early in the thirties, they
dispatched q little band to undertake
the long journey to St Louis. and ask
that . missionary be sent to Instruct
them. The country between their Mon.
tan2 home and st Louis was FULL Of
hostile tribes. The tribe waitet 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 tidsags Of
them or Of the missionaries for whom
they were sent Then the third posse
was dispatched and one Of the i:umber
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 C0ur
DAlene in 1859.
One of the earliest and most i3terest-
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 Smet in 1889; 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 . Hudson
bay Fur Company trading post and .
small garrison. The mission soon added
. schoolhouse. grist mill and . 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. lazincss, gambling and licentious-
ness; qualities in which they seem to
excel the other tribes Of the northwest
The theory that natural scenery inn
presses any of its likeress upon the
characters Of human inhabitants. would
seem to be thoroughly refuted by .
glance ut the wonderful beauty and
grandeur of the natural scenery in
which generations of the Indians Of the
Colville country have been reared. and
Q casual knowledge of the persistent de-
pravity of these aborgincs.
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 common
caldron. the little village, with its old
mission buildings and new manufac-
tories, clustered about, and the great
dark Dir forests in the back ground
Il is about 1.-THE Old Mission" as Il h
commonly called. that perhaps the
greatest number of interesting legends
md associations cluster. Not only b
the mission building itself moro pre-
tentious and permanent than other
mission structures. but its location b
slightly and commanding. Il occupies
q considerable foot hill Of side spur OF
the Bitter Root range. and overlooks .
pleasing stretch Of prairie. The Church
Of the Sacred Heart, the most imposing
of the buildings. l. . mixture Of classic
antiquity and pioneer rawness- That
it should partake at al Of the latter
quality was no fault Of the designer.
Father Revalh. who was fresh from
the Imperial city. where he was
educated The heavy pillars which
ornament the north front s:ve .
massive and almost ancient appearance
to the building. Tho mission was drst
located on the St. Joe river, in 1874.
but was removed to its present situs-
ton two years later. Tho church.
however, was not completed until ten
wears subsequent to the latter date.
The friendly walls Of the old mission
have sheltered many . weary ana
erateful pilgrim, and have bcen . YER
table city Of refuge to more than one
hard pressed pioneer in moments OF Pc
culisr peril A typical instance OF this
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