Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-12-17

NiOuShSu aoout US. blTuS Oh rlcr
plumage uttered shrill cries and
made hasty departure. The poor
chapperel hens that cannot fly came
running as if appealing to us for
help.
Again there was that fearful rum
bling as of thousand trains of cars.
a sitting smell of sulphur nearly
suffocated us. The mountain rocked
to and fro, and there was a grating
sound of land sliding and tumultu-
Gus falling of precipices.
The horrors of that night make
me shudder, and l rarely mention
it. When the sun arose the sky had
the appearance it presents in the
prevalence of western sand-storm
Where the spring had been was only
great rent in the earth. AT inter
walls, smoke or steam and jots of hot
water were thrown up from the era
ter. Many trees were down, and in
places mountains of stone covered
the park. The wild animals and
reptiles that had not been crushed
lay quietly in a confused mass.
Looking away across the place
where the canyon had been. l was
delighted to see a handsome farm
house, an apple orchard, lad lead
ing team to pond on which geese
were gamboling. There was a barn
and fields of grain.
'Amejo, Amejor l cried, let us
get away from the mouth of hell,
and go to that house and get some
thing to eat.'
There is no house, no barn, in
deed, nothing there, Senor.'
In my weakness l wept bitterly,
for it was only a mirage.
We would have perished there had
not Milkaway and Red Cloud come
to our assistance. They brought food
and stimulants, and, with much pa
tience assisted us over the mountain
that had been shaken and riven so
that it's whole contour was changed.
1t was many days before the rum
bling and quivering was entirely
over. We had become tired of hunt
ing and fishing, but found no oppor-
tGnity to slip away unobserved and
besides. Amejo was so in love with
Milkaway that he would not leave
her.
The Indians had been subjected to a
terrible fright, and, like the Chicka-
saws, they charged malignant and
invisible foe with the catastrophe'
and to frighten the devil away they
built big fire and painting their
bodies white, and faces, hands and
feet black, they danced, hopping,
leaping, and whooping around it,
while their medicine men uttered
strange incantations.
AT an early hour Milkaway COM
planned of exhaustion, and, sitting
beneath the quaking aspen tree, en-
gagged in earnest conversation with
Amejo. He besought her to go W ith
him to his distant home. 'Amejo,' ,
she replied, my mother lies beneath
the rocks of the Black mountain,
and il is true that after my father, a
cattleman from Texas, had been
killed, and we were carried into cap
tivity, sighed for home and loved
ones. But l am an Indian, now.-
They tell me your women wear
pounds and pounds of cotton and
wool made In fantastic style, and
that they paint and put on more
feathers and outlandish ornaments
than a young buck. That gentle
fawn is not more lonely and out of
place here than l would be with
your people,
Il am going, Milkaway, and l
cannot leave you. Go with me and
| will wrench from fortune all its
happiness and bestow it upon you.'
'Amejo, Red Cloud is a father to
me. These people are my people.
their ways are my ways; yet, you
are dearer to me than Red Cloud
and liberty, and the love of these
wild ones, any one of whom would
die in my defense. 1 will leave all
and follow you.'
In silence we stole away, but not
before Milkaway had impressed
kisses and dropped hot tears on the
face of Red Cloud, who lay ex-
hausted, and as one dead from the
effect of violent dancing. We rode
rapidly, and at the first Mexican
town an important ceremony was
performed. left Amejo and his
bride at his home, where the fatted
calf was killed, ard he was received
as one returned from the dead.
called at the handsome adobe in
the orauge grove, but my own Seno.
rita was goneIwedded to another,
and trust, better man.
Come, will show you my double
handful of emeralds, opals, ame.
thysts and so on, then we will say
goodnight" CHoCTAw.