The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-03
MIGHT WIND"

"Come hither, my daughter. would
fain hold converse with you"
Tt was the great chief, Red Fox, who
gave utterance to these words, and they
beautiful maiden of the Ogalalla tribe,
who, in response to her fathers request,
now emerged from the large tent which
stood in the middle of the village.
"What is it, father" she asked, and
gazed at the commanding figure of the
chief with startled interest, as if she feared
to hear what he was about to say.
And now. while we leave the chief and
his daughter oonversing together, let US
take cursory view of the region iInme-
diately surrounding and note the pictur-
esque attractiveness of the locality. 1t
was an ideal spot for an Indian village,
for the tents were pitched in a majestic
forest of great trees, overshadowing a
smooth and grassy slope, at the foot of
which flowed the upper Snake river. Hers
and there a bright flower lifted its petals
= above the grass. The birds sang sweesly
in the trees, and all the gIories of nature
seemed in glad accord.
But to return to the chief and his dauEh-
ter The fair Night Wind listened with a
palpitating heart TO the words of her father.
Tomorrow Swift Arrow will return to
our village, bringing as tokens of victory
the scalps of our hereditary foes, the Sis
kiyous. - said the chief. HE is now the
second leader of our tribe, and when I,
the great Red Fox, am gathered to my IA
theirs and take up my eternal abode in the
happy hunting grounds he Swift Arrow,
will be the first chief of the OgaIaIlas. She
who is now daughter of the great chief
must be wife of the new chief
''No, dear father, mol" exclaimed Night
Wind, sinking to her knees and lifting her
hands in pitiful entreaty. Swift Arrow
is great chief, but he is cold and cruel,
and can never love him. -
81 have given my solemn promise, and
Red Fox always keeps his word.''
"Let me go to him and will plead
with him to release you, said the beauti-
full maiden, clutching at her fathers arm
with hands which were laden with orna-
ments of gold and precious shells.
''Why do you ask this?' demanded Red
Fox, a heavy frOwn crossing his stern fea-
lures.
Because, dear father. love another"
ellis name, girlF'
''It is White MOccasin. -
The eyes of Red Fox flashed ominously.
''White Moccasin is the son of Sleeping
Buffalo, my sometime foe, - said he.
but he is brave and strong and hand
some, - urged the maiden. He has hunt
ed in the forest and brought me the rarest
of birds. He is the most expert of all the
fishermen in the tribe. As an equestrian
1 am sure that he cannot be excelled by
ance. Father, dear, I love White Mecca
sin, and feel that life without him would
be burdensome indeed. -
"Speak no further, - exclaimed the chief
in great anger. You shall marry a chief.
Tomorrow he returns, and you shall go to
his tent as soon as the great medicine man
can perform the ceremony usual to such
occasions. Retire to your tent, please,
and let us hear. no more foolish discourse
in regard to White Moccasin"
With heavy heart Night Wind slipped
into the privacy of her own tent and gave
herself up to the most sorrowful Inedita-
tions. White Moocasin was away on the
chase or she might have gone to him for
comforting advice. All night she lay
awake on her couch of soft furs.
In the morning she heard distant shouts
and knew that Swift Arrow and the vic
torious members of the tribe were return
ing to the village. Subsequently she heard
the warcries and the shrin lamentations
which accompanied the dance of triumph.
but she did not go out to join in the fes-
tivities
1t was approaching dusk when she heard
a rustling sound outside of the tent, and
a voice asked, might Wind, are you
there?''
"who is ftp" she asked, considerably
frightened.
ut is your faithful lover, White Mocoa-
sim
With a glad cry she sprang from her
couch and with set eyes and straining
muscles sent the boat flying with the swift
current. But the pursuers, with two pad
dies to boat, gained at every mile. Their
shouts could be heard more distinctly and
when White Moccasin looked back he saw
in one canoe the figure of Swift Arrow and
in another the sinewy form of Red Fox.
And now what sound broke on his carr
1t was the thunder of the cataract ahead.
If he stopped to make a landing, he
would be captured whereas to stop and
surrender would be infamy.
He called to Night Wind and said:
Listen. 1 VIII push the canoe ashore and
fight them as they come. You escape.
"NoI' she shouted. 'Let us die to-
getheri'
might Wind, listen, - he entreated.
With a sudden leap she wrested the pad
die from his hands and threw it far over
board. The pursuers shouted in dismay.
Red Fox loved his daughter and had not
allowed his braves to fire at the flying
canoe
White Moccasin and Night Wind stood
erect in the canoe, clinging to each other
and waving defiance to the old chief A
grOan of mortal agony escaped Red Fox.
At that moment his own canoe was
safely grounded. He saw his daughter
and the undaunted White Moccasin vvhirl
through the moonlit vapors and disappear
into the awful abyss of waters. Chicago
Record