The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1899-11-23
A LEGEND OF
~ INDIAN HILL.
BY A. A. SMITH.
WRITTEN FOR TINS PAPER.
BY A. A SMITH.
WRITTEN FOR TINS PAPER.

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A BOUT three miles southeast OF
~ Hartford. Kan, stands one Of
those symmetrirul hills which arc sup
posed to be- the work Of the ancient
mound builders. There are many such
IN various portions NJ the state, and
this one Is peculiar only in having a
circular trench around the top, two or
three feet deep and apparently having
been uurr used for a rude fortiiication,
Many tragic and romantic legends Of
the primcyal nomads Of the plains clus-
ter around the spot. and among thcm
Is one Of savage Indian conflict which
occurred there ut some time prior to
the advent 81 the white race. At the
base Of the hill graves have been found,
and human skulls were picked mp
around the top and in the circular
trench by the early settlers. From
time 10 time the local newspapers have
commented upon these relies Of saw
age warfare and printed accounts, more
~ les, mythiral, Of great battle which
WAS fought between the Pawuccs and
the Osagcs some time during the early
}0's. Local tradition Is rcplcte with
tales aud incidents 81 the battle, but
the tragic story Of two Indian loyers,
who belonged 10 the hostile bands and
met their death Ia the waters Of the
Ncosho river which n0ws-near by, has
not before been told la print. Indian
traditions Of the battle were verified
los the early settlers and have become
o part Of carly Kansas history. The
/ legend of the lovers Is not 10 verified,
[ hut II has the same origin and b prob.
+ ably no more mythical than hundreds
~ others which have been minded down
from ono Indian generation TO another
and have become part Of the accepted
7 history uf the tribes.
/ The pawncrs and Osagcs were hercd
tury enemies, but that did not prevent
I the development OF desperate cas-,
| ~ calf love between Hiatonkn, son oil
an Usage chief. aud Nalnla, daughter
/ 10 n proud and warlikc Pnwncc. and
/ likewise n cnicftain. II ull came about
. In the usual romantic way, Will,
b chasing the buffalo loo close 10 tn,
/ nrigbborhnod of his enemies, lliatoukT
/ was thrown from his pony mud 80 badly
stunned that a small party Of Paw
uccs lurking near by captured him
7 They took him Ga their camp. from
/ whence they intended 60 wait his spirit
| TO thc happy hunting grounds In the
usual harbnroug manner. He was Il
/ lc burned az the stake. and he wal
/ thrown into q tent, bound hand and
/ foot 10 await the coming Of night and
/ his horrible doom. There the dog
| harked ut him, the Equaws spat upor
| aud rcyilcd him and the children STONED
| him, but one heart in the savage thrunf
vns moved with pity for the haplcSl
| prisoner. Walala was impressed will
| the handsome face and figure Of th,
Usage brave. She admired his forti;ud'
under suffering and resolved TO rescui
| him.
wulna was famous Pawuce belt
! and On inrorrigiblc airt. She has
grown weary of her conQuesis amonl
/ the Young bucks Of her own tribe an,
/ perhaps she saw new udorcr as thu
/ result Of the service which she intended
/ 20 render Hiatonka. She crcpt int
the tent after darkness had fallen ant
the reSt OF the PawnceS were nj som'
distance preparing for the final tor
turc. and cut the thongs from the cap
tIva's wrists and ankles. There wer'
a few hurried, whispered Instruction.
aud promises of future meeting, fol
| even In the shadow OF horrible deati
| the Usage had noted and admired tn
one plying face he saw, and then b.
slipped out of the tent, leaped upoI
one Of the ponies near by, and in few
moments was beyond the reach OF BIZ
tormcntors.
II was supposed among the Pawneei
| that the prisoner had managed 10 fire.
one Of his hands and cut the cords him
self, aud II there were some among
them who were not so eredulous, Wa
lala's station rendered her above sus
picion Of treachery.
/
the image OF a lovely Indian face. an'
walala dreamed and waited. Presen,
~ an opportunity for a meeting came
and then another and another, unit
they pledged each other TO be faithful
unto death and planned 10 escape TO
gcther from their own people and II
the land OF the Dakotas find peace ans
happiness.
A few weeks after Hlatonka'H ad
venture n strong band Of osAgek start
ed upon a maraudiug expedition Int
the Pawnce territory. Hiatonka nc
companied II, partly through his anx
iety for walala's safety and partly II
the hnpc OF meeting her and effrctini
their escape. The rawnees were a
first IL scattered bands. which wcr'
driven back, but hundred miles to sh'
north they concentrated their force
and defeated the invaders. Somshwar,
they drove them with great loss, unit
but remnant Of the band was sur
rounded ut the histeric hill. They dnI
the trench, then probably five or sit
feet deep, and prepared 10 fight 10 tii'
bitter end, Their ponies had nsari,
all been killed or captured. and tltei
supply Of food was small. The Paw
neeH cncsrrlrd the hill! and grsniy set
tied down TO the work Of starving on
the enemy. and with iircless slgIianc'
picked off every Usage who exposed
himself above the bank.
| Hlstonka WINS among the besleged
The Fawnee wpnen aha children has
bern brought Hiaug behind the war
riorA, and Walala was amorR them
fully aware ~ her LOVERS peril. Th<,
bad not been nhle to NEST eeeh Other