Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1899-09-21
STORY OF SEQUOYAH.
Man Who Gave the Chero-
KEGS an Alphabet.

man named duess, ana the young
man was known as George Guess.
Like most Of the Indians Of his
time Sequoyah had an inordinate
appetite for liquor and his sprees
were periodical. Whenever he
felt inclined to crafty his passion
for strong drink he would care
fully arrange his personal affairs,
place into the hands of his mother
any articles of a dangerous charac-
ter, and, with his jug, would retire
to some lonely spot, where he
could, unmolested, enjoy the lux
ury of GLORIOUS drunk" which
he would protract as long his sup.
ply of intoxicsnts lasted. Reoov-
ering from his spree, aud after the
fumes Of whisky had entirely dis.
appeared, he would return to his
home and take up his work where
he had left of as unconcernedly as
if nothing had happened.
Works of art invariably attract.
ed his attention, and he never
failed to figure out to his own sat
isfaction the manner in which they
we're wrought. When about 80 or
40 years old he resolved to engage
in business as a silversmith, and
many of the articles manufactured
by him are still in existence. His
first attempt was at making a pair
of spurs. 1t was failure, but on
another trial success rewarded his
effort. He continued at work at
the business for several years, but
finally abandoned it altogether.
Little was known of Guess after he
gave up this business until one
day, perhaps in 1921, he was sit
ting, Naturalization, on the porch
Of his brother-in-law's house, Col.
Lowrey. On this day Col. Low
rey had received letter, and af-
ter 1t was read by some one pres
ent the conversation turned on the
power of the white man in making
so many things subject to him, es-
pecially in regard to the art of
communicating one with another
through the medium of letters.
Sequoyah, on hearing this remark,
said that he did not look upon the
feat as so difficult; that he thought
he could make a writing for the
red man as good as that used by
the white people. This declara-
ton caused an outburst of laugh
ter from his brother red men, but
Sequoyah was silent. He was
looked upon as crazy, but these
attacks upon his sanity only serv-
ed TO accentuate his resolve to
carry through the design which he
had then, for the first time, con-
ceived. He went to his own home
and Immediately gave orders for
his people TO erect at some distance
from his dwelling log tenement,
or cabin. 1t was soon finished in
rude style, when he retired to it
and gave his whole time and at
ton to the matter which had now
engrossed all his thoughts. For
nearly three years did this man OF
genius labor in the accomplish
ment Of the great work he had ta-
ken in hand, which was nothing
less than to give to his people a
power over letters-the knowledge |
of ofreading and writing. On hear
ing of Guess work nearly the en-
tire tribe looked upon his efforts
ss most ridiculous affair, and for
nearly there years he was the sub
ject of jeers and jibes. At last his
task was finished. 1t was tested
and failed. The failure only sery-
ed to increase the ridicule against
Guess, but only made him all the
more determined in his purpose.
He labored on.
Some time after this Col. Low
rey called at Sequoyah's house and
was told that the alphabet was
completed-that he had at last
mastered the language. The only
thing left now was to convince
others of its utility. "You may
read off your writing" said Col.
Lowrey, "but that will not prove
to me or any other person that it
is worth anything"
For this Guess was prepared.
He had taught his little daughter,
at the time only ten years old, the
sounds and powers of his letters, or
characters, and how to combine
them in the formation OF words and
sentences. Col. Lowrey was told
that the little girl, whose Indian
name was Ah-yoh-hah, should be
ssnt on some errand to q neigh
boris. During her absence Col.
Lowrey was to dictate words which
Guess would write down. and
when his daughter should return
she would be asked to read il, put