Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1900-08-23

character. Cruel and reyengeiu
they may be when under oppreI
sion, and perhaps treacherous, bu
coarse or vulgar, never. This In
dian romance of local celebrity,
given below in parodical form:
Should you ask me whence this story,
Whence this romance and tradition
OF Nowita, the sweet singer,
l should answer, should tell you
OF pale and handsome stranger
Teaching in an Indian college. 81
In the village Of Tahlequah,
At the time that you shall hear Of
l should speak up, should tell you
How this fair and tickle stranger
Trifled with this child of nature,
Singing with her gay and thoughtless r
Every moment when together.
Never weary grew the maiden
Singing with the handsome stranger,
And their voices sweetly blending,
Could be heard throughout the buildin,
Singing old love songs together
Ballads old and ever lovely.
He pronouncing words in English,
She expressing them in Indian.
And he praised her voice and beauty
Whispering words which mean TO fiatt,
And Nowita, sweet and childlike,
Listened to his honeyed speeches
Knew no word which meant deceiving,
And her heart to love unlettered
Filled with new and dreamy music
And she called him Ska-kle-los ky
Ska-kie-los-ky-the sweet speaker.
Listening in the halls below them
Stood the friend Of Ska-kle-los-ky
With eynic's face lie listend
To their voices softly singing,
Threw his shadow dark and chilling
Like an evil spirit near them.
Like thorn upon a rose stem,
So his presence stung the maiden,
For she felt his disapproval
of the friendship they were forming
And she called him Oo-naw-whee-hee
on-naw-whee-hee-cold and cruel.
When the sultry days Of simmer
Came with all their brilliant splendor,
And upon the green prairie
Danced the vexing Lazy Lawrence"
When her schooimates all departed
To their homes and to their parents,
None were half so heavy hearted
As this gentle Indian maiden.
As Nowita, the sweet singer,
All the wild birds OF the forests
All the singing brooks and rivers
And the breath of bursting blossoms
From the sweet wild honeysuckle
And the calling Of the pine trees
From her home among the mountains.
Failed to interest their comrade
or her homeward steps to hasten.
Sad at heart this forest maiden
Left the village of Tahlequah
Went back to Der home and people
To her home among the pine trees
And she fancied she was dreaming
Dreaming of the vanished hours,
When one evening in the twilight
Came her pale and handsome hero
''Tis his spirit that appeareth
And my love is dead" she murmured.
Then he told her all the story,
How his friend and other comrades
Had encamped within the valley
Seeking rest and recreation,
How with eagerness he'd joined them
That again he might be near her,
Saying: won't you bid me welcome
To the sheletr of your pine trees'
have come to know your people
Learn your language, customs, habits.
Learn your legends and traditions,
Will you be my skillfui teacher2"
will help you with your English,
With your books Of prose or verses.
And we'll while away the hours
Helping, teaching, one another.
And he quickly read his answer
In the lovelight on her features.
He abandonded all the future
To the pleasures ithe present.
Thus the days they spent together
Like the days Of ancient Eden,
Passed in guileless, blissful pleasure,
With no shadow to disturb them,
Save the stolid disapproval
OF her own suspicious people.
For her parents and grand parents
Looked With stern disapprobation.
Looked with distrust at the stranger
With jealous eye they watched them.
Then she told him all their story,
Why against the "Pale faced nation"
All this prejudice had risen,
Oh the former times in Georgia
On the banks Of the Osternarly. GOD
Further westward they'd been driven
Like the hunted deer and bison
And their home was now uncertain
Soon 1t would be taken from them.
She must pour him connoh.ha-nels
She must make him sweet con-nutcli~ehe
He must imoke the pipe taloneh,
And magic chain Of wampum
From her ancient beads she'd give him.
He must dive with ooch-a-latah,
He must friendly be among them
So they might begin to trust him
And her people be his people.
So she made him buckskin slippers
"Moecasins" all brightly beadsd,
And a hunting shirt Of homesPun
From her mothers looiu She made him.
Taught him to flint and feather arrows
How to shoot 'hem when completed,