Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1902-08-24
A LEGEND OF
THE COLORADO
tOriginal.1

marvellous bravery. that his own and
neighboring tribes attributed to him
Superhuman powers. His son. Rain
bow, inherited much of his fathers
manly beauty and courage; and when
the father became too old to lead in
war he summoned his people and rep
resentatives of the neiglboring tribes
TO witness the ceremony of his abdica-
dOn In favor of the younger man.
When all were assembled, Sunfacc, the
father, addressed his son, adnonishing
him to rule wisely, then counseled the
visiting chiefs to keep the peace, end
Ing by placing in the young mans hand
spear which the old chief had carried
xor many years.
One of the chiefs present had brought
his daughter. Singing Water, to wit
ness the ceremony. Rainbow saw her
and loved her. Singing Water saw
the young chief and loved him. Be
fore the maiden returned with her ia
ther to her country Rainbow had asked
xor her hand but she had been prom
ased to another, Snake-fn-H His Hole.
Singing Water had no sooner de-
parted than Rainbow fell into melan-
choly. His father seeing that Rain
bow would be useless as Il ruler with
out the maiden, proposed that they
should 60 together to her father and
endeavcr tc secure her in marriage.
They made the journey, crossing the
Colorado. and appeared before the
chief. He did not dare grant their re-
quest for fear of antagoniZing Snake
mills Hole. Having met with polite
refusal they started. with heavy
hearts, on their return journey On
the way they saw Singing Water sit
ting on rock waiting to bid adeu to
the man she loved. Rainbow rode up
to the rock, which was to the height
Of his ponys back. Singing Water put
her arms about him and whispered in
his ear, Take me with you" Placing
her before him on the horse, he gave
the word he used only when he wished
the beast to go at full speed and before
the few people standing about had
realized what he was doing Rainbow,
with his burden, was going like the
wind. Sunface followed, calling on his
Son to halt.
Snake-in- II is Hole, seeing that some
thing was amiss, rode to where the
maiden had been captured and learn
Ing what had taken place, dashed after
the fugitives. calling at the same time
to other warriors to follow him. Sun
face when he overlook his son chided
him for what he had done. saying that
this was rash aet With Which to be-
gin his rule.
1t seemed to the lovers that the old
man spoke rashly, for the Colorado
lay between them and safety, and its
crossing was a slow process Before
they could descend a thousand feet to
their boat their pursucrs would be up-
on them, and when they climbed the
opposite cliff they would be within
easy reach of arrows.
When they arrived at the river, Sun
face Iade his son return to him the
spear which he had surrendered and
begin the descent to the river with
the maiden. The yo@ng man gave up
the spear ard led Singing Water down
the trail. When the pHrsuers came up,
lily iOulld tHS WV NllINl 'iiS VII
horse in the bed of Il shallow stream
flowing between two rocks which he
could touch with either hand AID tow
cring far above him.
The Indians had so long been used to
considering Sunface as superhuman
that the awe inspiring sight of the old
man sitting on his horse. rigid. his spear
poised. his eyes fixed upon their leader,
brought them to IL sudden halt Snake
i'll His Hole himself, though brave ard
nnSered at the abduction of the maid
en-, recoiled.
stand aside, old man. be cried.
1--WE respect you for yaur past deeds
and your age and woHld not harm
you"
Sunface answered never a word. sit
ting fiXedly. staring; before him without
moving his eyes from the speaker
"Ie is tie god of the pass cried
one. me man eau so hctween tie
rocks Wh.i~ Ee is there. He cav cal!
the lightI5iIg from heaven t. aid him,
"He is mortal" sad Snake-in-IIis-
Hole. aHd he hurled his spear 1T sun
face. but superstition diverted his
aim, and the WcaDon reiioUnded from
the rock at the right. Selling another
spear, Snake-in-llis- Hole hurled il
again. only to strike the rock On tie
left. Then the warriors drew off and
watched the man they took for a god
from a distance. Evening came, aHd
still he moved not. N!aht came. and by
the light of tie tuE -';.,-lg moon they
saw the figure still s ,s-.g between the
-~rCcks. his eyes open ..A,,i the reflection
of the moon in the w..eS stviking upon
his Sittering orbs.
When midnight came, they said that
no mortal could held Il spear poised sc
long. surely hot an old man. WAen the
pale face of the moon looked At them
from the west, growing more and more
asheu before the break of DAY, and }ne
old chief still sat with his arm raised
one by enc the people before him fei
on their faces When the sun chased