Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1903-12-03
ROMANCE OF 18th CENTURY.
saith and His Marriage to
Miss PoeahoAfas.

One Of the most thrilling scenes in
the early days Of our country was
that in which figured Hon. John II.
Smith, formerly Of England. and Miss
PocahontaE, the charming and viva
cious daughter Of Col. Powhatan,
writes w. d. Nesbit, in the Baltimore
American.
This happened along in the first part
Of the seventeenth century, before the
street cars began running to Pow
hatan.
In fact, it has been stated that Poca-
hontas was the first fare that was
ever collected on that line, but you
know how it is about distance lending
enchantment to the view, and maybe
POcahontas was not so fair after all.
1t happened that Mr.. Smith was out
doing few deeds that would serve TO
enliyen the pages of the ten-cent nov
els when some of Col. Powhatah's
braves gathered him in.
He WAS taken before Col. Powhatan,
who coldly asked him what he was do
ing over in that ward.
Smith came back with some saucy
retort or other, and the upshot was
that he was confined in the calaboose.
Powhatan merrily said to him that
IT was well that his captors were not
cannibals or they would make Indian
meal Of him.
However, that is mere airy persi-
fage, so to speak, and has no place in
real-for-sure historical novel.
II so chanced that while Smith was
confined in prison Miss Pocahontas
came around one day to see IL there
were any murderers or horse thieves
TO whom she might carry flowers or
jelly.
Unfortunately, they were just out
OF murderers and horse thieves that
morning. and she had to content her
self with listening TO the long, sad
story Of Smiths past life. For hours
he held her spellbound with his stir
ring recital of things he had seen and
done.
Little Pocahontas began TO think he
was almost as interesting as a muir
derer could well be. and naturally she
was rather perturbed when great
big Indian came in and said that Smith
was wanted at the captains office. He
went on to say that 1t was the inten-
tion Of Powhatan TO have Smith
turned over to the ministrations of
the court executioner.
In those days there was no fun in be-
ing executed.
The papers did not send two or
three reporters around TO find out
what the condemned man had eaten
for breakfast and to write sad and
thrilling things about his last words.
Nor were there any extras issued to
tell the waiting public about the exc
cution.
No, indeed They simply took the
person who formed the center OF at
traction for the time being to a con-
venient spot, and the court execution
er applied q club TO his head until his
thought had all leaked out and his
Imagination colided with his appetite.
Then the executioner cashed his
voucher and the festivities were at
end.
Consequently little Pocahontas was
tremulous with suppressed excitement
when they put Mr. Smith on the block
and parted his hair in the middle to
give the eNecutioner a fair sight at his
think-center. Col. Powhatan was
standing in a good spot to view the
proceedings. Had Eodnks been invent
ed he would have had his hand inside
his coat, hut as II was, he simply let
his hands hang at the end of his arms
Just as the executioner was about to
drive Smiths eyebrows into his vest
pockets Pocahontas made wild rush
from the parquet seats and threw her
SELF across the maaly form OF Smith.
pucaAontas was cornfed bud uf So
ciety too. and would have made
peng -in-the-slot weighing machine
look Ike a whirligig. The feelings OF
Smith may readily be imagined. She
rumtl the curl Of his hair and
smashed his ruflled collar beyond re-
demution Smith tried to speak-he
wanted to urge her to shift little. for
she was grinding his collar button into
the ticklish spot at the top OF the
breast bone, but she exclaimed
"Say not word, my herol"
Having no breath left with which to
say the word, Smith refrained from
speech.
Turning to her stern old father,
Pocahontas begged him TO spare the
poor man.
Powhatan nodded assent and the ex-
ecutioner went sadly away. Smith
rose to his feet and took Pocahontas
by the hand, advancing to the center
OF the stage to respond to the curtain
call
There are many other stories told OF
Mr. Smith. He told most OF them him
self But we should draw the great
moral lesson from this one that goo
goo eyes are sometimes as useful in
real life as in song.