Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1903-05-05
WhiteHand|
"A Tale Of the Early Settlers !
} Of Louisiana. ;
CHAPTER XIX.-(Continued.)
YAUsrIN c. sURDlcK

White Hand, you once gave me an
oath, but from all oaths you have ever
given ME l now absolve you. Coqualia
has told me all. She has told me how
true you are in heart, and how yet you
long for the home of your childhood.
do not think your father has faHen IN
this general massacre, for his place is
strong, and the red men owe him no
grudge. Yet he may have fallen with
the rest. If he has, you may sometime
find opportunity to reach your native
land. But you are under no oath now.
Of what has now happened L will n2t
speak, only to say that you cannot see
nor understand all that has led us to this
fearful work. The story of the white
mans rule is everywhere the same
Where a tribe, or a people, have made
peace and accepted the friendship of the
French, they have become weak and
puny. White Hand, l have a strange
love for thee, but hate thy people. And
that thy father almost hates them too
has drawn my heart towards him. But
we could not see our people being grad
ually swept away, and our homes torn
from us, without striking this. blow. Yet
Stung Serpent has fallen. The bullet OF
the white man has found his life. But
he dies content. The white man has fall
en-, too"
The old chieftain sank back exhausted
as he ceased speaking, and for some mo-
ments he remained with his eyes closed.
When he opened them again, White
Hand spoke.
"My father" he said, "ere the hand of
death has done its work upon thee, wilt
thou not tell me why 1 was taken from
my fathers house? Surely you cannot
object to tell me all now?'
mo, my child, l have no objections,
for l never promised not to tell. And
when / sent for thee now, l meant to
tell thee all. Do you remember when
your father met me in the woods near
his dwelling?"
"Yes," returned White Hand, bending
over with eager interest.
''Well, / had then been to see Simon
Lobois. By some means he learned that
I was down the river, and he sent for
me- He had heard that | was a savage
chieftain, and lover of gold I met him
in the woods, and he proposed to me
that I should seize st. Juiiens son and
slay him, and for this he offered to pay
me a hundred pieces of gold. But
: spurned the offer and left him. came
home and told my brother what Lobois
had said to me, and he pondered upon
the subject in new light. You know
the Natchez often send messengers to
the Great Spirit, and the Great Sun had
wished to send a white messenger to the
white mans God, even as we told you
when you first came here. At length l
fell in with his views, and l knew of no
one whose spirit would be surer of ad-
mission to your God than the spirit Of
Louis st. Julien, for 1 knew him to be a
good youth. So I returned to your faith
er's house and saw Lobois again, and he
told me he had hired a party of Chicka-
saws to kill you, but that you and your
companion had killed them all-six of
them. 1 then offered to do what he wish
ed But this time his wants had receiv-
ed an addition. He not only wanted the
son killed, but he wanted the daughter
captured and carried off towards New
Orleans. .. 1 agreed to this; but | made
him give me written promise to pay
me the money when the work should be
DONE He, hesitated at first, but at length
he wrote the pledge and signed it; AMI
then it was arranged that Louise should
be left upon the bank of Lake Pontchar-
train, at the end of the middle trail, and
pledged myself to take you with me and
XIII you, 1OI you hhoH ILLS hoo OCOh AiS
purpose in seeking you."
But the paper-the pledge-you had
of Lobois-where is it?' uttered White
Hand.
'It is safe. Coqualla, go to my closet,
and you will find it in the oaken casket. "
The princess went, and in the box she
found the paper, which she handed to
her father. He took it, and having open
- !, Tod TO White Hand
ing, as he did so:
s'Here-it is yours. And now all ask
is pardon"
''For all that you have done to me, "
murmured the youth, Il pardon you
from the bottom of my soul; for you may
have been an instrument in the hands OF
heaven for saving my life. Had you not
taken me, another would, and 1 should
not have lived. So I shall, after all, re-
member Stung Serpent with more OF
gratitude than Of complaint or anger"
do you mean that"
81 do"
Stung Serpent raised himself upon his
elbow, and caught the youth by the hand
,"Coqualla," he whispered, 'where art
thou?''
"Here, my father''
81 have been kind to thee. If it lays
in thy power, help White Hand to his
people, Is it Coqualla l see?'
Eyes. Are you faintT'
Faint? Stung Serpent faint? No
Up, warriors of the Natchez, and strik,
for your homes! Who shall fear the das
tards now? My braves, remember the
trophies you have won under Stung Ser
pent's lead. Strike-strike, now, for YOU
honor, your homes, and for the tombs OF
your ancestors! Sink your blades to the
pole, and leave not man of them all t.
tell their king the tale! Now! On-tc
the deathP'
One long, loud warcry followed thi!
paroxysm, and as it ended in low, gurg
ling sound, the chieftain sank back. Co
qualIa moved to his side and knelt ovel
him, and in a moment more the loud cfie:
of the women rent the air, for Stung Ser
pent was dead!
CHAPTER Xxx.
There was CONSERVATION for a while il
the village of the White Apple when i
was known that Stung Serpent wa!
Dead for he had been an important mai