Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1903-03-19
|Wl||'hiIteHand| N
Of the Early Settlers /
/ Of Louisiana. /;
! ny AusTtN c.. BURplcK !
80 -
cHAprnn XI.-tcontInued.l D

In susp0nNEt 6snng Serpent was nbseuti
but the Great Sun stepped down from
the elevated seat that be occupied, AMI
from ono OF the attendants Ne took q how
aud an arrow. aud 4 crown of feathers,
20 which was affixed an oak twig. The
latter be placed upon White Hands head.
and the weapons he placed In his hand.
Then to Codualla the old chief gave n
laurel twig and an ear OF corn.
MY son." then spoke the Great Sun.
In a solemn and impressive tone. Il. NJ
tho eldest male relatlYe OF the bride. do
now bestow her upon thee. Thou hast
been crowned with the plumage OF the
soaring bird, which higniAeth the power
OF command you shall exercise In the
household, The twlg OF oak tells US that
the depth OF no forest can prevent thee
from procuring food IN times OF need:
while the bow and arrow In thy hand
slgnihoth that even unto death thou wilt
protect her who Ii now given unto thee
for wife" Then the Great Sun turned
90 The bride: "Coqualla. In thy hand thou
holdeat the twIg of laurel-the emblem
Of purity. SO wilt thou ever remain pure
and unsuliied. that the green laurel may
be no moro pure than art thou. The ear
OF corn thou hast also assumed Never
let thy household want for food whilst
thou art thus provided"
Then the chieftaln resumed his seat.
and the same old man who had led White
Hand 10 the temple stepped forward and
delivered a sort OF sermon. after which
the couple were hailed as man and wife,
In the midst OF these rcjoiclngs, the en-
trance 10 the house was darkened. and
in a moment more Stung Serpent stood
within the place. He looked upon White
Hand. and his brow darkened but close
observer could have seen that the look
was assumed.
"Who hath done thisf" he demanded
In loud tone.
II, my brother" answered the Great
Sun. "They loved each other well, and
gave thy child away"
Stung Serpent bowed his head few
moments, and when he looked up agar
his brow was clear.
''Then my promise Is made void" h'
said; "for no man can harm the husband
OF his child. White Hand, thou art saf,
with ua; but remember thine onthl''
"The husband OF thy child viii no
break his PROMISE" spoke the Whit
Hand, solemnly.
''It Is well. am 10 season for the fes
tivitles."
And thereupon the festivities commenc
ed, and they were kept up till late In tn
evening, and then the newly marie,
couple were conducted to a dwelling>tha
the king himself gave them. II was jus
back OF the house of Stung Serpent, an
was within the Line OF the great circle o
dwellings. but It's post OF honor wa
marked by It's nearness to the abode o
the Great Sun.
After the newly married pair had bee
conducted to, their dwelling. the yout
felt hand upon his arm, and on turnin
he saw the Great Sun.
white Hand" he said, ''fOllow mC
for the Great Sun OF the Natches ha
much TO say to thee"
Full OF wonder, the youth followed tll
king from the place, but he did not feal
for there was only kindness In the tone
of li1 monarch. On they went unit
they reached gigantic oak that stood
the very center Of the village, and her
the Great Sun stopped.
white Hand" ho said, In low, so
Cmn tone, "thou hast sworn to my broti
or that thou wilt not betray thyself
thy countrymen, nor leave the village
the White Apple without our ,consen
Only six miles from here Is the fort an
village of the white man; so thou seei
how great Is the trust we repose In thee,
"Yet will not break my word," sal
the youth, while spirit Of awe creI
over him. There was something gran
and sublime In the scene about him, an
ne could not shake OF the impressic
that a sort OF mystic fate was beit
worked out in oil this. The heavens wei
without cloHd. and the myriad sta
were twinkling like tiny eyes of fire awe
of In the dark vault. The broad, smooi
plain stretched of like mystic lax
while the huts OF the Natchez were dir
ly. visible In the great circle.
"White Hand" resumed the dal
monarch, 'I do not think that the Gre
Spirit Of our people is the same G'
that made tho white man. The count
away beyond the great salt lake, they I,
me, Is full of white men, and your Gt
has given them laws not like our law
They pray to their God for vengeance I
the Natchez. and the dread vengean
comes. Like the swift storm at nigf
and like the bound OF the beast of pre-
It comes upon US. My son, thou can
prayT
EYES," murmured the youth.
"Then wilt thou not pray for the Ns
chez? Wilt thou not pray that He w
send no more calamities upon us2 Th,
art good, and true, and noble. What sa
est thouT'
A strange truth now flashed upon t
youths mind. The Indians, In their sll
pie dread Of the white mans God, hi
believed that IL they could possess Of
of the true worshipers Of that God, al
persuade him to intercede for them, t
caamIties that resulted from the praye
of their enemies might be averted. Y
White Hand did not wonder, for he kne
how simple were the ideas that the r
men entertained of their own Deity An
moreover, he knew that the Indians b.
often heard the monks praying, and VIII
he remembered how direct and comm
were the appeals thus made, he did n
question the influence It must have up
those who were wont to regard Deity
a being to be propitiated with gifts a
outer show. The youths first thoug
was to try and correct the error In
which tho chief had fallen; but when
came to reflect that in such work
should have to uproot the prejudices
q. a.lifetime, be resolved to do as was a.
ed Of him.