Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1903-04-23
'WhitGHand|
"A Tale Of the Early Settlers I;
Of Louisiana. /
BY AUSTIN c. BURDIcK :
CHAPTER XVIII.
BY AUSTIN c. BURpIcK

3 NANNA Nhh AfNtltiNNNf iAt Hflu
cd his career aa commander at the
Natchez fort By cruelty 20 his own men
but Que or two grave complaints made
TO Gov. Petier had come nigh causing his
removal, and he let the whites bo In
peace, but expended his wrath upon the
poor Indians. lie was now much cated,
for he was sure that the beautiful village
OF the White Apple would soon be his.
and he meant TO pocket much money In
the transaction. One day he sat IN his
rude house, with some OF his attendants
about him, when soldier demanded ad.
mlttanee.
"IIow now, sirrah3" he demanded, MS
the man entered
II have come with a warming" the SOL
der replied.
"Ha!-a warning Speak out"
An old woman passed my post this
mornlng, monsieur, and she badc me tell
the French to be ON their guard, for dan.
ger threatened them"
And from whomT
From the Indians. They will rise and
butcher Us all"
Have you spoken OF this bcfore?"
II have not"
"Then y0u shall not tell II 10 othersw
cried Chopart, In anger. "Haye you not
seen enough OF this idle fear? What no!
without thcrev'
At this call. two soldiers entered. who
usually stood In the passage TO obey the
commanders call.
Take this fellow aud lock him up In
the prison." he ordered. "INe'd soon
have the red rats down upon us lf they
knew we lived In fearl They dare not
ofcr US harm, Away with him.
And for conveying this intelligence the
poor man was cast into strong dungeon,
and there kept for several days with his
feet In the stocks,
hut this Was not the only note of warn.
Ing Chopart had. -Four days afterwards,
soldier came TO him aud Informed him
that the Indians surely medtated the de-
struction OF the fort, and OF all Its white
Inhabitants.
Out foolr' exclaimed Chopart, an.
griy. '"rhe old hag who told you this
only thinks to frlghten us, She thinks
that by exciting our fears she can fright.
en- US into giving up our plan OF taking
their village Of the White Ample. What,
would 20 show 10 the Indians that we
reared themf Away with such Idle fool.
eryr
Pricked Arm was astounled al the In.
fatuaton OF the French commander. ana
as last resort she went 10 Chopart's
lieutenant, man named Mace, who. she
Imagined, would have some influence
with his. superior. But even this proved
abortive. She told Mace that destruction
would surely fall upon them II they did
not take some means to keep the Indians
away from the fort. But on the very
next day Chopart Invited all the Indians
to banquet, aud pledged his friendship
TO them anew.
With feeling OF utter CONSERVATION.
Prieked Arm returned to her lodge. One
evening she sought White Hands dwell.
ing Tor she had faint Idea working
through her mind that the French youth
might have some influence In all this. She
knew that he had been originally doomed
TO death to 20 and intercede face 10 fnce
with the white mans God but she had
never yet fully known why he was spar.
cd. She found White Hand alone He
gaIed eagerly Into her face, for he was
anxious to know how her work progress.
ed.
White Hand, she said, speaking alb.
Fuptly, why were you spared from death
when You first came hereY'
THAT might marry Coqualla," replied
the youth.
"But was there nothing elseY" asked
the old woman, looking him sharply in
the face.
why. yes" returned White Hand.
speaking with some din lence. for the reol
reason seemed so foolish and ridiculous
to him that he almost feared ho should
be laughed at for speaking OF 1t.
And what was thatY ''
why. promised to pray to the white
mans God that none Of the wickedness
OF the French might succeed, and also
to tell him how basely the red men had
been wronged by the invaders; for I was
OF that people. and they supposed that /
should have some influence with my Su-
prcme Father"
That's itP' the aged princess groaned.
with her hands folded across her bosom,
HowT asked the youth, in surprise.
u knew that the Great Spirit had a
hand In this work. The fort at Natohez
is doomed past all hopep
"No-not doomedw
1T Is. The last stick will be removed
tomorrow, and then the blow must falll'l
Tomorrow
"No-the blow falls on the day after.
The fatal sticks mark the Intervening
days" $500,
"And must all fall?--all-allY"
"All at Natchez, but not elsewhere. for
the others wait yet another week, and
ere that time the whites will be warned
But what noise Is that? Harki There
are shouts of welcome"
They both started for the door, where
they were met by Stung Serpent, who
caught the youth by the arm and forced
him into the house again.
"Whlte Hand" he said, speaking quick
ly and sternly, remember your oath, for
your salvation may now depend upon It.
The white men have come to carouse in
the White Apple. Beware that you do
not forget yourself! Shall we trust your
Mind-all is we'll with you Il you are
faithfulP'
"Fear not, my father, spoke the youth,
unable to repress the trembling that seiz-
cd his limbs.
'Then you may conduct Coqualla to the
revelry."
2 II was q calm, warm night, and in the
center OF the great square were built two
fires Of pitch-wood to sevVe as torches
and here the white men and the red were
gathered In social confab and amusement
There were over hundred white men
there, and at their head was Chopart him