The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1904-05-26
TIE DEATHTRAP
[Ortginai.l

! kA1OSl LAeSCCSoS1U4c uUuuIdlu pass. Inc
Indians call It the stdeathtrap." and
the peak on which it is located is call
ed .sDeatAtrap mountain" Ordinarily
the stone is Of blue metallic luster
and shows traces of volcanic action
being scanned and ribbed as if by melt
ed lava. It is rough, jagged outcro,)-
| ping, bursting up through the shale of
its surroundings, reaching up the noun
tain side to the height Of about seven
feet when sharp projection shelves
over it again, making q groove about
nine feet long and three feet vide
During the day when the sun shines
directly down upon it its color is a pale
blue, but in the night 1t glows so
brightly as to be seen for long dis
lance. There is tradition among the
Indians that 1t became known to their
ancestors hundreds OF years ago, and
this is the legend OF It's discovery:
| One day a speck Was seen far I'D the
mountain, descending slowly toward
| the Indians encamped in the valley.
II grew larger and larger as it ap-
| preached until it was seen to be the
| figure OF man not perfectly made
man, not a warrior but dwarfed and
hunchbacked But II the form was i'll
| favored the face was marvelously
beautiful The features were kindly;
the eyes beamed softly, Ike twin stars
after sunset on balny summer even
ing The man asked for food and
SHELTER, and he was at once given what
he asked
But they gained far more than they
gave. Though the stranger knew moth
Ing Of herbs, he possessed the power to
heal the sick by simply laying his
| hands upon them or looking upon them
with his lustrous eyes Even the dumb
animals were subject to his strange In
| fluence, and II. he wflled it they would
flock about him to be caressed. Since
he showed no intention of departing,
he was adopted into the tribeand made
medicine man
The stranger lived with the Indians
for many years, beloved and reverend
ed by all. When one Of the tribe was
afflicted either by disease or sorrow
the medicine man was straightway
sent for, and as soon as his two lulni-
nous eyes beamed on the afflicted, as
though the Great Spirit looked through
them, the patient began to mend, the
sorrow4ng 30 regain a more cheerful
mind TO the children be impaired
health to the aged. whose lot among
savage tribes Is often to be left In
wilderness TO die, he impaired strength
to live on.
But at hast something occurred to
change all this The chiefs son, who
when the stranger came to the tribe
was but child, grew to manhood, and
it was time that he should take a wife.
The young squaws were inspected for
the comelieSt maiden, and when one
was selected preparations were made
for the wedding But when the day
arrived and they looked for the bride
In her bower Of boughs she was not
there. The camp was searched, but
she was nowhere to be found
Then came the old women, lament
ing and gesticulating. The medicine
man had spirited the girl away, they
said The chief resisted the imputa-
ton as long as he dared, then consent
ed to treat the adopted son Of the tribe
as guilty. But so great was the love
OF the people for him that no one could
be found to kill him, so the chief chose
dozen Of his best warriors to drive
him out Of the camp, Early in the
morning these braves set out TO chase
the dimfnut1ve medicine man away,
To their surprise, he ran so swiftly
that they could scarcely keep him In
sight, How did he fee SO fast ON his
little WifhGred legsf From time to
time be looked back at bis pursuers to
see If they were following, and at last
it began 20 dawn upon them that in
stead Of fleeing from them he was
leading them ON.
The chief stood IN the valley watch
ing the pursuit In wonder When he
saw the dwarf distancing his feetest
runners it daWned upon him that he
was drawing the warriors after him,
and he sent out messengers to recall
them. He watched hts messengers till
they came within hailing distance, but
saw that the pursuers did not stop. He
could himself hear the shouts of his
braves who were calling and knew that
the pursuers must hear. but they paid
no attention to the commands On and
on they went up tire mountain side,
looking neither to the right nor Left, but
keeping their eyes fixed upon the dwarf
as if bewftched The messengers, ap-
palled, slackened their pace, but kept
near enough to see, dreading that they,
too, might fall under the spell
And now the medicine man comes to
a protruding rock, climbs its side.
stands moment on its summit. de
scending the other side, and is seen no
more. But the pursuers follow ON.
watched by the messengers sent out TO
recall them. By the chief and the PEG
pie in the valley The first Dursuer
reaches the protrudfng rock, climbs its
side and fails as IF pierced by an ar
row into the groove passing through its
center. The second, the third, every