Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1904-11-03

1t grew larger and larger as it ap-
preached until it was seen to be the
figure of a man-not perfectly made
man, not a warrior, but dwarfed and
hunchbacked. But if the form was Ill
favored the face was marvelously
beautiful The features were kindly;
the eyes beamed softly, like twin stars
after sunset on balmy 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
duence, and If he willed it they would
flock about him to be caressed. Since
he showed no intention of departing,
he was adopted into the tribe and made
medicine man.
The stranger lived with the Indians
for many years, beloved and reverence
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 lumi-
nous eyes beamed on the afflicted, as
| though the Great Spirit looked through
them, the patient began to mend, the
sorrowing to regain more cheerful
mind. To the children he impaired
health to the aged, whose lot among
savage tribes is often to be left in a
wilderness to die, he impaired strength
to live on.
But at last 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 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 diminutive medicine man away
To their surprise, he ran SO swiftly
that they could scarcely keep him in
| sight. How did he flee so fast on his
| little withered legs? From time to
| time he looked back at his pursuers to
see If they We're following, and at last
| it began to 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 heetest
runners 1t dawned upon him that he
was drawing the warriors after him,
and he sent out messengers to recall
them. He watched his messengers til;
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 the mountain side,
looking neither to the right nor left, but
keeping their eyes fixed upon the dwarf
as If bewttched. 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 It's 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 peo-
pie in the valley. The first pursuer
reaches the protruding rock, climbs Its
side and falls as If pierced by an ar
row into the groove passing through its
center. The second, the third, every
one Of the following braves, one after
|
OF the stone as If engulfed by some ir-
resistble monster.
Such is the legend Of the discovery
Of the 'deathtrap" that has been
handed down from generation to gen.
Grafton for centuries. The Indians be-
neve the stone to have been set by the
medicine man to prevent any pursuit
after him and the stolen bride Of the
chiefs son. But savage races, though
naturally poet1cal, do not rise to moral
conceptions. II the medicine man
was accused falsely after all his kind
ness to the tribe and, driven from them,
Get the trap to punish them for their
ingratitude, the legend would make q
beautiful Illustration OF a moral prin-
| cpls. HAMILTON MOOnA