St. Tammany farmer., 1906-03-10
The Legend Of Abita.

1m AO60m VI AWlQ.
Hast e'er heard the Indian legend,
Legend told by Chata red men,
Round their camp flres, where the pine
trees,
Like cathedral columns, skyward
Rear their e'ergreen branches round the
Famous health spring Of Abltaf
! Where in twilight gloom moss festooned
Cypress wave gray boards like Druid
Priests Of old, and guard the spring
whence
Flows the waters of Abita?
No? Then list and will tell thee
Legend Of the famed Abita.
As for moons. more than a thousand
Hath been told round Chata camp nres.
When the Spanlard dominated,
All the land through which the river
Mes-e-che-b flowed there came from
Der the lake, where dwell the white
men,
To the land where lived the Chatas,
Numerous, then, as leaves of forest, }
A young white chief Of the Spaniards.
Seeking out he Chata chieftain.
In his lodge at last he found him;
And beside him stood q maiden,
Lovlier far than e'er the Spaniard
Had seen in the home Of white man,
CARRIED in costume OF the Lhatas:
Petticoato Of Brilliant Scarlet;
themise like the whitest lily;
Moccasins embroidered richly.
Der the round, warm, tinted shoulders
Hung scarlet mantle, lighting
Her bright face, where warm blood
told of
Southland air and Southland sunshine.
And her tresses, black IS midnight,
To her feet fell in deep masses,
Fawn-llke eyes, dark, tender, soulful.
Shone with latent IRE and love for
The white stranger, who already
Through his eyes spoke alteration,
As he looked upon her lithesome,
ect-chiseled form, half hidden,
Halt revealed, in folds Of mantle.
Meier did painters dream Of beauty
Surpass this 1.-the Chata maiden's,
When she smiled, and red lips parted,
Showing teeth like pearls behind them.
With loves fever, swift and ardent
Was the wooing OF tho white chief
To his home beyond the waters
OF the lake the Spaniard bore her;
Bore this wild flower of the forest;
Lavished 'pon her all the treasures
-Of the whito man: education
Luxulies Of civilization;
Every slightest wish was granted,
Zen before that wish Was uttered.
Thus Abita lived amongst the
People Of her lord, Henriques.
Still e'er YearnlDg for the forest;
For the music Of the song birds;
For the chatter Of the squirrels;
For the wierd eolian cadence
OF the zephyrs 'mongst the tree tops;
Till ct last she slowly faded,
She, whose feet had been the swiftest
'Mongst the llssome Chats maidens,
Scarce could carry her light figure.
Her small hands, that erst could curb In |
Mad career the widest horses,
Gould now scarce her lips, once scarlet,
Reach; for paid Is lily
Was the hue that rested 'pon them.
In alarm did Don Henriques
Seek wise doctors of the white men,
Who tried all their arts and potions;
But still faded this Wild flower.
Pining for the da-k, primeval
Forests Of her Chata birthplace.
In despair, then, did Henriques
Cross the lake to where the Chatas
Dwelt, and seeking out their healer
Medicine man, far famed for healing
Brought him oyer to the city,
Where Els wild flower lay declining.
Thus the wise man spoke, whilst gazing
Pom the pallid Chata beauty:
Bring her back, oh! swiftly bring her
To where pine trees cast their shadows
Der spring, whose healing waters
Alone can save our Chata daughter"
Swiftly cross the lake they rowed her
Sack to where the healing waters
from the heart of earth flowed linpid.
There, beneath the ancient cypress,
q the gloom, long gray boards waving,
n hammock made Of deerskin, Il
)'er the spring, whose vapors healthful !
'urled around her. laid they gently I,
Frail Abitai Pale Abita!
hen thus spoke tho Chata healer: Il
Leave her thus for one full moon, and
Let no one cen dare approach her
Till the moon has passed four quar-
ters."
adly, with gaze turned backward, {
ION Henriqucs left his grill bride. II
shan haapf airk ho nn,,uta1 von~n~A~ /