The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1907-04-13

The first greatsssAmerican,s woman is
soon to have "a; handsome monument
erected in her honor. II -
| Pocahontas, daughter of the mighty
Indian chieftain, Powhattan, she who
saved the life, of John Smith, surely
deserves the title of first of the new
worlds women to achieve for the good
of humanity and to take place, in his
tory as the earliest example of the
aborigine who mastered the ways Of
fertilization. :: L. y
The beautiful story of early Virginia
Is one of the worlds classics. Artists
have pictured that dramtic scene
when, the twelve-year-old daughter of
Powhattan interceded her own beauti-
full young body between that of Smith
and the war club that hung over him
ready to deal the death blow.
That was only a little short of three.
| hundred years ago, and Pocahontas,
who did much for the settlers of the
new world, has waited long for her
memorial of stone, but justice will
finally be done her in a superb art
work.
The Pocahontas Memorial Associa-
| ton Of Washington, D. c., has the
movement in charge, and the distin-
guished American sculptor, Mr.. Will
lam Ordway Partridge, who has to his
credit a number of superb pieces, has
been selected to make the monumnt.
Most of the women who are promi-
nent in the movement are descendants
of Pocahontas, for the Indian princess
became the ancestor Of some of the
best families in the South.
The historian of the society, Ella
Lorraine Dorsey, has prepared a COM
plete list Of those who can claim de-
| scent, and whether or not they belong
to the society, they will be asked to be
present at the exercises attending the
unveiling.
Mr.. Partridge will have no difficulty
to find in the life of Pocahontas cpl
| sodes that will lend themselves to he
roic treatment
The most famous of these, the Incl
| dent where she risked her own life to
save the mighty founder of Virginia, is
only one of long string, any of which
| would be worthys the best efforts OF
the greatest artist
Pocahontas should not be remenl-
bered alone for saving Smith. This
| was a notable incident. If he had
been removed, the cause of civilization
| in Virginia would have been put back
many years, for the doughty captain
| was the backbone and heart of the
struggling settlement of Jamestown,
and without him the English never
could have resisted the inroads of the
hordes of Indians, particularly those
under Powhattan, mighty old chief
tain, who combined the qualities OF
| courage with those of scheming and
daring statecraft to notable degree.
Pocahontas did much more than
save Smith from the war club that
would have crushed out his life.
A strange love for the white race,
rare indeed in the annals of the red
| skin, made her the friend and savior
of the colony. In times of famine she
bore food to the suffering colonists,
and to avoid the frowns, of her people
she had to carry the food herself, for
miles often. through the untraversed
| woods.
Several times later she warned
Smith of other attempts contemplated
on his life, and she saved Richard
Wyhin, when the redskins would have
killed him.
But it was when Pocahontas came
into young womanhood, when she
passed out of the girl stage, that she
! entered upon the most dramatic period
Of her life.
Relations between the whites and
Indians had become strained to point