The daily sentinel., 1907-11-08

strange and similar to those VIII ch
had come to the Utes before, only
this one was larger and was entire
ly white. Suddenly 1t began to sing
most beautifully. The Utes had never
heard music like 1t before. The
night fled on and still the bird con-
tinued to sing nor did the Utes
.move from the positions which they
| had taken when the bird a1ighted
among them. Finally all the heavens
became dark, the bird ceased to sing,
and away In the east bright flame
of crimson light shot high in the
sky. and shivered there before the
plain view of the people. A music
soft and distant came from the di-
rection of the light. music similar
yet far fainter than that which the
Utes had heard during the night
from the bird. The womeL covered
in the tepees, the young men were
frightened, while the patriarchs of
the tribe who had been spared
through the family shook their heads
at the potent. Then the flame in
the east lurched and curved forward
toward the camp of the Utes, and
when they looked again the bird
which had been singing for them
throughout the night had flown,
Finally, the great streak in the east
died down to a mere ball whirling
= and spinning through space. ard the
form of the white bird was seen In
its midst. The music became loud
again, but distant. and as the ball
of fire and the bird swept away to-
ward the peaks to the east, the notes
became fainter and richer, and than
at last the crimson flame about the
white plumage of the bird grew dim
and both the bird and the light dipped
out of sight. Dense darkness came
on again, but the music. fainter and
fainter, went on until at last 1t died
away in echo.
without word the young men
of the camp hurried away. while the
old men remained about the fire un-
till twilight the next night, attempt-
ing to explain to the women of the
might before. Some said the white
strange bird was the spirit of peace
and plenty and that now it had shown
itself and flown from the valley OF
the Utes, strife would come and the
game would become scarce.
In consequence, the next day the
women took down the tepees gath
Tered III the horses, and a long trip
began to the east, whittier the bird
of peace and plenty had flown. But
to no avail were their travels. Time
had not been long until one day the
lUtes were attacked and many of theil
young men were killed ard from
that day on the boys were trained
In the ways Of war, for 1t was sale
by the tribes that the white strang
ers from the east we're killing ant
burning and pushing to the west. Fol
I many years the Ute hunters searched
I for the bird. but never again did the!
I hear the music which had come t.
. them In their valley.
One day, the day on which tn
i aged Ute came and then the maidei
had come to the camp OF Hawley an
? his friends, bird white in plumag
and singing as bird had never sun
before III the memory of the oldes
Ute, flew into the camp. and, sing
ing, dropped dead at the feet
Ouray, the chief of the Utes. Tn
" incident was looked upon as fulfil
s ment of the prophecy which tn
9 Utes had made from the singing an
9 the flight OF the bird 400 years bt
It fore, and from that day 1t was toi
:. among them that the decline OF tn
d Iation was at hand.
Mr.. Hawley says that the tale ha
d been handed down from generatio
l. to generation among the utes an
q that he considers 1t one of the moi
d beautiful of all myths.