The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-10-31
TIE OLD STORY
 OF POCAHONTAS The John Smith Fpisod Can Be Accepted
 Or Rejected. SHE WAS A NICE GIRL Something About Some of Her Notable De-
 scendants.
SHE WAS A NICE GIRL

The celebration at Jamestown has brought to the fore again the old story of Pocahontas and set going again the discussion regarding the historical truth of the romantic tale of her res cue of Captain John Smith.
 Queerly enough, the reality of Po- cahontas as historical character would seem, with the average Ameri- can, to stand or fall with this particu lar incident in her career. Doubtless many an intelligent American regards the Poeahontas story as a myth from beginning to. end,
 The popular idea is all wrong, of course, as every student of American history knows. There was such a woman as Pocahontas, just as there was such man as Captain John Smith. No one will deny that Smith was a great figure in the little Eng fish settlement in Virginia. Pocahon- tas, although she died almost in girl hood, also left, through her descend ants, lasting mark upon the history of Virginia and of the nation.
 The only debatable point in the history of Pocahontas is her interpo- sition between Smith and the club of the Indian executioner for which the only first hand authority is Smith himself Smith was a gallant advent hrer, bold in action, willy in counsel He was an accurate observer. His one weak point was his fondness for boosting of his own exploits The judgment of posterity on his writings is that regarding others he told the truth, that regarding his own ex- ploits he was apt to let his imagina- ton guide his pen.
 Many historians, among them the late John Fiske, have accepted the rescue. It is not impossible, or even improbable, since the history of our dealings with the American Indians shows many cases of the saving of white captives by Indian women. Anyway, true or false, the story is merely an episode in the career of Pocahontas.
 When the English arrived Powha- tan was the sachem of the Rappahan- | nocks He was an Indian of sagaclty craft, and courage-a native leader of the class of Philip, Tecumseh and Os- ceola Pocahontas, his daughter was 1 friendly, and with a sense of humor. There is abundant evidence that she looked up to Smith as little less than Ia god.
 After Powhatan had let his hatred of the settlers lead to open war, Po- cahontas was lured on board the ship of one Captain Argall and taken to Jamestown as hostage. Here she remained several years as an honored Iguest rather than as a prisoner, and was a favorite with all. John Rolfe, gentleman from Norfolk, fell gen timely in love with her and desired to marry her. As she was a princess, he had to secure the formal consent of the governor of the colony, Sir Thomas Dale, and his manly letter setting forth 'the grounds and prin- cipal agitations' of his desire has been preserved.
 So Pocahontas was baptized and married to Rolfe in 1914. The union brought peace between the colonists land Powhatan. In 1916 Rolfe and This princess went to England, They were received with popular favor. Po- cahontas was treated like royal per- Isonage James I entertained her at Whitehall and for her husband creat- ed the post of secretary and recorder 1 general of Virginia.
 The happy couple prepared to re- turn to the colony. On the eve of their departure Pocahontas was taken I'm and died at Gravesend. This was in l1s17 and in the 21st year of her age.
 Pocahontas left one child, Thomas Rolfe. In time he went to Virginia. There he married 8 Virginia lady, IJane Poythress, and became the pro- genitor of men and women of mark. His daughter, Jane Rolfe, married Colonel Boiling, head of the colonial lfanily that lived ''in style of ele- rance and profusion not inferior to the barons of England"
 In this family and in the other fam lilies which became allied to it through
 marriage the Indian type reappeared from time to time. It was however, type more resembling that of Pow hatan than of ,Poeahontas. For ex- ample, the John Boiling who married Martha, sister of Thomas Jefferson, was called ''the old IndianP behind his | back, because of his love for glaring color and finery-he dressed by choice in a. vivid scarlet coat and bright blue brooches; but nobody cared to criti- else to his face, for he had violent passions and was deadly duelist.
 From the Bollings sprang that branch of the Randolph family that gave the most pronounced example of | the reappearance of the Indian type John Randolph of Roanoke--a strange, eccentric genius whose char acteristics and personality are too well known to need description here 1 A long list might be given of Vir- ginian and American families of note that have the blood of Pocahontas- flor example, the Harrisons, who gave two presidents to the United States. In a dozen or more notable American families pride is still shown in their l Indian ancestry, and the Christian names of Powhatan and Pocahontas ora fyeauautlv in evidence Chicago