Los Angeles herald., 1907-11-17
@ Last Sf His Roace.
+. A Tale Of Hundred Years Hence.


ocean. The states of the Atlantic and those ol
the Pacific had become neighbors and beautiful
villages and thriving cities adorned the ocea.
shore of Oregon, and the banks of the Columbia.
The darkness of night had settled over tnia
scene of beauty and prosperity, and hushed TO.
a few hours all but the everlasting noise of rev
elry. Now the nnstarting beams of the full moon
dimly revealed the spires of distant city, and IL
svery lovelinesS reflected from the quiet SUI
face of the mighty deep.
Casting my eyes carelessly along the beach,
they fingered upon human form with slow AMI
solemn steps pacing from point to point ell
deavored to approach the spot unobserved, THAI
l might ascertain who and what it was. He ha 4
now seated himself upon the edge of the rock.
his feet dangling over the other side, and his
eyes fixed upon the breakers that lazily washed
its base. In my eagerness to get glimpse OF
the strangers face my feet became entangled ami
/ fell among the bushes Startled by the noise,
he sprang to his feet, and in strange tongue
seemed to be demanding, "Who's there?"
On my rising, we stood face to face. | reached
out my hand, and assured him, as well as could,
that there no danger and he in broken
English, expressed himself satisfied.
His features those of an Indian, for in
my boyhood | chanced to see one. bow was
thrown across his shoulders after the manner
of those long departed tribes.
"Man of the forest" said I, 'it is midnight;
the song of the birds is hushed, and the wild
beast is gone to rest it is time for man to seek
his home"
'Home!" he replied 81 have no home. Why
should | seek one? MY people are no more
Time was when they covered these hills and
like mighty swarm filled the vales These wa
ters were ours-the fish, the game, all were ours
There, where you see yon tall steepe, glittering
in the moonlight, once stood an Indians wigwam,
and all around the cleaning watch-fires blazed.
81 know it," was the answer, and oft have l
wondered that such mighty people could so soon
have faded from the EARTH
Faded" he exclaimed; AYE, you may well
say faded. Often have | stood in the morning
and looked up the mountain side and seen the
cloud that hung its brow wasted away by the
sunbeams and so, even SO my nation were de-
stroyed. Aye, sir, they passed away as my breath
does from the bright surface of the tomahawk.
"But, how came it?" asked
"Know you not, stranger? said he; and his tread
became quicker, and his voice betrayed the deep
est emotion: Know you not? 1t was the cursed
that swept off it's millions. 1t made war-it made
disease! Our young men were ruined! there
were no old men; and year after year the tribes
became smaller; and now, altho'~I have been far
to the rising sun, l have not found one of my
race l am alone. / came here to die-to spend
a few hours in praying to the Great Spirit-and
then all remains of my fathers people will be
gone'
Here he paused and I could not but notice
with alarm the mighty upheaving of his bosom and
the increasing violence of his tread. He broke
out again.
fre-water If he will not stop, his fate will be
like the Indians. Drunkenness will bring with 1T
disease and war; and, by-and-by, some other peo-
ple will come across the big waters, and take
away the white mans home, as he did the In
dian's Go, Stranger! go tell your people to take
care lest the fire-water shall burn them up, as 1T
did the Indian. Go!-Go-Go!!" he repeated
with increased emphasis, and ere the last word
died upon his lips he leaped from the rock and
was engulfed in the ocean.