The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1907-11-17

every mental sinew in rigid resistance
During Dextry's garrulous ramblings
Glenister emerged from the darkness
and silently took his place beside her
against the rail.
What portent do you see that makes
you stare into the night SO an1iously 2"
he inquired.
Il am wishing for a sight of the
midnight sun or the aurora borealis,"
she replied.
TOO late for one an too fur south
for the other Dextry interposed.
We'll see the sun further north,
though
Have you ever heard the real origin
of the northern lights?'' the young man
inquired.
Naturally. 1 never have" she an
swered.
We'll here it is. I have it from
the lips Of a great hunter of the
Tananas. He told it to me when was
sick once in his cabin, and inasmuch
as he Is a wise Indian and has a
reputation for truth l have no doubt
that it is scrupulously correct.
"In the very old days, before the
white man or corned beef had invaded
this land, the greatest tribe in all the
north was the Tananas. The bravest
hunter of these was Itika, the second
chief. He could follow a moose till it
fell exhausted IN the snow, and he had
many belts made from the claws Of the
brown bear. which is deadly wicked
and as every one knows, inhabited by
the spirits Of 'yabla men, or devils.
Nv tnpr hi 70 to6
over the Tanana valley. The moose
departed from the gulches, and the car
ibou melted from the hills like mist.
The dogs grew gaunt and howled all
night, the babies cried. the women be-
came hollow eyed and peevish.
Then it was that It'll decided to
go hunting over the saw tooth range
which formed the edge of the world.
They tried to dissuade him, saying it
was certain death because a pack of
monstrous white wolves taller than the
moose and swifter than the eagle was
known to range these mountains, run
ming madly in chase. Always on clear,
cold nights could be seen the flashing
of the moonbeams from their gleam-
ing, hungry sides, and, although many
hunters had crossed the passes in other
years, they never returned, for the pack
slew them.
Nothing could deter Itika, however,
so he threaded his way up through the
range and, night coming, burrowed into
a drift to sleep in his caribou skin.
Peering out into the darkness, he saw
the flashing lights a thousand times
brighter than ever before. The whole
heavens were ablaze with shifting
streamers that raced and writhed back
and forth in wild revel. Listening, he
heard the hiss and whine Of dry snow
under the feet of the pack and dis
tant noise as of rushing winds, al
though the air was deathly still.
with daylight he proceeded through
the range till he came out above a
magnificent valley. Descending the
SLOPE he entered a forest of towering
spruce, while on all sides the snow
was trampled with tracks as wide as
q snowshoe. There came to him a
noise which as he proceeded increased
till it filled the woods. It was fright
full din, as though a thousand wolves
were bowling with the madness Of the
kill. Cautiously creeping nearer, he
found a monstrous white animal strug
Cling beneath a spruce which had fallen
upon it in such fashion as to pinion it
securely.
"All brave men are tender hearted.
90 Itika set to work with his ak and
cleared away the burden, regardless of
the peril to himself. When he had
released it the beast arose and, in
stead Of running away. addressed him
in the most polite and polished Indian,
without a trace of accent.
lyon have saved my life. Now.
what can do for you?'
ct want to hunt in this valley. My
people are starving said Itika, at
which the wolf was greatly pleased
and rounded up the rest of the pack
to help in the kill.
always thereafter when Itika came
to the valley of the Yukon the giant
drove hunted with him. To this day
they run through the mountains on
cold, clear night In a multitude, while
the light Of the moon fickers from
their white sides, flashing up into the
sky in weird, fantastic figures. Some
people call it northern lights. but old
ASddS dASdlCo INK eootAASTS'
Iy and with the light of ancient truth
as I lay snow blind in his lodge that
it is nothing more remarkable than
the spirit OF Itika and the great white
wolves
What queer legend.' she said.
..There must be many of them in this
country. / feel that 1 am going to
like the north
Perhaps you WILL Glenister re-
piled, although it is not a woman's
land
Tell me what led you out here in
the first place. You are an eastern
man. You have had advantages, edu-
cation. and yet you choose this. You
must love the NORTH
Indeed l do. 1t calls to fellow
in some strange way that gentler
country never could. When once you
have lived the long, lazy June days
that never end and heard geese honk-
ing under a warm. sunlit midnight, or
when once you've hit the trail on a
winter morning so sharp and clear
that the air stings your lungssand the
whole white. silent world glistens like
jewel: yes, and when you've seen the
dogs romping in harness till the sled
runners ring and the distant mountain