Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1910-01-13
GREAT LOVE STORIES
- OF HISTORY
John SMITH AND POCAHONTAS
(cODyTiGht bY The AuthOr.l
By ALBERT PAYSON TERHUNE

This is the first American love story.
Capt. John Smith was a soldier OF
fortune. He was also a bully, brag-
CART and most amazing liar. But In
spite Of all this he was a great man
and our country owes him debt that
should never be forgotten. Smith had
knocked about the world ever since,
as boy, he ran away from his Eng
hsh home. He had been a soldier, a
sailor, captive slave in the orient
and had followed many trades. 1t is
hard to gain a true idea Of his career,
since for a great deal Of 1t we have
only his own word to go on. And he
had scant regard for truth.
A band Of English colonists landed
in Virginia in 1907. They were a mot
ley rabble, who had gone there expect
ing to find gold. 1t was sort Of get
rich-Quick" scheme. When they could
not pick up gold for the asking in
the new world they were disguised
and cared little about settling down as
farmers. They would have starved
or gone back to England but for
Smith. He was one Of their leaders
and set them to blowing, house.build-
ing. clearing forests and doing other
needful work. They hated him, but
could not get on without his help. So
they sulkily obeyed him. Having got
nu ten the colonists
c,. OuS started on their
u~''""' labors, Smith set
out to explore the neighboring country.
During this trip he was captured by
Chickahominy Indians, passed from
tribe to tribe as a curiosity, and at
length was brought before Chief Pow
hatan. The old chief pretended to
treat him as an honored guest. Sud-
denly, however, a number of Indians
hurled themselves upon Smith, over
powered and bound him, throwing him
to the ground and placing a great
stone beneath his head. Then two ex.
ecutioDers, armed with big clubs, ad-
vanced to daSh out his brains. Amer.
ica's future fate hung in the balance.
Without Smith the Virginia colony
could not live. The colonists' failure
would discourage other Englishmen
from crossing the seas. France and
Spain, which had already formed set
Elements in America, would probably
have Overrun the Atlantic seaboard
with a series of colonies, crowding out
forever the Anglo-Saxon race. The sit
uation and the country's future were
saved by girl.
From earliest ages it has been the
custom among many savage tribes all
over the world to permit any woman
Of the tribe to save a prisoners life
by offering to marry him. When q
woman interfered to rescue a doomed
prisoner it was on the understanding
that she consented to be his wife.
That this old custom was in vogue In
Powhatan's tribe is not improbable,
for the chiefs daughter, Pocahcntas,
sprang forward before the execution
ers clubs could descend and flung her
self upon Smiths breast, praying her
father to spare the condemned Eng
lIshman. Her plea was granted. Smith
was spared. Had the rescue been
merely an act of girlish pity the az
fair would probably have ended then
and there. But 1t did not. Smith
went back to his colonists at James
town. POcahontas followed him. She
risked her life to visit him there on
every possible occasion. He told her
the colOnists were starving. She and
her servants brought them food that
tided them over a famine season"
But for her this first English colony
n America must have persisted for
lack of provisions. But for her love
Tor Smith she would never have tFou'
bled to feed the settlers or to per
Suade her father to leave them IN