Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1911-03-01
The SIMPLE LIFE OF A COMMON[R
AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

moment 6nOulQ arrive Wueu ueF tOV'
er would make his appearance on
the other side. AS he approached
the fatal spot where the ice. had
been cut bright light suddenly
flashed from the summit of Black
hawks Point and O-ne-o-ta stood
revealed to his vision, nymph oi
the woods like some Houri Of Para
disc. her brilliant eyes aglow with
the fine excitement of the moment
her beautiful face illumined with
enchantment. her coal black hail
streaming in the wind, her glorious
figure stretched to it's utmost as she
. aged backward and forward
IL " waving In her shapely hands
a lighted torch, which warned hel
lover of the danger to which he was
exposed, enabling him to pass in
safety around the treacherous place
and in few moments lay the fruits
of the chase at the feet of his be
loved O-ne-o-ta. The old chief
Decorah, who was really magnifi-
cent specimen of the red men
dearly loved his beautiful daughter
and with fathers pride in her
desired only to shield her from un-
worthy suitors. After the escape
of Wau-kon-a-ket from death on the
river. which he, not knowing the
part O-ne-o-ta had played in it, as
cribed to the Great Spirit, withdrew
his opposition and in due time the
two tribes, the Iowas and the Win
pebagos were united by the mar
riage of O-ne-o-ta and Wau-kon-a-
ket, whereby an old feud of long
standing was removed and happy
relations restored between the two
tribes.
Speaking Of this legend to my
friend. the late John B. Kaye Of Cal
mar, Iowa, I asked him to make 1t
the subject Of poem, which, after
. little modest hesitancy. he con-
sented to do. Mr.. Kaye, who was
the author Of Songs Of Lake Geneva.
Vashti and other books Of poetry,
was gentleman Of talent. who is
best apprsftated n The nidAae ,sfset
where h6 - well known. Mr.. Kaye
begins his poem. which contains
thirty-one stanzas, with q descrip-
tion of the heroine which also marks
the style Of the poem:
Dark. dreamy eyes. skin like the
autumn leaves
When gold and crimson mellow
into one;
Hair like the midnight gathered in
to sheaves:
A glance as bright and mellow as
the sun;
A smile which many tall brave
had undone:
Sweet O-ne-o-ta. still her spell
she weaves."
l would be delighted to publish
the entire poem, which I am sure
would be greatly enjoyed by my
readers. and am only prevented
from doing. so by the limits of this
work.
About noon of the second day out
from Lyons we reached Davenport,
where we spent several hours look
ing over the town and forming some
pleasant acquaintances. concluding
our stay there we weighed anchor
late In the afternoon and pointing
sou-sou-west by sou-west, by west,
by sou-west, with a fair wind we
laid our course for Muscatine; night
overlook us. however, before we
made that port, so we ran into a
harbor where we were sheltered
from the wind and dropping anchor,
remained there through the night.
Weighing. anchor next morning af-
ter an early breakfast, we continued
on our way in good spirits. The
wind having freshened during the
night. was blowing great guns by
noon, but the Morning Star steadily
held on her course; with furled jib
and mainsail partly reefed she sped
before the gale; down into the
trough Of the sea she suddenly
plunges. threatening to engulf US
beneath the angry waves. then ris-
ing again. tossing and dancing on
the crest Of the wild pillows she
dashes the spray in our faces. laugh
Ing at US like some elfish sprite,
she leaps from wave to wave a.
though she would spring from under
ID and be free. But the Morning
Star 10 q staunch little craft. always
obedient to the helm. full Of cour-
age and confidence in her abilities
to meet every emergency. Manned
by . crew that knows how to handle
her. she hies past Muscatins on the
wings Of the wind. showing q clean