Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-03-14
A Character Sketch - BY
Rose M. Haiss.

to those who composed the latter
class Of spectators for he was neither
idle nor ignorant.
He was ungainly without being in
any particular manner deformed He
had all the bones and joints Of ether
men without any of their proportions.
He was erect and surpassed other men
in stature. ,.,
His head was large his shoulders
narrow; his arms long and dangling;
p! while his hands were small If not deli
cate. His legs and thighs were thin
and of extraordinary length. He was
awkward in appearance.
David was attired in sky-blue coat.
| with short and broad skirts and low
cape that exposed a long thin neck.
His neither garment was of yellow nan
keen which fitted to him and was tied
at his knees by white ribbons. His
stockings were of cotton and his shoes
! had spurs set in them.
His musical instrument was project
ed from his vest and might easily nave
been mistaken for an implement OF
war.
He was talking to the domestics
about horses of America and foreign
lands. His voice was soft and sweet
as he talked. He said he never before
beheld beast which verified the true
Epaweth iu the valley and rejoiceth in
his strength he goeth on to meet the
armed men. He saith among the trum-
pets, Ha, Ha, and he smelleth the bat
tie afar off, the thunder of the cap
tains and the shouting. It would seem
that the stock of the horse of Israel
has descended to our own time.
David then got on horse and rode
after the party that had just started
A colt was following the horse which
David was riding and as he joined the
party he was constantly pushing the
spurs in the TANKS of his horse and
the gait that he was going might be
called a Canterbury gallop.
AS he came upon the travellers he
said he had heard that they were 60
in gto Fort William Henry and he was
going to join them for he thought they
might like good company.
The party didn't like for him to go
with them and he said he hoped he had
not offended them. He said he would
make no defense for that wasn't neces-
sary and that he was psalmodist.
David played on his instrument and
they all joined in song. Then the
Major said it wasn't safe to sing for
the enemy might be lying in wait for
them. 80 .'a
Then the scout said that the colt
must die or it would betray them
Uncas killed it with his bow and ar
rows and then it was cast into the
river.
When they had reached Glens cave
they lay concealed and watched for an
attack from the Indians. Then as the
Inoians rushed down upon them David
was wounded and lay unconscious for
short time. He always found rest
by playing on his musical instrument
Then they tried to escape from the
Indians. They were captured by the
Maquas and tried to leave as large
trail as possible for they heard shots
in the forest and suddenly the two
Mohican Indians and the scout came
upon them. They killed several In
dams and the rest made their escape
Then they travelled until they reach
ed VIM. Henry and they were fighting
there. Montcalm said they would make
a treaty with Colonel Munro. AS they
were marching out David and his two
companions, Alice and Cora, Maqua
suddenly spied them and picked up
Alice in his arms and Cora screamed
but he kept going so Cora and David
followed him.
David kept playing on his instrument
and the Indians listened attentively
for awhile and then they tomahawked
many of the people.
David was friend to the two girls
and he always comforted them in sor-
row. They travelled on horseback and
Maoua led them into the forest.
When Munro and the rest of the
party were searching for Cora and
Alice they thought they had been kill
ed. with the rest. They found a veil
and David's instrument and knew that
they were captives.
They traced them to an Indian vii
lage and saw an Indian coming to-
ward them but Hawkeye distinguished
it to be David in an Indians paint
Then Hayward was painted like an
Indian and went into the camp with
David. The Indians thought that Da-
vid was insane and he could do no
harm SO he could go where he pleas
ed One day Uncas was brought in as
captive and was sentenced to be
burned at the stake
Hawkeye feared this would be the
result so ne dressed in a skin of a
bear and came to camp. He said he
would blow into the face Of Uncas and
he would be possessed of an evil spirit
but the rest would have to leave the
lodge.
Then David dressed in Uncas'
clothes and took his place. Uncas
dressed in the bear skin and Hawkeye
represented the singer. In this way
they made their escape. David was
very brave for coward wouldn't
! haze; taken Uncas' place. Davids
! body was so long he couldn't stand to
! be cramped up and the Indians dis
! covered they had been fooled
Then the Indians sent warriors out
to search for them. They had gone to
the Delewares for protection and Ma
qua visited them as friend and want
ed his prisoner. When he led Cora
back to his tribe the Delewares made
11-o~ IN Thorn and ITncaS was killed in