Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1916-05-24
IssAQUENA.
(Annie Richie Smith, in Piedmont
MagaZine.)

will begin the attack when the moon
wanes. Thus spoke Big Smoke, chief
Of the tribe of Cherokee Indians,
camped near what is known as Tun-
mel Hill, in the mountainous portion
Of OcOnee county.
When the chief finished speaking a
young brave arose, saying, Hear me,
my father and brothers: lssaquena
will not come to my Wigwam. She
says she goes to the wigwam
of Whitethroat. He is but q sneak,
stealing the heart Of the princess.
What shall we do? l want Issaquena.
A low, nlonotonous murmur greeted
the speech of Red Feather. At last
At once silence reigned in the council.
] like not for my daughter to go to
Whitethroat's wigwam. He Is wo-
manish and will not scalp our ene-
mics, but | like him cause he get
many skins, but l want no weak,
white blood coursing through the flu
ture braves Of our tribe; SO he must
die! replied Big Smoke. He must
die! echoed the rest of the braves.
Tomorrow, when the sun Is hiding
her face. he returns with many skins.
Who will meet him hunting-a mis-
take---a failure to shoot a deer. Pois-
oned Arrow and Whitethroat killed
accidentally. The old chief looked
keenly into the faces of his braves.
At last his eyes rested upon the fea-
lures Of Red Feather. 1t was as he
hoped. l will hunt the deer, Big
Smoke, said Red Feather.
A faint rustle-ever so faint-like
some reptile Of the forest, was heard
at this moment, and all within the
fhioT'S wfowon, hoconon of
But too late! A lovely maiden, like
some hunted thing, glided swiftly into
the night The war council was end
ed, but its deadly work Of destruction
was to go on.
Meanwhile Whitethroat, all uncon-
scious Of the danger in store for him,
was busy getting the skins Of the wild
animals he had trapped ready to re-
turn with them to the Indian village
on the morrow. No one would have
believed it to have looked at him, that
the purest blood of the Anglo Saxon
race coursed t. ough his veins, for
he did not know it. himself. But he
sometimes had suspicion that he was
Of some other tribe of Indians. How
ever, he was we'll deceived, because
he was stolen from a white family Of
daring settlers when an infant of six
months. The old squaws did their
work Of painting and training WELL
for he grew up to be, from all appear
ances, full-blooded Indian. Very
handsome he must have been to have
won the heart of the lovely Issaquena.
Whitethroat slung his pack of
skins upon his back and started
across what is now known as Harri-
sons Gap, with smile on his face,
for he well knew lssaquena would be
at the falls to greet him. A short
half hour with his beloved. then going
in an opposite direction, would ar
rive at the village alone. Issaquena,
by nearer route, would arrive with
her basket of chestnuts Big Smoke
always insisted on her gathering for
him. AS Whitethroat neared their
trysting place he saw 1ssa at dist
ance coming to meet him. AS she
drew nearer he saw she was wildly
excited. My brother, you must fly!
Even now he is waiting for you up
yonder OH the side of the mountain,
to kill you.
To kill me? Why, what do you
mean. little wildrose? Who wants
to kill me, Issa? Red Feather. He
tribe will kill white people when
moon wanes! breathlessly exclaimed
the maiden.
l fear him not, IssaNucna, but I
cant leave without you.
I go, too, said the maiden. I tell
white people Indians going to kill, she
continued.
Whitethroat stood thinking for
minute. I've wanted to go a long
time away to the south and build
wigwam like white people and make
things grow. hate to kill. viii you
go with me, little one, and dwell with
ME while l grow corn, beans and po-
tatoes?
Yes, oh, yes! And wear pretty
dress like white squaw, replied the
lovely maid. Come with me, and I
will show you where to hide few
days, then we 60 when Indians get
tired OF hunting for Whitethroat; and
gracefully climbing over rocks up to
within a few feet of the top of the
falls, she darted right through the
falling water and disappeared into a
small cave. WhitethrOat followed.
Here, said Issaquena. you stay. Leave
your skins at the foot Of falls. In
dians find them; they say evil spirit
devour you. come in two days and
stand on top Of falls. Red Feather
will follow, and when I see him come
] slip down here, and they think evil
spirit devour me, too--then away we
go!
Eagerly the Indians awaited the
return Of Fed Feather, expecting to
hear Of Whitethroat's death, but he
returned with no news. Again they
met at the chiefs wigwam and de-
cided to search for miles around the
camp for Whitcthroat, but the search
was soon ended, for they found the