Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1917-01-11
CHAPTER X.

The COUGAR crouehes.

of the three died in infancy; two lived
TO become the most famous leaders the
terrible Inhabitants Of the forest will
derness ever knew. AS one of the two
grew to manhood and forced his way
to the head Of his tribe by his daring,
his cunning, his matchless eloquence
and power. the red man, with his love
of imagery in names, chose the cou-
gar, the panther, the great cat OF the
forest, as the fitting type Of the chief
whose highest word was law.
The cougarI 1t was from this demo-
MAC beast that the Shawnee chief
received his name-Tecumseh, "the
cougar about to spring"
A Yankee surveyor predicted one
day an eclipse of the sun. Tecum-
sei's brother, on account of his fire.
quent drunken babblings, had been
dubbed "The Open Door," but q glim-
mer of shrewdness lighted up his rum
sodden brain at the words of the white
man; he returned to his tribe, and say
ing to all who would listen that he
had been given a message from the
Great Manitou himself, prophesied
that on q certain day the sky would
be darkened-a sign that he, "The
Open Door," was divine and was
henceforth to lead his people. They
laughed; but the darkness came as he
had foretold, and from that day he
was looked up to by every warrior in
the forest as the greatest of conjurers.
He was no longer called 1.-THE Open
Door," but Elkskatawa, "The Loud
Voice." and his voice in council was
the voice of authority. But years had
now passed; and he prayed in secret
for another sign to bolster up his
wavering strength.
The white men came farther and
FARTHER into the wilderness, reared
their cabins in greater and greater
numbers in the red mans forest, bar
tered and bought larger and larger
territories from the stupid savage, who
reached out eagerly for handful Of
toys, jug of the white mans fiery
drink, and gave in return the countless
acres Of his hunting ground. But now
for years his dumb resentment grew
more and more bitter. To Tecumseh
and his brother, Elkskatawa, the
Prophet, the red men looked impatient
ly for q leadership which should re-
strain the encroaching settler, or
which might even regain for them
their lost lands.
The young warriors could not wait
for council; here and there they struck
down a settler, took woman captive,
dashed, out the brains Of a child, and
hurried back into the forest. To Har-
rlson in Vincennes came Tecumseh
for council and promised redress; then
slipped away to the South, down the
great river, to the tribes along the
Gulf, to implore them to stand with
their brothers of the North against the
white mans advance. The Prophet
meanwhile remained at his village, 100
miles north of Vincennes, and spent
the time in lamentations and ominous
mutterings; and the little town OF
on the banks of the Wabash river
down which came the news of the
Prophets restless plotting.
The little village presented q scene
of the most unusual activity. Here
and there in vacant fields the various
companies of the territorial militia
were drilling-four companies OF
mounted men and eight Of infantry
a force of some six hundred men
which Harrison had caused to be as
sembled hastily.
Women and children stood watchine
the evolutIons of the volunteers. The
French inhabitants chartered away II
tremendous excitement. AS far a:
military drill and accouterment were
concerned, the men were ridiculously
awkward and unframed. They coul(
not keep step to save their souls, anC
only one of the twelve companies made
any pretense at n uniform; this ont
was the company commanded by Spiel
Spencer Of Corydop. These wore vel
low hunting shirts trimmed with rec
feathers; they were promptly dubbed
''the Yellow Jackets" and were marked
men. But the rest wore whateve
clothes they were possessed of in thei
daily life-tow jeans or linsey-wOolsey
or the hunters dress of tanned deer
skin; and each man carried the riff
of his choice, firearms Of every max
and of any length Of barrel.
One morning was enlivened by
shooting match. Someone got q white
wood plank, and pacing off 60 yards
propped 1t up firmly. A circle te
Inches In diameter was smeared o.
the board with wet powder, and il
the center of this black spot a bit O
white paper, the size of q dollar, wa
pinned. One after another of the anvil
ward milltamen stepped to the lin
and fred, seemingly without pausin
TO aim. Not man failed to send hi
bullet into the white. Then the tai
get was moved to so yards distanc,
then hundred and the deadly aceV
racy continued, as the better marks
men took their turns. And then the