Marion progress., 1948-11-18

snail SOOH lO1lOW. w lo w III AoHo iAAt
over my tribe? Who will lead m.
young braves to battle and to chase
The eyes of Kenocoonk are dim, ant
tears are fast washing away thei:
sight 1 repine and JOY is gone for
ever. | will close them and the dark
ness is bright compared to wha
they behold when they are open fo]
they no longer see their light ane
joy, the son of my spirit wife. MY
first and only born. Woe to Keno
coonk! Woe to the Cherokees! We
are like broken arrows or bow un
strung. We are like the witherec
leaves of autumn on the breath OF
the northern blast. The fountain Of
our joy is dry-the staff of our life
and hope is broken. W h e n will
strength return to my wariors-eyes
of my maidens again CLEAN with
pleasure? Alas! Our sun has set, ou1
light has gone out and the dark
clouds have gathered around and
settled upon US! Not a ray pierces
the darkness to m k e glad our
hearts. Our springs are dried up and
no pleasant waters moisten our dark
and burning lips. Woe to Keno
coonk! Woe to the CherokeesH
The nation was bowed down and
! the lamentations of old and Young
were borne forth upon the breezes
of the morning and evening and
swelled out upon the damp air of the
night.
! Many moons rolled away and time
was beginning to soften the grief of
the aged chief and his people when
/ Wabajanick appeared. But alas. How
changed! His eyes were cast down.
His gait was slow and solemn; and
his whole expression gloomy and de-
jected. There was rejoicing in every
wigwam, but not such rejoicing as
are free from a sense of sorrow
Every eye say that there was some
! thing heavily weighing upon his
mind of the young chief and his dis
quiet was shared by every heart
The case no longer possessed any at
fractions for him, his bow remained
unstrung, and he sat for whole days
at the door of his wigwam. His sill
ent and moody thought, his once
proud and erect head bowed down
and resting upon his hands.
In vain did his father question
him concerning his long absence
When asked where he had been he
pointed to the east and was silent.
To all other questions his only re-
ply was, eff I live you will know
all hereafter. If I die it will be use
less for you to know; but rest as
sured the son of his father, Keno
coonk, knows no disgrace.
A short time elapsed and Wabaja-
nick again disappeared; but this
time he did not go alone. Two young
braves were also missing.
"He will return again." said the
old chief; "but the trunk of the oak
is blasted. The ightnings have
shivered it. He has become as a
reed; his spirit has gone and his life
is dark with the clouds Of sorrow.
Kenocoonk will be gathered to his
20 orI h5e twill Lo 1of4
without a chief. The Evil Spirit has
possessed Wabajanick, and he has
become a woman. The pride of his
father and his tribe has been brought
low. The wings Of the young eagle
have been clipped, and the old eagle
mourns"
Plea ant were the hunting
grounds to Kenocoonk w h n he
could see his son bend the bow and
let fly the pointed arrow but now
they bring only sadness to my
heart. Had the Great Spirit taken
him from the battle-ground, red
with the blood of his foe, pride
would have mingled with my sorrow,
but to see his once manly form
bowed in weakness and his brain
much subdued, makes me all sor-
rows without ray of pleasure. Woe
to Kenocoonk! Woe to the Chero-
KEGS"
More than a moon had passed
when Wabajanick again returned
and with his, not only the two
braves who had accompanied him,
but also young girl-a mild young
creature-the admiration of all who
saw her. She was a simple child of
the forest, with a native delicacy
that caused her to shrink from the
gaze of those around her. The rich
; and varied ornaments with which
she was profusely decked showed
that she was maiden of high rank
and her features were those of the
Catawbas.
Wabajanick was no longer sad
and gloomy. The proud smile that