The herald and news. (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, November 24, 1908, Page SEVEN, Image 7
* STARLIGHT.
*-*
* By Esper.
*
* *** * * ** * * * ***
Wr en For The Herald and News..
as in the long, long ago. when.
the vast forests echoed to the light
foot flal of the red man, when over
th:e gn tat river his birei anoe glidei
like a phanton. 'Twas on a balmy
morning in June, that the stillness of
the waters was broken by an oar pro
pelled by a young and girlish hand.
Starlight, the granddaughter of the
ruling chieftain, War Eagle, with her
English governess, taken captive by
the Indians, four years before, were
out upon the blue waters of Niagara,
below the great falls. Starlight was
the daughter of an Englishman who
had long since crossed to the Happy
Hunting Grounds, followed by his
fond Indian wife, leaving little Star
light to the care of her devoted grand
father. Rightly she had been called;
her tresses, '"black as the raven's
wing," had not the straightness of
the Indian's locks, but fell in heavy
ringlets upon a clear olive brow and
over a slender, rounded figure. Her
lips were red as those of any Eng
lish beauty, but her eyes were her
great charm, deeply brown, expres
sive. shaded by long, curling lashes.
bright as the evening star.
"Dorothy Leigh, you know I would
not marry a white man. The hum- I
mingbird should not mate with the
lark. My father loved my mother, but
I know there were moments when he
longed for a companion who could un
derstand him 'more thoroughly than
could my beautiful Indian mother.
He never complained, but child as I
was, I could feel a wild unrest about
him when he would take me in his
arms and walk for miles beside these
waters, sometimes in silence, some
times telling me of England and the
English life. I shall marry one of
my own tribe; but my noble Rainbow
has been taught English by you and
myself so thoroughly that we can live
out our lives in the English way, my
Rainbow is superior to any white
man I ever saw, except my father."
The girl's low, musical voice grew
sad as she spoke of the father she had
so dearly loved.
-"You are right, Starlight, it is all
right to 'hitch your wagon to a star,'
but sometimes the gearing breaks and
the poor wagon falls to destruction.
When will you and Rainbow go to
your own wigwam?''
"Next month we will slip away
quietly to the white friend who two
years ago saved Rainbow's life, as
you know, by shooting that awful
bear; he will bring with him a real
minister, and we will be married in
the white folks way.''
Something like a tear glistened in
the blue eyes of the tall, fair girl,
over whose sunny head bare twenty
oe su'mmers had passed. She was'
dreaming of that other June, four
years ago, when her lover had placed
'the betrothal ring upon her finger,
ere he sailed for England. He
would return the following June and
claim his bride-alas, the red manL
claimed his capt-ive months before
the wedding day. Now, only long
years of captivity stretched before
the girl, safely protected by the lit
tle queen of the tribe, Starlight.
'Twas evening, in front of War.
Eagle's wigwam sat Starlight, Dor
othy, the old chieftain and a few
braves, quietly t:lking of the latest
bear hunts, telling stories of the huge
snakes which had been seen of late,
etc. Rainbow entered and stood near
Starlight, his tall, broad-shouldered
form seeming to tower above all the
company, his fine face expressive of
deep feeling and intellect. A little
thrill of joy sent the blood tingling
more joyously through Starlight's
veins. He was all her own and he was
magnificent. There was the sound of
hurrying, stealthy steps, and a dozen
braves emerged -from the shadows of
the night.
"0 Great War Eagle. I have a mes
sage for thee: I sat alone by the
whirlpool and the Evil'Spirit spoke
to me in a whisper that no other mor-'
tal could hear: he bade me say to
thee that the Evil Spirit la very ani
grv, and unless there is a sacrifie
given to him tomorrow the pale face
will take away our land and drive'
the red man far' toward the setting
sun..'
It was Raven, the p-ophet of the
tribe, who spoke. Often he came with
messages from the Evil Spirit.
"What shall the sacrifice be t'
asked War Eagle. in an awed tone.
"The Evil Spirit said to me that
tomorrow, when the shadows point to
the north. the loveliest of our maid
ens shall he placed in War Eagle's
own canoe, and allowed! to drift ovr
yonder Falis: thus shall the Evit
spirit be appeased.''
A strange numbness cropt over
otali+t she was the loveliest of all
ed pride and pm1. SorrowfyllY the
LYes of all were tirned upon her.
"Farther, the Evil Spirit called the
maiden by name-Starlighit." Some
thing like a sob broke the prophet's
voice, for even he loved the beauteou?
maiden. Rainbow stepped forward
:11(1 vaut,lt his hw wore firmly.
Starlight is my o\wII. shCe sal 11o
be a sacrifice.'
--Theii.n my brave. the Evil S'irit
will (om1e and leaid ilh pale faces
aainst our wigwams, they will scat
ter the noble Indian east and west.
our chieftains will fall beneath their
blows, and our maidens will be taken
captive."
A terrible silence ensued. Star
light sank upon the deerskin at her
grandfather's feet, a look of intense <
pleading in the great, fawn-like eyes.
"My child, thou must sacrifice thy
self for thy people and thy home."
With tears streaming down his fur
rowed cheeks War Eagle pronounced
the sentence. No cry escaped the lips
of the young victim. but through her
mind dashed a thousand sweet possi
bilities of the future, a thousand
memories of the past.
Mad with grief, Rainbow strode
from the gleaming firelight, out into
the darkness until he stood beside the
great cataract, only a few hundred
yards distant. Slowly the moon rose
above the horizon. gilding with silver
glory the great mass of water which
swept over the precipice, laughing
like a child as it springs to its play.
The white mist rose high in the air,
falling gently upon the Indian's fev
ered brow. He heeded not the beau
ty aro'und him, for over those ver\
falls a light canoe would tomorrow
bear his Starlight to her do-Im.
The notes of a. whilpoorwill
sounded upon the night air. 'Twas
the call of the bird most feared b%
the tribe, but mournfully Rainbow
answered with the same call: it wasi
a secret signal between himself and
Harold Grantham the young man
whom he had often met in the quiet
night hours, to talk of thev great
world, never to betray his people. The
Indian's gratitude to the young Eng
lishman knew no bounds, especially
when he thought of the hour when
the jaws of a huge bear had almost
closed upon the neck of the vouna
brave. Slowly he followed the sound
and soon stood beside a very strange
looking figure, which half crouched
in the shadow.
"Rainbow, do not be frightened,
I have tonight disguised myself as;
the Evil Spirit, for a good purpose."
He stepped into the moonlight, and
Rainbow felt a wild desire to flee, so
terrible was the apparition. The fi
gre was clad in black, from head to
foot. On his head were horns, one
side of his face was a copper color,
the other blood-red.
"Come, Rainbow, smile, tell me 1
look like a very Evil Spirit. What
man, you are sad, I knew it by your
response to my signal. Tell me all."
Sinking upon a boulder the Indiani
poured out his sorrow, in a low whis
per.
"Rinbow, this outrage shall not be
committed. We will save Starlight,
nd her young governess, you neve1
before told me there was a captive
maiden amid your people. Come
closer and listen to my plans and you
must carry them through.''
The Indians still sat mournfully
beside the fire, not a word was being*
uttered when Rainbow madly dashed
i:to their midst, cari-ying a silver eup:
in 'i uad. a huge :-bvn jeg:1 in the
other.
"I ha~ve not only neard, but have
scn the Evil Spirit. I was walking
1e4i. & the river when I heard a whip
oirwiIl call, then another answered,
and lo, a terrible object appeared be
fore me; it was the Evil Spirit. He
bade me say to thee, 0 Great War
Eagle, that tonight he would visit
your wigwamn. we moust all remain
here until he comes. He gave me this
nectar, brewed on the Happy Hunt
ina Grounds. hade me say to each of
vo, chieftains and braves that you
mst drink of it before lie comes, o1
failing that a terrible calamity would
befall the tribe. He is very angr',
sas that ronight he will demand a
sacrifice.'
A low <-ry oft terror Ce1cpd the lips
of thle nob)le red ien, thiey could face
a mortal foe, but this~ supernatural
being inspired them with deepest fear.
Quickly Rainbow passed the cup.
Eagerly they drank down the li
quid, feeling more joyous and peace
ful with each drop. Well had Harold
Grantham counted the effect when he
put the innocent-looking powder in
the jug of 'fire water '-it might have
been a small dose of bromo-seltzei,
but to a dru2gist it would have had
he app3earaw-~e of a drule called mor
uhne. Thec whit e settlers wvere to
icht movIing& ab)out twenty miles up
to r'iver. where th lPSWift-flowinia
Niaar wrn from Lake Erie. to
joi another body of settlers, so lest
trhey beiterefered with, brave and
ti the pie of th lEvil Spirit. bring
Ig the nectar I izi Rainbow was I
Ast nIw listrihutii in fhe vaue ot
:ie lov-ely Starliadht.
More, more; drink. R;ainbow.' r
I-ged War Eagle.
No. the Evil Spirit said ! may not. t
'irtake. I. also'. :!II doo''ned t, he :i y
:i ieI.'
A t:! >rm em1:1ed tnrI T 1 t rk- 1
I:M i (odI ill ite Id'lIt I tlie
r : Idins. TIe hide(us fa I
ooked unearthly in 'the fliekering c
:irelight. A low moan broke from 1
he lips of the braves.
Rainbow stepped forward: " *Tis
he Evil Spirit, and lie bids me in- I
erpret. He is still very angry, he
;avs that lie must have a sacrifice, not t
)i;ly of Starlight, but of the pale face 4
naiden, and Rainbow, this very night 1
ve must be given to him, or the white t
nan will fall upon us before the
norning and the red man will roam
:he forest no more."
Rainbow delivered the words with
ALLEY THREE-STORY.
:errible emphasis. The ernmbling
)raves looked once again upon the
nwfu-l countenance. The long fingers
beld tiny pieces of wood, which he
lrew shiarply aeross his black-robed
hest. sparks and flames flew fron
1hem. Tily this was the Evil Spirit.
"Let them go.. Great War Eagzle. ot
he guns of the pale faces will la.
wvery brave and chiefrain low.
'hose were the final xvoi-ds with I
hich Rainbow fixed the decision. A
ow cry came from Dorothy's lips, as
he looked into the eyes which shone
o brightly through the hideouh
iiask: there could be no other eyes in
lie world like her lover's. no voice I
ike the one which now spoke to i
Rainbow. The,Indians took i" as a
en of fear. but to the Evil Spirit.
rl'-'eI it was the joyons ery of his
o m1-mourned love.
Something like a tear stole down
he furrowed cheek of War Eagle:
"Go, my children, you are a sacri
ice for my people. The old chieftain
mill mourn you beside this river, when
-he moonbeams are shining on the
;tream.'
The Evil Spirit spread out his 4
ands in blessing and the four swiftly 14
ided into 'the darkness. 1
"Rainbow, we must take the maid- ]
mns in our arms and make all possi-i
le haste to the spot four miles up
che river, where my boat lies at an
hor, you know the place.'' In a low1
whisper Harold gave the order. He
ifted the light form of Dorothy
[eigh in his arms and whispered gent-:
ty:
"Dorothy, my long-mourned little1
ne, we must not speak again until
we are safely beyond danger."
Two miles lay between them and
the Indian tribe ere either spoke.
Rainbow, bearing the happy Starlight
in his young arms, was a short dis
bance in advance of his companions;
Efarold Grantham again spoke in a
low whisper:
"My darling, it is as though the
earth had given up her dead, I have
inourned you all these years. Rain-t
bow never spoke of a captive maid.- -
en until tonight, then he did not men
-Who
Gets
Pres
Whoever the favore
be sure they will be
gift not only means
also infiniPe pleasure
of the family to see
it will bring the fortL
1 have three han<
the boys also three f
those that are not 1
one of the handson
three hundred pour
amount of candy 3
governed by the am
hold. I have the bes
and IOc. CHINA in
Mues' 9
. i i e- m ne. o 1 iever 61re:unea
o I u i 111 in the fireliglit, be
w the great Falls of Niagara."
--le often spoke to Starlight and
It%self of his 'English friend,' but
iever uttered your name. How often
ave I dr,amed that you had come
o reseuce me. that we were happy to
e.1her. wheii I awoke the sorrow was I
tit, re !an I conld bear.'' The
ioh- were shaking the girl's frame.
--Now. darliin, the morning of jo%
ms broken iilon us; when morning
'om1IIs to lie 0graV old world we will
ie with friends; when the evening
hadows again fall the minister will
peak the words that give to me my
)orothy. to Rainbow his Starlight."
Removing his mask for an instant
he young man's face showed hand
ome but very white, in the moon
ight. his great brown eves scanned
ie lovely girlish face; their lips mdt
n one long caress. Hurriedly he
eplaced the mask, lest the Evil Spir
t might need to be in evidence with
one wandering red man.
Morning broke, clear and beautiful,
iver the upper Niagara, touching with
oft brilliance the quiet waves of old
ake Erie. as the boat touched the
hrF. Fond friends gathered about
Iarld (irantham and his party, wel
omed Starlight as the daughtter of
Im Old-time friend. also her Indian
iride-groom-eleet; they should al
VaYs find a home and a welcome amid
Ia.rold' people: but warmest and
eidere:t was the welcome to beauti
ul Dorothy Leigh. as her mother and
ather took the girl in their arms and
vept and laghed, by turns.
Rainbow looked upon the kind
aees,. then turned to the soft-flowing
iver. so (uiet, so peaceful, so unlike
hi ose 11hundering waters. far below.
vhere his Starlight' would have this
lay met her doom. Taking Starlight
;Y the hand he lifted his eyes to the
Aue -Zky anIl spoke in musical Eng-!
ish:
"May the Great Spirit bless the
,vbite man and give him peace and
>rosperity."'
Esper.
A Methodist minister was much
innoyed by one of his hearers fre
juently shouting out during the
>reaching, "Glory!" "Praise the
[rd!' and the like. Though often
eproved, the happy member persisted
n expressing himself.
One day the minister invited him to
:ea and. ,to take his mind from
houghts of praise, handed him a
cientifie book, full of dry facts and
igures, to pass the time before tea.
Presently the minister was startled
>v a sudden outburst of "Glory!"
Haleluiah!" and "Praise the
Lord!"
"What is the matter, man?" asked
:he minister.
"Why, this book says the sea is five
niles deep?"
"Well, what of that?"
"Why, the Bible says my sins have
een east into the depths of the sea,
nd if it is that deep I need not be
afraid of their ever coming up again.
Glory!"
The minister gave up hopes of re
Eorming him. .
the
fsome
ents?
d ones are you can
delighted. Such a
a glad surprise, but
for every member
the happiness that
mate child.
some presents for
or the girls, and for
ortunate in getting
ae presents I have
ds of can'dy. The
'ou will get will be
ount of tickets you
t assortment of 5c.
Newberry.
;Ok Store.
A Che4
No 2 the los
* careless
T HIS method demands that
you keep your money
in t-e bank where we employ ch
every means to make it se- ar
cure. We are responsible for sig
loss when funds are in our by
care. We give you safety. ga
This is an absolutely
which the bank furnishi
The Comtiieri
NEWBERRI
JNO. M. KINARD, 0. B, MA
President. Vice-Pre.
What Goo
Does fo.
It helps you over the hills.
It gives you the right start in the
It chases the blues, clears the
ispires impulse and appetite for vs
It puts you in a cheerful and car
ertake that work, making a profits
But, mark you, good Coffee is ni
There is little enough of that kin
Robust, fuming, aromatic Coffee
flavor, and harmless stimulation.
Coffee that. as the French say, i
a cold man warm, a warm man gl<
Such Coffee can be had, if you t:
We have found it out and have
learn of the merits of "Barrington I
Our Stock of Fancy and Stal
Specialties for'
are arriving and we are in position
ost fastidious with table delicacie
Everything "got
JONES' 61
YOUR BA
THE NEWBERRY $
Capital $50,000 - -,
No Matter How Small,
The Newberry S
viii give it careful atten
topias tote en a. h
:k Account prevents
; of money by theft,
ness or accident.
V ITH your money in the
bank, vou may issue a
-ck against it. Your checks
good only when properly
ned, and c:m be ca-hed only
the party to whom you
ve it, who must endorse it.
safe convenience
es without charge
ial Bank,
e, S. C.
YER, J. Y. McFALL,
;ident. Cashier.
d Coffee
r You.
morning.
fog, rouses mental activity,
ork.
fident frame of mind to un
ble pleasure of it.
~cessary to do this.
d available.
, which is rich in fragrance,
nakes a sad man cheerful,
>wing, and an old man young.
~ke the trouble to find it out.
t in stock, call on us and~
all", "Vigoro" and "Siesta".
le Groceries is Complete
[hanksgiving
to supply the denmands of the.
>d to eat" at
IOCEDY,
.NKINQ!
AVINGS DANK,
- Surplus $30,000
No Matter How Large,
avngs Bank
Lion. This message~
i women alike.
... E. -NORWOOD,
Cas':ier.