Sheridan High School - Bronc Yearbook (Sheridan, WY)

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THE OCKSHEPERIDA 5 bound, her arms glistening and her garded with a superstitious dread by blankets trailing over the shining, wet the Flathead tribe, and were called by rocks. The falls soon came to be re- it, the “Falls of the Misty Maiden.” The Vision of the Lake Jennie Williams, T2 Probably most of you have seen Fake De Smet, a beautiful sheet of water situated only a few miles from here. It differs from most of our western lakes in that its waters are very salty. It has no outlet and only one inlet. The Indians and early whites believed it to be bottomless. A little way north of it there stands a huge rock of volcanic formation, jutting out of a little hill and overhanging the road. The following is an old Indian legend concerning these two landmarks, which in the early days was told over many a trapper’s camp fire. Long before the white man had invaded the west, bands of Indians were in the habit of roving about the country on summer hunting excursions. They would travel in great, irregular circles, and so return in thee fall to their jiermanent winter camps. Often when there was peace among the tribes the warriors would take their women with them on these trips, for the squaws were very skillful in caring for the meat and pitching their temporary lodgings. Such a party camped one dreamy “Indian summer” evening upon the banks of the tiny stream just where its pure, sweet waters dropped noiselessly into the dark lake. It had been a very successful excursion. The strong, half- wild little ponies were heavily laden with the best parts of fat deer and buffalo. The party was nearing home and everything was conducive to jubilant feelings; so after the evening meal was done, the young braves piled light, dry brush upon the camp-fires and when the bright flame leaped high they shouted recklessly and springing high in the air. they danced wildly around the flickering fires. The spirit caught the silent, watchful maidens. They joined in the dance, gliding about the outer edge, swaying their slim bodies with a graceful rythm while the older Indians looked on from the surrounding circle where they stood or sat, the warriors in approving silence, the women chattering comments on the dancers. Most often the comments were about one dancer. “See the voung chief. Running Wolf.” “How' tall and fleet.” “Such strength and endurance.” Running Wolf could not but hear the flattering remarks, and they acted as an incentive to higher leaps and faster twirlings. But he kept his eye upon a certain girlish face, and Starlight’s eyes. Something in her expression pleased and encouraged him, for his brown, young face lighted up with satisfaction. He suddenly quitted the dance amidst loud shouts of pro-

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4 THE OCKSHEPERIDA down in the heart of Little Gopher, but in Fleetfoot’s eighteenth summer, the young Indian became unusually aggressive ana alert, Many times battle uo-pncr pursued tlie ncKle, bounding i iceuoot tnrougn me lorests and canons, out always me tall lime maiden i d d aneaa ana disappeared m tne s.iduovvs beyuiid, laugumg m derision over ner snouider ai me crestiailen iwdue ijoplier. Marry into our tribe and settle down, old 1 eliow Ueer cautioned ins w miul young uaugliter. mere are many young men wlio would gladly nave you. liut, tatlier, said Fleetfoot, wnn sparkling eyes, “1 love to tease and ouirun me young men, and make tne i v-St ot tile maidens jealous, i do not want to marry.” m spite ot tins, old Yellow Deer loved ms daughter more every day, and was always very gentle with her. Une quiet summer morning, Fleet-loot ran through the forest and up me canon near die village. Close be-in na her. followed Little Gopher, his yyes burning fiercely at the signt oi the mtrtiul maiden ahead of him. Fleet-uot feigned not to see the creeping Tattle Gopher slinking behind her, but ran on, leaping lightly from rock to rock, and playing with the chipmunks which whisked along beside her. Little Gopher ran savagely, his face distorted with anger, his fingers eager to clutch the scornful Fleet foot. Just a little way before him, the girl turned with a burst of fairy laughter, then sprang out of sight behind the rocks. Little Gopher ran wildly and again he heard the laughter behind the rocks near him. Again the Indian maiden Laped from his sight with a flutter of soft draperies. Laughing and leaping, laughing and leaping, Fleetfoot led the way, while Little Gopher, panting and tired, followed the mocking sounds. Suddenly the Indian, breathless and aj. uu, mopped to the earth and ex- u. ndcd doui Hands to tne sky. Oh, i .ai ana mignty Ood ot Wrath, • .nmole tne cruel rleettoot. Make her .Miuimt to me, a man! Soiten her ns.eut mi it flows like water.” -v new sound ecnoed tnrough the canon as mule Uopner arose, lie ran .oi ward, and as he burst torth Irom u-umd me sheltering rocks, a wonder-.m signt met his eyes. Prom tne high u us above, poured a watenall that uau never uecn there before, a dashing, .»praymg, splashing lall, winch tumbled into a tern-1 ringed basin. In its mists JUittle Gopher saw a transparent ...aiden leaping among the rocks and maid her gurgling laugh. Then she disappeared, Uoatmg like clear water into the basin. Little Gopher bowed his head. Great god, thou hast answered my prayer which 1 prayed in my passion of hatred. Thou hast made her heart flow like water. Yet I grieve -•■at it is so. ’ With a wild, wierd cry ol anguish, Little Gopher plunged in-.o the foaming basin, both arms extended to embrace the laughing mist-maiden, the lost Fleetfoot. Many days the people of the Flat-head village waited for the light steps and soft laughter of Fleetfoot; many nights old Yellow Deer lay in his tee-1 ee, grieving his heart away for his lost child. She and Little Gopher never returned. “She was a child of the r.vil One,” quoth the crafty old men, she was punished for her contempt of her people.” Many times were travelers up the canon startled with a maiden’s laugh-t-i which seemed to come from the misty falls. Some of the young Indians declared that in the summer moonlight. Fleetfoot could lie seen leaping among the spray, her misty hair un-

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THE OGKSHEPERIDA 6 test. Starlight’s eyes followed him wistfully but warily, as he made his way out of the circle of light to one of the wigwams. Presently she slipped away to her father’s lodge, and pausing near the flap, listened to the voices within. Running Wolf was asking for something with all power of his stately eloquence. She heard her own name mentioned and she well knew for what he had come to ask. For a while her father smoked silently within the dusky lodge. She could smell the pungent fragrance of the burning kennikinek. At length he spoke. “She is all that I have left,’’ he said. “She has been my. very eyes since this darkness came upon me. But I will not need her always. I know what I shall soon see the Happy Hunting Grounds.” He sat silent for a moment. “When we reach again the land of the Crows, then you may take my Starlight,” he said at last. Starlight’s heart gave a happy throb, but she turned to slip away into the darkness. A hand upon her arm detained her. “Why do you run away, little Starlight?” a passionate voice whispered in her ear, I have something to tell you.” Starlight knew what he wished to tell her but a certain shyness and a desire to put off the expected happiness yet a little longer made her plead an urgent errand to a friend’s lodge. Running Wolf reluctantly loosened his hold upon her arm. “Promise to meet me then upon the shore of the lake,” he pleaded, “promise to come there for the message.’’ Starlight promised softly and darted away from him only to turn a short distance away and watch him as he strode away, into the darkness. While he waited, pacing up and down at the trysting place on the shore of the lake, he thought he saw a bit of moss floating over the waters toward him. He stepped nearer and strained his eyes through the semi-darkness, caused by the gathering clouds and the gleaming fires behind. He stopped, startled, half-fascinated, when he saw a maiden’s face gleaming up at him through the dark water. It was a face white and beautiful like none he had ever seen before, and it rose and sank in a cloud of misty waving hair on the gentle waves just beyond his reach. He stood motionless gazing at it, until it began to throw a subtle charm over his senses. He tried to speak and ask her who she was and whence she came but his moving lips made no sound. A sudden cold fear touched his heart. Then the vision in the lake smiled and beckoned with a gleaming white hand, and Running Wolf forgot the darkeyed girl for whom he was waiting. He stepped nearer and stretched out his arms toward that tantalizing face. It floated a little farther away and beckoned again. A wild intoxication flooded his brain. He poised his life-body to plunge into the deep, black waters after the foolish vision. A timid, but warm and restraining hand touched his arm and brought him back to realities. He paused for a moment and scowled down at Starlight, who had come at last to hear the message. Then he looked again into the lake, but the face had disappeared and the water looked inky black where it had floated. He turned savagely upon the shrinking girl who had shat-