Democratic Ideals: A Memorial Sketch of Clara B. Colby. Olympia Brown

crescent moon was on her head. A gourd,

      The earth to water, in one hand she held.

      The lightning serpent, emblem of the earth's

      Fertility, the other grasped. Her path

      A shining light appeared, like streamlet's gleam

      On sunny day, but in the distance lost

      In mist and shadow;—for Unktaha fair

      Not only rules the waters, but the night

      As well, and governs then the dreams of men.

      For when in morning's glow you rise refreshed, —

      The spectres gone which frightened you last e'en,

      The burdens lightened which oppressed you sore, — ​

       You feel new hope, new courage for the day, For noble deeds and lofty plans,—be sure That this kind goddess by your couch has stood.

      To Wakan thus she spake:—

      "Great Spirit dread, Far Westward is thy palace high from whence Thou send'st me to refresh this arid plain. I caused my streams to flow through all this land, And on their banks I planted stately trees, And blooming shrubs, and climbing vines. With flowers

      I gemmed the prairies o'er, and set the stars, My jewels, in the clear sky close and low. •

      "Glad made the heart of every living thing As in some swiftly flowing stream I worked, Or in the gently falling dew, or oft In air above. I thus prepared the land To woo to its embrace the passers-by: And then by night I whispered soft and low In white man's ears in dreams, and bade him seek The promised Eldorado in the West.

      "As through my land he passed in search of gold, I marked his path with flowers that sunward turned Their yellow disks f that he might know the way, When Fortune frowned upon him, to return Where kindly Nature, with unbounded wealth, Awaited patient, long-enduring toil.

      "I warned the Red Man of his coming doom, — Of slow decay and death,—but bade him hope A Savior from the East, and happier life In distant lands towards the sunny South."

      e On account of the rarity of the atmosphere in this Western country the stars can be seen in greater abundance, and much nearer the horizon than in other parts.

      £ The trail of the early grold-hunters across the Western plains was long marked by sunflowers. ​

      HAOKAH, THE STORM-SPIRIT FROM THE ROCKIES.

      Now glancing fiercely at Unktaha, he

      The giant king, Haokah, forward came,

      One side his face was lurid red, and one

      An ashen gray. His hands held thunderbolts.

      Forked lightnings played around his horned head.

      He glared with wrath, as though unwilling he

      Acknowledged aught above: Then thus began:

      "O Wakan, where the Western breezes dwell I live and brew the storms which terrify. Dread famine, wars, and pestilence, and fire, My children are. On wings of mighty wind, I traveled to and fro through this broad land Contending for it with thine other gods. I dried the streams and drove away the game. The Indian, forced by want of food, made war Upon his brother brave. I told him then To murder thy white children, and to shed The blood of women and of babes. I blew With my hot breath upon the prairie grass, And tall flames through the country swept, the trees, The food, the houses burning. Homeless then The people were cast out, with all the slow Increase of years in one fell moment lost. Ha! How I laughed as the mad flame swept along, And with its fiery arm embraced to death The helpless mother and her babes. In scorn I said, 'Where now is Wakan? he has given This land to me/

      "Then by a strong west wind I brought from mountains far the locust fierce, I blew them o'er the land, so that the sun Was darkened, and they covered the whole earth, Destroying every herb, and all the fruit, And all green things, so naught to eat was left; And Famine, with gaunt face, stalked in the homes, And drove from thence the suffering, starving men. ​

      O, what a wail of anguish there arose From this sad, stricken land. It made my heart Grow mad with joy, because when they had dared Defy my power, they met their just reward.

      "But all this, Wakan, have I done in vain. A stronger god than I pursues my steps; My children he has bound, and under foot He tramples them and laughs my power to scorn. In place of war and desolation, peace abounds; And when I send my storms to blast, behold, The earth is greener than before. If thou Secure, can'st know what 'tis to chafe against The bars of adverse fate, my former power To me restore."

      His angry speech was done.

      WAUHKEON, SPIRIT OF THE PRESENT.

      (The Predicted Savior).

      (The Lakotahs had a prophecy of a great Helper for their race to come from the East).

      Wauhkeon, then, the brightest of the gods, — And ruling Spirit of the present time, Stood forth. On him the light of early dawn, The Star of Morning, on his forehead shone. The birds broke forth in sweetest songs as thus He spake:—

      "Spirit, by whom all things exist, All homage be to thee forever paid. All other gods, what time their work is done, Shall vanish into naught; but thou shalt still Securely reign o'er all created things.

      "When, for the furtherance of thy wise plans, To this fair land from far thou summon 'dst me, I came; and girded with thy strength, I have Subdued the powers opposed to thy design. ​

      Thy messages of mercy I have given

      Unto this downcast people, and with faith

      And patience, they have borne their ills, and now

      They garner up their harvests. From afar

      Thy children I have brought to till the soil,

      And now they live content in happy homes.

      Nebraska rivers sail my boats, and turn

      My mills with ceaseless whirr. All up and down

      The country's breadth I've laid my iron roads

      On which my fiery, tireless steed conveys

      The wealth and commerce of a prosperous State.

      Thine altars rise on every hill and point

      Their tapering spires to heaven; and thy best gift

      To man—the knowledge of thy works and thee

      Is jrrowing clearer with each opening day."

      WAKONDA'S CHARGE TO THE GUARDIAN SPIRITS.

      Then Wakan spake with grave, majestic words:—

      "Ye Guardian Spirits of my fair young State, Ye have done well. Heyokah from the North, Tis well that thou did'st stand the Red Man's friend.

      To lead him in the hunt, to mingle in His sports, to fight his battles, to protect Him from his foes, and teach him of his gods. But grieve not that thy work is well nigh done. The Red Man needs must perish from these plains Because the march of progress he prevents. The world must prosper, though a people cease. But I, their Maker, will not them forget; Not all shall die; a remnant shall be saved; And, settled on the soil, shall strong become, And learn the arts of industry and peace."

      "And thou, serene Unktaha, bless the earth With thy continued rule; thy streams shall run More swift and clear, thy dews more kindly fall; The grass shall spring at thy approach, ​And flowers bloom beneath thine airy tread;

       And in the silent watches of the night,

       When thou shalt whisper in the dreamer's ear,

       To lofty enterprise and noble deeds,