THE LEGEND OF WACONDA. 401 



that some fond lovers should have jumped down it, 

 hand-in-hand, in sight of the cruel parents, who 

 struggle up the incline, only to be rewarded by the 

 heart-rending finale. This, then, is 



THE LEGEND OF WACONDA. 



Many moons ago — no orthodox Indian story ever 

 commenced without this expression — a red maiden, 

 named Hewgaw, fell in love. (And I may here be 

 permitted to quote a theory of Alderman Sachem's, 

 to the effect that Eve's daughters generally fall into 

 every thing, including hysterics, mistakes, and the 

 fashions.) Hewgaw was a chief's daughter, and en- 

 couraged a savage to sue for her hand who, having 

 scalped but a dozen women and children, was only 

 high private or "big soldier." Chief and lover were 

 quickly by the ears, and the fiat went forth that Wa- 

 bog-aha must bring four more scalps, before aspiring 

 to the position of son-in-law. This seemed as impos- 

 sible as Jason's task of old. War had existed for 

 some time, and, as there was no chance for surprises^ 

 scalp-gathering was a harvest of danger. 



There seemed no alternative but to run for it, and 

 so, gathering her bundle, Hewgaw sallied out from 

 the first and only story of the paternal abode, as 

 modern young ladies, in similar emergencies, do 

 from the third or fourth. Through the tangled 

 masses of the forest, the red lovers departed, and 

 just at dawn were passing by the Waconda Spring, 

 into whose waters all good Indians throw an offer- 

 ing. Wa-bog-aha either forgot or did not wish to 



