The west shore., July 01, 1884, Page 225, Image 25

THE WEST SHORE.
225
their love. As a last resort, both were put in close con
finement by their families, hut one dny they excnped and
fled together to the wilderness, resolved, if need be, to
perish amid the giant pines and beetling crags of the
mountains rather than forfeit the love which had become
a part of their very being.
In a lonely glen, far up the mountain side, where a
cool stream rushing through its rocky channel alone dis
turbed the solitude of Nature, they built a small hut of
boughs beneath the wide-spreading branches of a giant
spruce. Here they lived in perfect happiness, undis
turbed by thoughts of Btern parents and cruel laws. In
the daytime they wandered about hand in hand, or when
in need of food, the gentle Kinda-wiss reclined on the
grassy bailk of the stream, while her lover, with bow in
hand, hunted through the surrounding forest, or with his
rude hook and line caught the delicious trout hiding in
the shady pools of the brook. No matter whither they
roamed, the approach of nightfall found them again at
their little hut beneath the umbrageous spruce.
Thus passed the long summer days; but when winter
approached to bind with icy fingers the waters of the
brook and cover deep with snow their well-known traib
through the forest; when the gentle zephyrs, which had
seemed like the whisperings of good spirits watching
over them as they sat by the rill or walked beneath the
gently swaying branches of the pines, were about to turn
into chilling blasts and howling tempests, they knew that
something must be done. Quissam-quedus decided to
visit the village, but timid Kinda-wiss preferred the soli
tude and dangers of the forest to the stern rebukes and
harsh treatment of her parents, and remained in their
sylvan retreat alone. Two days he was to bo absont, and
to make the time seem shorter the maiden accompanied
her lover on his journey as far as Bhe could go without
danger of losing the trail back to their bower in the glen.
At last they parted, and the young brave hastened to the
village.
When Quissam-quedus reached his father's house he
received a joyful welcome, for he had been as one lost;
but when he told his parents that Kinda-wiss had been
with him, they became very angry and again confined
him in the family lodge. He was informed that he would
be kept a prisoner until Kinda-wiss should-return to the
village. In vain he entreated, and raved, end endeavored
to escape. His soul was torn with agony at the thought
of the gentle Kinda-wiss left alone in the recesses of the
dark forest, grieved by his desertion, terrified by the
dangers and solitude of tho wilderness, and unable to
obtain food or find her way out to reach the village. At
last, as the maiden did not appear, they began to fear
they had been too hasty, and listened to tho supplication
of the youth that he might be permitted to go in search
of her and rescue her from danger, if she were still aliva
They gave him his liberty, and with o supply of pro
visions he plungod again into the forest to seek his love.
Heedless of drooping branches and mountain torrents,
the anxious lover rushed madly on, until he reached the
littlo glen just as the crimson tints of the declining iun
were fading from the mountain peaks. There stxd tho
little bower, but no Kinds wiss was there to lirten for
his returning footsteps. " All was silent and lonely. He
called her name, but the rushing waters of the brook
alone replied, while the branches of the pines seemed to
droop in sorrow. Thinking she might havo wandered
farther than was her wont, he built a hugo lwaoou fire to
guide hor return. All night long ho fed tho crackling
flames and listened for tho voice of his loved one, but tho
morning Bunboams alone camo to auswer tho call of his
signal fire.
By tho light of returning day ho sought eagerly for a
clue by which ho could learn how long she had, boon
absent, and was soon satisfied that she had not been in
the glon for a nnmbor of days, if, indeed, hIio had over
returned after they started hand in hand down the moun
tain. Believing that sho had gono out to meet him ami
had lost her way in the forest, ho set out in search of
her. Day after day did ho pursuo his lonely quest
through tangled woods and over rugged mountains, wan
dering almost aimlessly, but always moving as if iniHlled
by a suporhuman power, and never relaxing tho vigilanco
of his search. Ever and anon ho raised his head and
shouted "Kinda-wiss!" and tho distant crags faintly
answered " Kinda-wiss! Kinda-wiss!" Days passed into
weeks, and still he Boughtthis lovo amid tho deepest soli
tudes of the forest and tho darkest canyons of the moun
tains. At last he returned to tho village fur aid, and his
mournful talo roused the sympathy of his former youth,
ful companions, who followed him buck to aid him in his
lonely task. In vain they searched. Neither mountain,
nor forest, nor stream gave them tho slightest traoo of
the lost one. Boon their zeal abated, and tho young
braves one by one returned to tho village, leaving the
broken-honrtwl lover once moro alono witli his grief.
Now did tho parent of Kinda-wiss reproach themselves
for their harshness, but it was too late, and they could
only mourn for their lost daughter.
Year after year Quissain-quitdus roamed through tho
forest, hoping to find his lost bride, until it was ono day
projHed to seek the aid of an old seer who had lately
come among them. Tho thiimin asked if any relic of tho
maiden had been found, and tho lover produced a small
article of wearing apparel sho had left behind in the
bower beneath the shady spruce. By moans of this tho
shumin traced her in Iter wanderings from tho time tho
youth bado her adieu on tho mountain. At last he told
thorn sho was living in n hollow tree by the side of a large
lake, that sho was the wife of the king of tho bnars, and
had two sons. Fastened to the tree, n huge cedar 'near
tho outlet of tho lake, was it ladder, down wliirli sho
would come if they would stand ut the tree's Inimi uitd
sjmak her name.
Accompanied by some of his companions, Quissaiu.
quodus hastened ill tho direction tho mIiuihIh indiruUI,
and aftor many days of toilsome journey reached tho lake
and stood at the foot of the giant cnlar, up whoso side
he saw the ladder rising. He spoke her nam softly, and
the bead of Kirola-wiss was thrust from the aperture