Memories of Canada and Scotland, Speeches and Verses | Page 8

green.
Strange as when on Space the voices?Of the stars' hosannahs fell,?To this wilderness of beauty?Seemed his call "Qu'Appelle? Qu'Appelle?"?For a day he tarried, hearkening,?Wondering, as he went his way,?Whose the voice that gladly called him?With the merry tones of day?
Was it God, who gave dumb Nature?Voice and words to shout to one?Who, a pioneer, came, sunlike,?Down the pathways of the sun??Harbinger of thronging thousands,?Bringing plain, and vale, and wood,?Things the best and last created,?Human hearts and brotherhood!
Long the doubt and eager question?Yet that valley's name shall tell,?For its farmers' laughing children?Gravely call it "The Qu'Appelle!"
THE BLACKFEET
I.
Where the snow-world of the mountains?Fronts the sea-like world of sward,?And encamped along the prairies?Tower the white peaks heavenward;?Where they stand by dawn rose-coloured?Or dim-silvered by the stars,?And behind their shadowed portals?Evening draws her lurid bars,?Lies a country whose sweet grasses?Richly clothe the rolling plain;?All its swelling upland pastures?Speak of Plenty's happy reign;?There the bison herds in autumn?Roamed wide sunlit solitudes,?Seamed with many an azure river?Bright in burnished poplar woods.
II.
Night-dews pearled the painted hide-tents,?"Moyas" named, that on the mead?Sheltered dark-eyed women wearing?Braided hair and woven bead.?Never man had seen their lodges,?Never warrior crossed the slopes?Where they rode, and where they hunted?Imu bulls and antelopes.?Masterless, how swift their riding!?While the wild steeds onward flew,?From round breasts and arms unburdened?Freedom's winds their tresses blew.?Only when the purple shadows?Slowly veiled the darkening plain?Would they sorrow that the Sun-god?Dearer loved his Alp's domain.
III.
Southward, nearer to the gorges?Whence the sudden warm winds blow,?Shaking all the pine's huge branches,?Melting all the fallen snow,?Dwelt the Séksika, the Blackfeet;?They whose ancestor, endued,?With the dark salve's magic fleetness,?First on foot the deer pursued.?Gallantly the Braves bore torture?While their Sun-dance fasts were held,?While the drums beat, and the virgins?Saw the pains by manhood quelled.?As each writhing form triumphant?Called on the Great Spirit's might,?On his son, whose voice in thunder?Summons airy hosts to fight.
IV.
"Star-Child," praised as bearing all things,?Praised as Brave who never feared,?Young, but famed above his elders,?Chief to man and maid endeared,?Went with comrades, quiver-harnessed,?O'er the hills, and face to face,?Where the bright leaves trembled round them,?Found the fearless huntress race?Was it peace or was it warfare??Starting back, their bows they drew,?But a mystic power compelled them,?And no word, no arrow flew.?Nearer to each other drawing,?Strength and beauty beckoned "Peace,"?Each the other envious eyeing,?Jealous lest their hunt should cease!
V.
"They are strong; could not they aid us?"?Thought the maiden band amazed;?"Conquered, these could well obey us!"?Dreamed the warriors as they gazed.?Falsely answered cunning "Star-Child,"?Smiling as they slowly met,?While the women's frequent questions?Were to laughter's music set,?"Who is chief among you, tell us?"?"He is far! Is she your queen?With the shells and deer-teeth broidered,?Decked with sheen of gold between?"?"Yea; she slays the bear, the grizzly:?Light her empire on us lies;?With the love she rules her courser?Guides and guards us 'Laughing Eyes'!"
VI.
Vaunted then the men their "Star-Child:"?"Peerless soldier, keen-eyed king!?From the girl he weds shall heroes?Worthy war-god's lineage spring.?Know ye not how old enchantment?Saw his storm-born sire appear,?Armed, upon a peak dark-lifted?O'er the snows and glaciers drear??His the darts divine, whose breaking?Thrice hath some disaster sent,?Shafts that killed and then returning,?Kept his armoury unspent."?"Give us of these arrows. Bring him!"?Cried the maidens. "Nay," they said;?"Come with us and share our hunting?Ere the autumn leaves are shed."
VII.
Answered they: "In painted lodges?Berries we have dried and meat;?Come again! e'er comes the winter,?Let us hear your horses' feet."?And they sprang into their saddles,?Swept, white-splashing, through a stream?Red and saffron hued, the pageant?Crossed the blue translucent gleam.?Then unwilling, as they vanished,?"Star-Child" slow to camp returned;?Told the council of the Blackfeet?All the marvels he had learned;?Dressed him in his chief's apparel,?Rode to where, within the glen,?Lay the trail that led him onward?To the town, unknown of men.
VIII.
From each Moya thronged the dwellers:?"Hath the chief the arrows sent?"?"I am Chief; behold me; trust me.?Lead me to your ruler's tent."?"He hath not the shafts enchanted;?Thus unarmed came never chief!"?Bent a thousand bows around him:?"Back or die, impostor, thief!"?Angry, yet afraid to anger,?Lest he lose those "Laughing-Eyes,"?He, obeying, vowed to conquer;?Scorning to make vain replies,?Went; and weary seemed the journey!?All along the yellow plain?Red as rose-leaves in the grasses?Flushed his dusky cheeks with pain.
IX.
Grave, in silent circles seated?'Neath their Moya's smoke-tanned cone,?Round the fire his chieftains heard him,?Holding each a pipe's red stone.?Pausing long, they gave their counsel,?Different from their wont; for here?All the young men spoke for kindness,?All the old men were severe.?But the Braves rode forth at morning,?Half the magic darts they bore;?Pledge so precious of their friendship?None had thought to give before!?To the huntress nation welcome,?Waking song in every tent,?Where the hours were passed in feasting?And the days to love were lent!
X.
Thus the maidens were the victors,?For to them the warriors came:?"Laughing-Eyes" but loved the "Star-Child"?When his shafts her own became.?Ah! but where is man or woman?Who may boast of triumph long??Nought