Poker Jim, Gentleman, and Other Tales and SketchesLydston, G. Frank (George Frank)
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Poker Jim, Gentleman, and Other Tales and Sketches
Lydston, G. Frank (George Frank)
American fiction; Short stories, American
“The ardent passion of new found love leaves room for no other
sentiment, and his people soon found Th-toch-a-nu-lah sadly changed.
He went no more upon the hunt or fierce foray; the savage bear no
longer cowered and trembled at the dread sound of his footstep amid
the mountains; his enemies blanched not, nor quaked with fear at the
thunder of his voice. The sachem was no longer the wise counsellor and
devoted ruler; he was like a new and strange being, and his neglected
people marvelled much, and beheld the change with sorrow.
“Every morning was Tu-toch-a-nu-lah to be found eagerly wending his way
to the rocky dome where he first saw the lovely Tis-sa-ack. He laid
love offerings of wild flowers and the fruit of the bread pine upon the
rocky dome, and awaited her coming with all the ardor of one upon whose
heart love has but newly smiled. But only when he was far distant from
the dome on which she sat enthroned would the beautiful maiden appear
before his dazzled vision.
“Pursue her as quickly as he might, he caught her not. He heard but
the faint and far-away sound of her footsteps, gentle as the falling
of an autumn leaf, and the soft rustle of her wings as the unpitying
wind blew their snowy, bewildering down into his longing eyes. He might
devour with passionate glances her beautiful, shining form; he might in
thought revel in her glory of golden hair; he might even look from afar
into the limpid depths of her gentle blue eyes, yet was he never to
clasp his loved one to his bosom. Struck dumb by her wondrous beauty,
never did he speak before her, and never again did her sweet-toned
voice fall like the tinkle of rippling brooks upon his enamored ear.
“And with the full blossoming of the flower of love in the heart of
the sagamore came neglect of duty. His all absorbing passion swallowed
up all regard for the welfare of his people--all remembrance of the
beautiful valley for which he had ever so tenderly cared. The world
was lost and found in Tis-sa-ack. So all consuming was his passion for
her, so constant his thoughts of her, that the crops of Yosemite were
neglected--aye, forgotten, and they, being without rain and deprived
of his tender care, drooped their delicate heads mournfully and
shrank away and died. The breezes whistled and sighed sadly through
the juiceless blades of the wild corn that rustled in shrivelled dry
response that had naught of life in it. The grass and leaves lost their
freshness and turned autumnal brown--sure harbinger of death. The
flowers lost their freshness and beauty and their petals fell to the
dry earth, one by one, while the bee no longer stored sweet honey in
the hollow trees.
“Dazzled were the eyes of Tu-toch-a-nu-lah by the shining wings, golden
hair and ivory throat of the beautiful maiden, and he saw none of this.
Love had blinded him to all save its object.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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