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Kansas University Weekly.
were to go, hand in hand, to the woods, returning when the sunset gun was fired as signal that the ceremony was over.
But Toya had slipped away from the drunken company, and was speeding away to the eastward, hardly knowing what she was doing. This time she did not stop on the hill-top but sped on to the rocky bluffs beyond, where the sumacs and the willows grew in matted tangles. There she stopped, panting and trembling.
Oh! Fleetfoot! Is there no way? Must I endure slavery and drudgery all my life? Is there no God in Heaven?"
She looked about her as if seeking some means of escape. An ugly, flat-headed snake lay stretched out full length on the rocks, basking in the rays of the setting sun. The old, old legend flashed into Toya's mind: Many, many years ago when the Great Spirit ruled the land, men and maidens read their fate in the eyes of the rattle-snake. Why not she? With great care, she slipped a buckskin noose over the ugly head, and deftly tied each end of the thong to a sumac bush. The eyes of the reptile flashed fire, and he darted his tongue in and out, and lashed his tail in a perfect frenzy of anger. But Toya gazed long and steadily into the evil eyes. Nothing of fate could she see.
The sun was sinking lower and lower, and she must return to misery and to—but wait, surely there is a picture in the reptile's fascinating eyes seven white stone-buildings around a quadrangle!
The eyelids of the maiden drooped lower and and lower, and gently, as a tired, sleepy child, she laid her cheek upon the snake's ugly head.
The sun had set. The serpent had slipped his noose, and glided away through the sumacs; but Toya slept. The west wind sang softer and ever softer,
"Fair as the sumac was the Cherokee maiden.
Fair as the stumac was the Cherokee maiden. Lithe as the willow was the Cherokee maiden Fleet as the wind was the Cherokee maiden Gone, gone, gone;"
and the sumacs and the red willows waved their branches to and fro, to and fro, sighing as if they had secrets to tell, for Toya, the Cherokee maiden, had been sold for a horse, sold to a snake. ETHEL A. HICKEY.
Sander's Future.
Will Sanders was by far the brightest man on the staff of the Daily News. All the boys themselves admitted it and the managing editor showed very plainly that he thought so too. Whenever there was an extra piece of work to be done which required the best man he was always sure to send for Sanders. "That man has a future before him," he was heard to remark one day and the sentiment was echoed by those who heard it.
Sanders was young; in fact he had just turned twenty, and having completed his course at an Eastern college determined to come West and try his hand at journalism, a profession for which he had always had a liking. He was small in stature and on account of his auburn hair and freckled face, which at first sight gave him countrified appearance, as well as on account of his name he was soon known by all as "Sandy." He was sociable and congenial, never had what is termed the blues and was seldom discouraged. He had a habit of slightly cocking his head to one side when listening to any one or any thing which gave him a characteristic appearance.
But Sandy had one bad trait. He was so congenial that he could never refuse an invitation to drink and on account of his popularity opportunities were never lacking to gratify what soon became a sordid appetite. As the days went by the time between drinks was materially shortened until he was accustomed to carrying what is vulgarly termed "a large sized jag."
One day the wires reported a destructive cyclone at a small village not far from the city and news being scarce the managing editor determined to send Sandy out for a full write up of the affair. But unfortunately for Sandy he met one of his boon companions on his way to the depot and loitering in a saloon they soon became blind to everything but mirth and song. Time fled merrily by to them but when the first edition was held as late as possible in order to print Sandy's cyclone write up and no write up came, the managing editor became furious and when Sandy appeared at the office he peremptorily discharged him.