And the eyes of the brave strangers beamed
on the maid in the midst of her slumber.

She lacked not admirers;
the light of the lover oft burned in her teepee--
At her couch in the midst of the night,
--but she never extinguished the flambeau.
The son of Chief Wazi-kute
--a fearless and eagle plumed warrior--
Long sighed for Winona, and he
--was the pride of the band of Isantees.
Three times, in the night, at her bed,
had the brave held the torch of the lover, [75]And thrice had she
covered her head
and rejected the handsome Tamdoka. [a]

[a] Tah-mdo-kah--literally the buck deer.

'Twas Summer. The merry voiced birds
trilled and warbled in woodland and meadow;
And abroad on the prairies the herds
cropped the grass in the land of the lilies,--
And sweet was the odor of rose
wide-wafted from hillside and heather;
In the leaf-shaded lap of repose
lay the bright, blue eyed babes of the summer;
And low was the murmur of brooks
and low was the laugh of the Ha-Ha; [76]
And asleep in the eddies and nooks
lay the broods of maga [60] and the mallard.