The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1822-01-30
MDLaN GRATITUDE.

Engusn, a stranger Indian came one day
into IAN Inn, in the town of Litch6eld, in
the dusk of the evening, and requested
the hostess to furnish him with some
drink and supper; at the same time
he observed he could pay for neither,
as he had had no success in hunting, but
promised payment as soon as he should
meet with better fortune. The hostess
refused him both the drink and the sup
per, called him lazy, good-for-nothing
fellow, and told him that she did not
work so hard herself, to throw away
her earnings upon such creatures as he
was. A man who sat by, and observed
that the Indian then turning about to
leave SO inhospitable a place, showed
by his countenance that he was suffering
very severely from want and WEAKNESS,
directed the hostess to supply him with
what he wished, and engaged to pay the
bill himself. She did so.-When the
Indian had finished his supper, he turn
ed to his benetactor, thanked him, and
assured him that he should remember
his kindness, and, whenever he was
able, would faithfully recompense it.
For the present, he observed, he could
only reward him with a story, which, if
the hostess would give him leave, he
wished to tell. The hostess, whose
competency had been recalled by the
prospect of payment, consented. The
lndhn addressing him:elf to his benefac-
tor said, 81 suppose you read the BIZ
BILE" The man assented. "Well,"
sail the Indian, the Bible say God
nude the world; and then he took him,
and looked on him, and say It's all very
god Then he made light; and took
hin, and looked on him, and say Its all
very good Then he made dry land,
ard water, and sun, and moon, and grass,
ard trees !; and took him, and looked on
hm, and say It's all very good Then
he made beasts, and birds, and fishes
and took him, and looked on him, and
say Its all very good Then he made
MAJ and took him, and looked on him,
and say Its all very good Then he
mate woman; and took him, and looked
on him, ard he no dare say one such
wo'd." The Indian, having told his
story, withdrew.
Some years after, the man who had
befiiended him, had occasion TO go some
distince into the wilderness between
then frontier settlement,
and Albany, where he was taken pris-
oner by an Indian scout, and carried to
Canada. When he arrived at the prin-
cipal settlement of the tribe, on the
Southern border of the st. Lawrence,
it was proposed by some of the captors,
that he should be put to death. During
the consultation, an old Indian woman
demanded hat he should be given up
to her, thatshe might adopt him in the
place OF a son, whom she had lost in
the war. Ee was accordingly given TO
her, and lived through the succeeding
winter in her family, experiencing the
customary ELECTS of savage hospitality.
The following summer, as he was at
work in the forest alone, an unknown
Indian came up to him, and asked him
to meet hima place which he point
ed out, uPoI given day. The prison.
er agreed tt the proposal, but not with
out some aoprehensions that mischief
was intendet him. During the interval,
these appreAensions increased TO such a
degree, as 70 dissuade him, effectually,
from fulfilling his engagement Soon
after, the same Indian found him at his
work again, and very gravely reproyed
him for not performing his PROMISE
The man apologized, awkwardly e.
nough, but in the best manner in his
power The Indian told him that he
should be satisfied, if he would meet him
at the same place on a future day
which he named. The man promised
to meet him, and fulfilled his promise.
When he arrived at the spot, he found
the Indian provided with tive muskets,
ammunition for them, and two KNAPP
sacks, The Indian ordered him to take
one of each, and follow him. The di-
rectIon of their march was to the South.
The man followed without the least
knowledge Of what he was to do, or
whittier he was going; but concluded,
that, If the Indian intended him harm,
he would have dispatched him at the
beginning; and that at the worst he
was as safe where he was, as he could
be in any other place. Within short
time, therefore, his fears subsidized; al
though the Indian observed a profound