Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-07-04

1 pCtudI PICJ W ohNiSsy ob't SSSNtiHNSt,
and the quiet certainty of domestic bliss
was never her allotted portion. There
were, however, two beings, on whom she
could pour forth her whole food Of ten
derncss, without reproof or disappoint-
rnent. She had given birth to son and
daughter, of uncommon promise. Vic
tore, the eldest, had her fathers beauty,
save in the melting dark eye, with its
plaintive expression, and the modest
dropping of its silken lash. Her cheeks
had just enough ofthe Indian hue to give
them warm, rich colouring; and such
was her early maturity, that at thirteen
years of age, her tall figure combined
the graceful elasticity of youth, with the
majesty of womanhood. She had sprung
up at her fathers feet, with the sudden
luxuriance Of a tropical flower; and her
malured loveliness aroused all the tender
ness and energy within him. 1t was
| with mournful interest he saw her leaping
along the chase, with her bounding,
syphlke joy; and he would sigh deeply
when he observed her oar rapidly cutting
the waters of the Missouri, while her boat
flew over the surface of the stream like a
| wild bird in sport-and the gay young
creature would wind round among the
eddies, or dart forward with her hair
streaming on the wind and her lips par
ted with eagerness. Tahmiroo did not
understand the nature Of his emotions;
She thought, in the simplicity of her heart,
that silence and sadness were the nat
ural expressions Of a white mans love;
but when he turned his reckless gaze
from his daughter to her she met an ex-
preston which troubled her. Indiffer-
ence had changed into contempt; and
woman's soul, whether in the draw
ing room or wilderness is painfully alive
to the sting Of scorn. Sometimes her
placid nature was disturbed by a strange
jealousy of her own child. 81 love Vic
toire only because she is the daughter OF
-Florimond,' thought she; 'and why oh!
why does he not love me for being the'
mother Of Victoire!'
1t was too evident, that de Rance
wished his daughter should be estranged
from her mother, and her mother's peo-
pie. With all members Of the tribe, out
of his own family, he sternly forbade her
having any intercourse; and even there
he kept her constantly employed in taxi
ing dancing lessons from himself, and
obtaining various branches of learning
from an old Catholic priest, whom he had
solicited to reside with him for that pur-
pose. But this kind Of life was irksome
to the Indian girl, and she was perpetual
ly escaping the vigilance of her father,
to try her arrow in the woods, or guide
her pretty canoe over the wather. 0e
Rance had long thought it impossible 10
CRAFTY his ambitious views for his daugh.
ter, without removing her from the at
fractions of her savage home, and each
days experience convinced him more
aud more Of the truth Of this conclusion.
TO favor his project he assumed an at
fectionate manner towards his wife, tor
he well knew that one look or word Of
kindness would at any time win back all
her love. When the deep sensibilities Of
of her warm heart were reused, he
would ask for leave to sell her lands;
and she in her prodigality Of tenderness,
would have given him any thing, even
her own life, for such smiles as he then
bestowed. The old chief was dead, and
there was no one to check the unfecling
rapacity of the Frenchman. Tracts al
ter tracts Of Tahmiroo's valuable land
were sold, and the money remltted to
Quebec, whittier he had the purpose OF
conveying his children. on the pretencc
of a visit, but IN reality with the firm i'll
tent of never again bcholding his desert
ed wife.
A company of Canadian traders, hap.
pened to visit the falls of st. Anthony
just at this junction, and Flormond de
Rance took the opportunity to apprise
Tahmiroo Of his intention to educate Vic
toire at one of the converts in Quebec
The Sioux pleaded with all the earnest
ness Of mothers eloqucncc. but she
pleaded in vain. Yictoire and her father
Joined the company of traders, on Cana
da. Tahmiroo knelt and ierveutly be-
sought that she might accompany them;
She would stay out of sight, she said,
they should not be ashamed of her, among
the great white folks of the east, and if
she could but live where she could see
them every day, she should die happier.
Ashamed Of you! and you the daugh-
ter ola Sioux king! exclaimed Victoire
proudly, and, with natural impulse Of
tenderness, fell on her mothers neck,
and wept.
'Yictoiro, It's time to DEPART said her
father sternIy. The sobbng girl tried
to release herself; but she could not.
Tahmiroo embraced her with the energy
of despair; for, after all her doubts and
jealousies, Eictoire was the darling child
| of her bosom--she was SO much the