Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-09-16

tears and the colour OF her Drown tnetk ueep-
ened, until her companion saw new reasons TO
forget his dscon,ea, in sympalhies which, how
ever, obtuse they might be, were never entirely
dormaQt. =,
"If journey of few hundred miles be all
thou askerh girl, why speak in parallels" he
good natured,y replied. "Iae kind word was
not wsa.ang to put me on such trial We viii
oe married on the Sabbath, aud please Heaven,
the Wednesday, or the Saturday at most, shall
see me on the path Of the Western trader
"No delay. Thou must depart with the sun
The more active thou provost on the journey,
the sooner will thou have tine powerto make me
repent foolish deed"
Blu, Faith ha6 been persuaded to relax lit
tie from this severity. They were married on
the Sabbath, and the following day Content and
Dudley left the valley, in quest Of the distant
tribe, on which the scion Of another stock was
sale to have been SO violently engraflsd.
II is needless 20 dwell on the dangers and pri-
vaions Of such an expedition. The HUDSON,
the Delaware and the Susquehanna, rivers that
we're then better known in tales, than 10 the in
habi,an's of New England, were all crossed, and
after painful and hazardous tourney, the ad-
venturers reached the FIRST Of that collection Of
small interior lakes, whose banks are now so
BEAUTIFULLY decorated with villages and farms.
Here, in The bosom Of savage tribes. and expos
ed 10 every danger Of n Id and food, supported
only by his hopes, and by the presence oil a
stout companion. that hardships or danger
could not easily subdue, the father diligently
sought his child.
At length people was found, who held 4
captive that answered the description Of the
trader We shall not dwell Oh the feelings
with which Content approached The village
that n'ai0ed this little descendant Of white
race. He had not conce aled his errard, and the
sacred character, in which he came, found ply
and respect even among those barbarous ten
ants Of the wilderness. A depu'a'ion vi the
chiefs received him in the skir's of their dear
ing. He was conducted to wigwam, where a
counci!-fre was lighted, and an. interpreter o.
pened the sube by placing The amount OF the
ransom offered, and the professions Of peace
with which he strangers came, in the ialre5,
light before his AUDITORS. 1t is not usual for
the American savage To loosen his hold easily,
on ore naturalized in his tribe. But the meek
air and noble confidence Of Content toucbed the
laten, qualities of hose generous though fierce
children oi The woods. The girl was sem for
that she nigh, stand in the presence of the el-
ders Of the nation.
No language can paint the sensation with
which Content first looked upon this adopted
daughter Of the savag-s The years and sex
were in accordance with his wishes, but in place
Of The golden hair and azure eyes of he herub
he had lost, there appeared girl in whose jes
black tressss and equally dark organs Of sight
he might better race a descendant of the French
Of the Cauadas, than one sprung from his own
Saxon lineage. The father was no, quick Of
mind in the ordinary occupations OF life, but
name wac now bio ,r;thin hin, Tbac. mad
Ell no second glance to say Row cruelty his
hopes had been deceived. A smothered groan
Struggled from hi, chest, ard hen us self COM
mand returned with the imposing ar,.n.I;,
tnrIs his9 resignation he made no Sc.
cret Of he mistake by which he had been led
SO far on fruitless errand While speaking,
the signs and gestures Of Dudley gave him rea
son believe that his companion had some
thing Of importance 10 communicate In a phi
vste interview, the latter suggested the ex2edi>
ency Of concealiDg the truth, and Of rescuing
the child they had in fact discovered, from the
hands Of their barbarous masters. 1t was now
too late to practise deception that might have
avaed for this object, had the stern principles
of Content permitted the arlfce. But trans
ferring some portion Of the inleres, which he
felt for the fortunes Of his own Offspring % that
Of the unknown parent, who, like him self, mos,
probably mourned the uncertain fate Of the girl
before him, he rendered the ransom intended
for Ruth, in behalf Of the captive. II was re-
jected. Disappointed in both their objects, the
adventurers were obliged to Quit the village.
with weary feet and sill heavier hearts.
If any one who reads these pages have ever
felt the agony Of suspcnce in matter involving
The best of human affections, they will know
how to appreciate the sufferngs of the mother,
during the month that her husband was abseni
on this holy GRAND. At times, hope Enlightened
around her heart until the glow Of pleasure was
again man'Iing on her cheek, and playing in
her eve. The first week OF the adventure was
one almost of happiness. The hazards of the
journey, we're nearly forgotten i'll its anticipated
results, and though occasional approximations
quickened the pulses of one whose system an
swered so fearfully 10 the movements Of the
spirit, there was performance Of hope in all
her apticInatjODs She AGAIN DasSPd amonp