The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1839-10-12

lOuR JOulHSyS WCTt Indue III ValH. a silence
deep as that Of the deepest forest through
which she wandered, hung over her Sate, and
that sixty years.
Ny reader will now pass over So years
from the time of this captivity, and suppose
himself far in thew ilderness in the furtherest
part of Indiana. A very respectable agent
of the United States is travelling there, and
weary and belaled, with tired horse, he
stops at an Indian wigwam for the night
He can speak the Indian language the fam
lily are rich for Indians, have horses and
skins in abundance. In the course of the
evening, lie notices that the hair of the wo-
men is light, and her skin, under her dress
is also white. This led to a coversation.
She told him she was white child, but had
been carried away when very small girl.
She could only remember that her name
was Socum that she lived in a little house
on the banks Of the Susquhanna. and how
many they were in her fathers family, aYd
the order of their ag-s But the name Of
the town she could not remember. On
reaching his home, the agent mentioned this
story to his mother. She urged and pres
sed him 10 write an account. According
y he wrote it and sent to Lancaster of this
state, requesting that it might be published.
By some, 10 me, unaccouutably blundcr, it
lay in the Office t,co years before it was
printed. But last summer it was publish
ed. In few days it fell in the hands of
Mr.. Slocum, of Wikesbarre, who was the
little two and half year old boy, when
Frances was taken. In few days he was
off 10 seek his sister, taking with him his
older sister, (the one who aided him 10 es-
cape) and writing to a brother who now
lives in Ohio, and who believe was born
after the capt. !iIy, to meet him ARd so with
him.
The two brothers and sister now (1s3S)
on their way to seek little Frances, just sic
~ years after her captivity. After travel
ling more than 900 miles through tho will
derness, they reach the Indiana country, the
home of the Miami Indian. Nine miles
from the nearest white, they find the little
wigwam. 81 shall know my sister," said
the civilized sister, "because she lost the
nail Of the first finger. Your brother, ham
mered it off in the blacksmith shop when
she was four years old" They 60 into the
cabin and find an Indian woman having the
appearance Of seventy-fve. She is paint
ed and jeweled off, and dressed like the In
dians in all respects. Nothing but her hair
and covered skin would indicate her origin.
They get an interpreter and begin to con,
verse she tells them where she was born
her name &C., with the order Of her fathers
family. "How came your nail gone 2"
said the oldest sister. " My oldest brother
pounded it of when was a little child in
the shopp' In word, they were satisfied
that this was Frances, their long lost sister!
They asked her what her christian name
was She could not remember. Was it
Frances? She smiled and said "yes."--
1t was the first time she had heard it pro-
nounced for 60 years! Here, then, they were
met-two brothers and two sisters They
were all satisfied they were brothers and
sisters. But what contrast The broth
els were walking in the cabin unable to
speak; the Oldest sister was weeping, but the
poor Indian sister sat motionless and pas
sioness, as indifferent as spectator. There
was no throbbing, no fine cords in her bo-
som TO be touched.
When Mr.. Slocum was giving me this
history, said TO him" but could not she
speak English ?" Not q word" "Did
she not know her age!' No; had no
idea of it," "But was she entirely isnor-
ant 7" (" Sir, she did not knO'O ,0hen San
day camel" THIS was indeed the consul
nation of ignorance in descendent of the
Puritans
But what picture for painter would the
inside of that cabin have afforded : Here