The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1839-01-15
-----------------
TT T. C. APTIV f b q Y.
A STORY OF THE PRAIRIEs.

TIL T. G APTIV e D Y.
I STORY OF THE PRAIRIEs.
All who are conversant with the early history
of our country, recollect that frontier settle
ments were, many years ago, before the power
of the aborigines was broken and subdued, fire.
quently laid waste and desolated 10y the incur
sions of the Indians, who not content with pill
laying and destroying whatever property came
in their way marked their footsteps with blood
and made capiives OF all whom gIutted venge-
ance caprice induced them to spare.
1t happened in one of these incursions that a
young man named Bird, with his wife and
child, and infant about six months old, were
made prisoners. The quantity Of plumber in
possession of the savnges making the assistance
Of the unfortunate father and mother necessary
their lives were spared for the especial purpose
of carrying it off ; they were shown their bur.
dens aud directed to follow. The mother,
knowing the fate which in these circumstances
awaited her infant, should il be discovered, con-
rived to conceal it from her inhunan captors
and having wrapped it up in her burden, close
to her breast, ouineyed 10y the side of her hus-
band towards the wilderness; sorrowing no
doubt, but invoking the cid of Him whose al.
mighty arm can succor the most unfortunate, ~
deliver in the greatest peril.
After travelling from sunrise until late at
night, through long summers day, the party
arrived ut an Indian village, aud the captives
being secured, the Indian threw themselves OH
the ground, and were soon asleep but it may
he well supposed thar Bird and his wife, even
after so much fatigue, felt little disposition to
close :heir eyes. How they might escape alone
occupied their thoughts-they lnatured the plan
and put it into eXecution-but TO escape recap
ture required more vigilance and resolution
than il required ingenuity and strength TO free
the cords that bound them.
They however set out and with their helpless
babe which, ms miracle, they had still succeed
ed in preserving unnoticed, begun q, midnight to
retrace their steps--but before daylight fatigue,
anxiety, and want of nonrshment so complete
ly exhausted them, that they found this diem
;9 % Il IF; helpre EbSem7.he child must he left
the east with gray and they knew Ihht their
flight must have already been discovered they
knew too, the characters they had to do deal
with and to escape there was not a moment TO
be lost. Distracted with opposing resolutions, n
sense Of duty prevailed over paternal iondness-
the mother for the last time pressed her inno-
cent offspring to her breast, hedewed lis nhcon-
sciously smiling cheek with her tears ana sat u
down on the green bunk OF little linking rli
to perish-where as she cast lingering look al :
ter she had left it. she saw IT scrampllnS after
the flowers that grew around
The fnther and mother escaped To the settle
ments and Mr. Bird speedily collected large
party of his neighbors and returned to the spot
where the child ha been lett-but 1t was gone ;
and in the lapse of years, blessed with riches "
IL
for their lost boy.
Fifteen summers had smiled upon the harvest,
when in a treaty with distant tribe OF Indians,
an article which bound them 10 deliver up any
captves that might he in their possession, boy
was nut into the churge of the CO nmssioners OF
the whites, with the declaration that he a
white, found in infancy upon the very spot
where the child Of Bird had been left. He was
sent to his parents who Immediately recognized
him by remarkable scar on his right hahd
which he had received in his fathers house.
The measure of his parents JOY was FULL but
the wandered through the rich possessions with
out smile. His bow and his blankets were
his only 10Y. He despised alike the dress, the
! habits and luXuries that were profered nm q
and his mind constantly brooded over the forest
scenes and sports in which he had passed his
boyhood. Vain were all the attempts to wean
him from his native habits,and as vain the efforts
TO obterate the recollectons of his adopted
home from his mind. While persuasion ano
! indulgence were alone resorted to, he nodestly
resisted but when force tried, and he was
compelled to change his blanket for the garb o
civilized lie, and his f:,vorte bow for books, he
grew sulen and disconted, and at last was mis-
sing from his fathers house, and seen, the same
evening. arrayed in the Indian garb, crossing
distant mountain, and bending his course to
! wards the setting sum-
Tt was upwards of twenty years after this e
vent, that Mr. Bird and his wife, now somewha
| advanced i'm wears, removed to a new settlement
where Mr. Bird had purchased tract OF land
n great distance from their former residence
.na while more commodious building wa
erecting they inhabited small hut adjacent tt
a thick wood. = -
One day when the old lady was left alone
the men OF the neighborhood having gone 10
distance of several miles to assist at raising sn
saw from her door several armed and painted
Indians approaching her. Alarmed but resoiute
she seized a hatcher, and ascending ladder in
to the lott of the dwelling, drew itup after he,
determined 10 resist TO the last They entered
and finding their efforts to entice her dow
were vain, laid down their rifles TO ascend ate
her. But the first hand that was put 'nrousl
the trap door was severed from the arm by
single blow from the intrepid heroine, ana al
alarm being taken at that moment, tina, tn
whites were coming, the Indians retreated ant