The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1846-10-01
A TALE OF
The Midnight Ride.

rocky oregon lerflIOry, HlIle loiS "0i
erected, whence a IN .peltrles wa
made with the Indians. One OF these, IN
beautiful valley, by a little stream, near tn
Grand Bayou Salade-a great resort for gam
of all kinds-was called Spoken Fort. Ii
owner and governor, James MPherson,
Seotchman, had left lone a poor lad, blu
with the characteristic perseverance OF hi
countrymen, had acquired wealth. Pushing
into those wilds, his enterprise and sagacit,
had enabled him to compete with all his rival
in their exciting and hazardous trade. 1t
the constant study of opposition companies t.
out-general each other, and these efforts give
rise to almost supcrhuman e%Xertlon, tending
to sharpen the wits Of all concerned in a sen
sible manner. He who shows the creates
knowledge of Indian tastes, of haunts of the
beaver and buffalo, of times to move anc
times to go into winter quarters, is sure tC
make the best campaign.
1t was about two years after the establish
ment of the fort, and when all were In actiVl-
ty and hustle, that Edward Ray, a LOUISIANA
an, obtained an appointment under the own
err, and had conveyed from New Orleans a
cargo of merchandise for the company. In
addition, he had taken to rejoin her father,
Miss MCPHERSON, with a female attendant
So long and peculiar a journey-up the Mis-
sissippi, and across the bluffs and grassy
plains, and over the Rocky Mountains-nc-
~cessarily made thu young people intimate,
and unrefectingly, a mutual affection had
arisen between them. Arrived at their jour-
ney's end, Ray became a clerk, and the heir
ess presided over her fathers establishment.
Whatever were her feelings, the poor clerk
never sought to learn and so reserved and
t~aciturn was he that the young girl thought
herself deceived in him. Ray was not Of a
sanguine turn, and seeing no means OF rising
to a level with his master, he allowed despon-
dency to unnerve his spirit. Faithful to his
trust, he made no advances.
Some months after his arrival, a time APP
preached for q regular meeting with the In
dams, when the whole fortunes Of the year
would be decided. 1t was usual to appoint a
place for the natives to collect their beaver
aud other skins, where the traders repaired,
and whoever offered the best prices obtained
the best market. Two days before the APP
pointed time, the inmates of the fort were
seated at their evening meal. M'Pherson,
his daughter, Ray, and three other clerks,
were heartily discussing the wild delicacies
spread before them, when a hustle was heard
without, and soon q halfbreed hunter appear
ed on the threshold.
"What news, Nick ?" said MPherson, who
recognised in the intruder a scout sent out to
learn the proceedings of the rival traders.
"Bad," said Nick, "Master Sublete got
ahead of-Spokan; Indians at camp, plenty of
beaver. Master Sublette buy up all, but
him got no tobacco, so he send away to
Brown for some-then smoke, and buy all
the beaver"
"Why, that is good news" said the trader,
eff Sublettc has no tobacco, all is right. We
have plenty and not an Indian will sell askin
till he has had a good puff at the pipe of
peace. SO up, my men you must away and
out-general S%ublettc, by taking johnson a
good supply of the weed"
"All very fine," said Nick, shaking his
head, but Sublette know a trick or two Of
that; a hundred Blackfect laying in the
woods; not get through them till the market
is over"
"The Blackfeet +? then we are beat! What's
to. be done?" cried MCPHERSON.
GLOW many bales will do ?" enquired
Ray.
off johnson, our agent, had but one" re-
piled the Responding trader, -" all would be
right. 1t is impossible, however, and this
year is lost to me"
"By no means" said Ray, rising, all his
native energy beaming in his eye, johnson
SHut HAVE u DdlC, VI lily SCdlp VIII lulS Ill u |
Blackfoot hut before morning"
edward " exclaimed Mary MCPHERSON,
with an alarmed glance.
Are you in earnest, Mr.. Ray ?" said NJ
Pherson gravely, even sternly.
81 am, sir. Give me Wild Polly, and trust
me to accomplish your wish"
"You will go alone, then ?"
81 will"
MCPHERSON ordered his ~favorite mare to be
saddled, and in half an hour, Ray, with two
bales of tobacco before him, and armed to the
teeth, sailed forth from Spokan amid the
plaudits of the party. Mary hastily retired
to her room,to find relief for heroverburthen-
ed heart in a flood of tears-the gate was
shut slowly as the young a%dvcnturer passed
out of sight, the sentinel was posted for the
night, and the chief, seated by his fireplace,
smoking, became gradually absorbed in deep
meditation.
Ray rode slowly down the vaHey,and thought
of his journey o fseventy miles, among blood
thirsty Indians, who would delight in taking
the pale face prisoner, with his mare and
bales Of tobacco. He felt his was a doubtful,
nay, a rash enterprise but under the circum-
stances, and bcthinking in whose presence he
had undertaken it, he disdained to turn
back.
Half an hour brought him to the edge of
a vast plain. He could see under the light of
the moon no track of the Blackfeet, and de-
lighted with travelling thus, thousands of
miles from civilization, he put spurs to the
mare, which trotted swiftly in the direction
Of the Indian mart. BY the sagacity of the
animal, Ray avoided an encampment of saw
ages in the border of a forest. Skirting
along it for some distance, he dashed slowly
in, and had nearly passed through, when the
silence of the night was broken by a loud
and fierce yell, and Immediately after he des-
cried a party of Blackfeet in full and eager
pursuit. To drop his merchandise he would
not, and swiftly and u%nflaggingly the gallant
beast bore onward-so %fiercely and determin-