Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-10-01
VOLUME l3...NUMBER 81.

prepared TO bow. Their hitherto free and ferer.
less limbs were loaded with chains, aud they were
committed TO the guard. Their proud spirits
swelled almost TO bursting, at this deep indgnily;
and the very ielIers seemed ubsurdly out Of place
on these men of iron limb.
Days passed. The messenger had gone forth
in search Of his scattered companions.
Cautious and swift the Indian went;
His head was rased-his bow was bent,
And as he on like wild deer sped
So light, so silent was his tread
That scarce a leaf was heard to move
OF flower below or branch above.n
At last he found the little band, ready 10 start
even at friendly footsteps. The meeting was one
Of intense interest and excitement. He pictured
the situation Of their comrades, their husbands,
their lalhers;--the doom Of death resting upon
their refusal 10 come in. Youthful sensbities
and feminine affections conquered: but the stern
unyiglding determinations Of the warriors, still
struggled for the mastery, with their desire to
save their comrades in chains. II it had been
proposed TO rescue them by some soul-darng act
some glorious act of proweSs, every arm had
been raised aud every tomahawk gliuered in anti.
cipalon Of the hazardous achievement. They
could scarce brook the ardent appeal made to their
magnanimity TO save their fellow warriors; but
then their eyes wandered over their widespread
savannahs-lhe bold precipices, and the ordly
forest trees. Their ears caught the rushing
sound of the wild free waters and through the
bending tree tops the rush Of the "chainless and
unbidden Winds" and all their native love ol
freedom aud deathess independence Of soul were
reused to fame and burned with glowing ardor.
They looked upon their ancient heritage; mem.
ory and imagination called up before them the
graves Of their undying warriors, who had gone
TO the happy hunting -grounds--of their patri'
archs,-all the loved dead--and heart instructive
ly spoke 10 heart.
"YieId all these to the unholy tread and sacri.
legious plOw of The pale face! Mol no! let them
hunt US like wild beasts with their hell.houndS oI
war. Our bones will, at least, minge with the
sacred relics of our forciathers, and repose moi
inglorously in their native soil"
Yet hope still fingered and humanity plead lol
the rescue Of the captives. dead awful silence
prevailed; which was broken by the deep tones
Of the youngest warrior-Holate Fixico--offer'
ing himself 10 60 as a hostage, hoping by bring
ing in with him the women and children TO res
cue the TWO warriors from death Of gnomlny.
His speech was bref-hs language terse. He
told them that age and association had not bound
his heart so indlssolubly to his native hills; but
that for the lives Of two Of their bravest chiefs he
could yield all. alt was hard'--and here his ell
oquence rose to wild subimity,-"it was hard to
crush down to earth the gnarled oak, which rear
ed its head amidst The lightnings flash and the
thunder.bolt Of heaven; and played with the
storms god'swinds. Butrhe young saPPlng coulC
bend to kiss the earth; and thus shelter thelovely
flowers beneath its shade. He would tear the fl
bres Of his heart from every endeared object a
round which they clung:--they might yet take
root in some other cline, lar 10 the west, where
the shades of his lorelalhers might look down
and smile upon him."
He took with him the squaws and children, al
eager to join the captive warriors. The remain
ing chiefs then sadly bid them adieu and were soor
hidden from view by the intervening foliage. The
party wound on its way and ere the sixth sun hac
set they entered the commanding generals quar-
| ters.