Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-02-26
From the Southern Literary Messenger
Kawanda, the Mute; A Southern Tale
ooNTlNuEp. p.-eHAPrER V.

CONIlNUEDs-CHAPTER v.
Little did Hamilton dream that morning. that
the fairy palaces Of future happiness which his
glowing fancy delighted TO shape, would, ere the
noon had passed. tumble into ruins so hideous.-
Yet is such noian illustration Of lifel The hopes
which, in the morning Of existence, lure US from
peace and contenment andsecurlIy, INTO the are
ma of life, treacherously abandon US ere the noon
Of our manhood. and leave us, single handed, TO
cope with the rude realities ot the world. But IN
our inability TO penetrate the mist oil the iulure,
is doubtless manifested the wisdom OF a Prov
idence; for wero we cunning enough 10 interpret
the book of fate, would not life be insupporlabel to
us under the terrible revelations Of its every page!
Hamilton had passed through the town of A,
which lies between Greendale and Forbes Ilill
aud was slowly ascending the by-road which
wound The eminence north Of the town aloremen-
toned, when his attention became arrested by
some object dangling from The lopmost pannel of
gate which closed upon the road before him.
On nearing il, he discovered it TO be something in
the form of letter. and depending by string
from an arrow, which had evidently been shot
into the panel. He dismounled turned up the
letter, and found. to his surprise, that it was ad-
dressed to himself He disengaged il from the ar
row, opened il, and was soon absorbed in its con-
tents. These were maniresty Of a startling ma
ture, as indicated by his countenance, the express
sion of which, while he perused, was successive
ly that of surprise and indignation. The COM
munication was anonymous, if | can except the
indefinite word "Inconnue," which had been af.
fixed to the bottom. HecXamined the arrow, but
found on it no mark whereby to identify his mys-
terous friend. He closely examined the hand
writing, and for a similar purpose, but he was C.
qually at fault. He was puzzled, confounded.-
"Beware of Simpson," quoting aloud such por-
tions of the communication as most iorclbly I'M
pressed him, and commenting on them as he went.
ale is yourdeady enemy-s yourrlval in love" "
Ila! the first is often consequent on the latter
lnsidious mscreant "A dangerous plot is con-
trived for your destruction" Great God! and
for what fault or crime of mine committed! and
he look ed back in review on a most blameess life.
"Be steady,-cOmmit not yourself by any act oi
Fashness-iS most unprncipled villaln-a self
convicted assissin." Ha! say you so, indeed!
How-where--when "Fls ilI.golten fortune
in due time will recO on himself-wlbe hoised
by his own petard-has poisoned Talbots mind
against YOU" So, so, siIken arcbdevil! and the
scene Of the preceding hour passed wildly before
him. "Be circumspect and all will be WE'LL"
"That's some comfort them" sighed Hamilton,
''but would 10 heaven | were through the whole
of this horrible mystery!" and opening the gate,
he re-mounted his horse, and was once more i'll
motion for the "Heghts."
He hadnot, however, proceeded more than two
hundred yards from the gate already mentioned,
when his horse by suddenly picking up his ears
and arching his crest, gave evidence of being
frightened by some object in advance. Hamilton
looked. and not discovering anything to cause this
alarm, gently encouraged him forward, when. a
few yards ahead, and al nOnglo formed by sud-
den bend in the road, he perceived something like
a feather which waved and nodded in The breeze.
He rode up 10 the spot and saw, sealed on the
stump of an oak and now raising his head from
an attitude as Of deep mediation, figure sur
mounted by hat, faded, but poomed, and Of ca
pacious rim, and robed in dark coIored cafan
fastened at the breast by a silver bodkn. 1t was
Kawanda, the Mute. The bow and the quiver
with which he had been accou;red in The morn.
ing had been laid aside. He rose easily and
gracefully 10 his feet, and stood full in the path
way before Hamilton. The latter reined up his
horse, partly from curiosity. and partly, indeed
because, as the road was very narrow al that par.
iicular point, he could not well do otherwise with
out ioslng The harmless Indian, Of whose eccen-
trcitcs many amusing anecdotes were rife in the
neighborhood. Hamilton thought, for hitherto he
had not had so favorable an opportunity of scan
ming the person and couRlenance of the Mute
thar there was something graceful and command
ing about him in spite Of the fantastic drapery
wherein he was sattired,-something noble in the
carriage of the head thcStruclureOf the features
"a generous fire in those large dark eyes, which
turned upon his with so deep an interest," Qorwha
is remarkable Kawanda did not squint as in the
morning, )and he said aloud asif lohimself, ''poo
fellow! he, TOO, may have had troubles in his time
but he could plead no claim TO the sympathy o
his fellows, for he wanted tongue 10 voice his
sorrows. With heart, too, that might be warn
in friendship and grateful for kindness, he is lone
and neglected, and he roams among people who
had rather hurt than help him. Doubtless, 100
he seeks from me the assistance he is unable lC
ask for" and he flung handful Of silver al the
feet of the Indian. The latter did not, even fol
an instant, notice the act of Hamilton, but con
tnued for several seconds after to gaze on The
fine countenance and person of his benelacor
then retreatng single step out of the horses
path, he bowed, and with wave OF the hand a.
commanding as an emperor's, signaled the horse
man on his way.
Hamilton smiled good humoredy and passet
on. Kawanda continued regarding him as lonI
as he was within sight, when crossing The fenct
for the bow and qulver which he had thrown there
half an hour before, he picked them up; thel
turning down the road as far as the gate, he tool
up the arrow TO which the letter was affixed, ant
replacing it in the quiver, plungedinto the depth
of the forest.
But we must turn for moment to Greendale
The shrek which proceeded from the chambe
of Ella, when that young lady overheard the an
cry voices of her father and Hamilton Forbes
and saw them. as she fancied, proceed to host
collision, attracted to her apartment her waltin!