The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-03-26

md-featured men, of quiet grave aspects. clad Ii
| plain beavers and jenkins of subdued colors. A
little pale, perhaps, these men, from undue ascet
cism !; yet neither priests nor bigots, but simple
god-fearing people, who, being moved to compass
sion by reports of the idoatry of the land, had LEFT
their pleasant homes and comfortable fresides, &c
aid in the conversion of the heather.
Of the appearance of the city itself, little need
be said. 1t was pasadoed to the height of fifteen
feet, and it had its chain of forts commanding both
sides of the river, and mounting thirty five pieces
These, with the Governors house, and the church
and the public store, were the most notable pieces
of archiecture-and even these, though strong,
could boast of but little beauty. For the rest, the
houses were plain structures, built with some little
regard to order, clap-boarded with pine, and
matched with rushes, but too new to be at all pic
turesque.
PoCAHoNTAs.
Near the Governors house was a neat building,
trellised with vines, and bearing the unmstaka-
bic evidence of woman's delicate supervision. Ii
was the dwelling of the widow Forrest. Brave
Master Thomas Forrest was laid in the little church
yard yonder about twelve month since, pierced
10 death with seventeen arrows. There were
three persons OF some note IN this neat little dwell
ing, and all females. The pale widow Forrest /;
fair and merry Anne Burrass, formerly her maid
bat now married, and become Mistress LaydGE
and last, and most peerless of all, the Princess Po
cahontas. They were firing her for the marriage
ceremony. Mistress Forrest was holding in her
hand some fair white flowers, which the merry
Anne fashioned into delicate wredihs, and then
twined them with a dainty skill among the long
raven locks OF the Princess
81 Oh, that is lovely" exclaimed the merry Anne,
clapping her hands with delight as she witnessed
the effect of the contrast.
81 think so,' said The placid widow.
Nay, it is beautiful! Look for yourself, my
lady Pocahontas 20 replied Anne, holding up at
the same time hand mirror Look for Yourself
Sac hpy tba h,.Ie aoIT 10
leaves peep out from among the dark locks, as if
they loved their nesting places. Tell me, my lady
Princess, do they not become you hugeiy?"
The Princess drew her slender form proudly up,
and as she glanced into the mirror, her large dark
orbs flashed with peasurabe surprise.
"Anne, much good ~ she said, emphatcally
and, placing her hand tenderly upon the arm OF
her tire woman, added Pocahontas much thank
she go-John Role want see Prncess-him wait
long time
"Oh, you must tarry yet awhile-you are no:
ready See what he hath sent you for the bridal ~
She exhibited as she spoke, spotless white gar
ment of rare beauty, together with ornaments Of a
character to correspond.
Here shecontinued, 60 is white silken fille,,
guarded with silver, and fastened by fair brooch
and pendants, to rest upon the forehead Let me
place it-thus''
1t is very becoming said the widow, and
again the eyes of the Princess flashed fire.
Here" continued Anne, g is a double ruff, of
the finest cambria, starched with yellow starch,
after the late English fashion. 1t is to encirce the
neck. Let me show you.''
~Stay!' said Pocahontas: give me 20 and,
taking the stiff, unganly involuted thing between
the tips of her tiny finger and thumb, she held it at
arms length, and surveyed it for some time with
look of increasing disgust. At length she turned
quickly to her bower-wOman, and said" Take
wayne like it,"
Even the pale, placid widow smiled
Than Ri Ann
holding up chain of pearls; 'but first let me array
you In this white dress, or you will not be able to
judge of its beauty. Now, Princess, behold ~
Anne Layton had twined the necklace several
times about the well-rounded throat, and then, suf
fering some longer coils of the same to fall care
lessly almost to the laced edge Of the low bosomed
dress, presented the hand-mirror that the Princess
might herself note the effect.
"Ah"' laughed Pocahontas, drawing in her
breath with ll-pleased inspiration, " Chooko-
NAH Chookomah' - tcomely, most comely y
81 knew she would like that" said Anne Lay
don, turning to the widow.
Where Rolfe!" exclaimed the Princess, with
animation: want Rolfe see Pocahontas now l
60 find Rolle.''
But again Anne Layton stayed her.
Not yet so please you. little longer-only
little longer
The Princess looked at her bower-woman for
single moment with the imperiousness of one
whose will had hitherto been the law to her COM
panIons but meeting the merry, unabashed glance
of the gentle Anne, and the quiet smile of the pale
widow, she tanned down the hot blood of her wild,
passionate nature, and, taking both of her COM
panions by the hand, said, with the ariless grace
of child
Dame Forrest Anne! good friends-otber land
people wise-head better, heart no better-Poca-
hontas not wise-Rolfe please, Princess try be good
learn white ways-love Powhatan, Indian father
love Smith, white father-love Rofe"-her fea-
t,rac Erht tod hill IaIl
ulting expression, and her very heart seemed to
bound at the mention of his name, as she added,
Lght-dark-ho -cold-all time love Rolfe -
The pale widow looked out of the easement,
and over the street, and the bowling green,
and far away into the little church yard and her
heart went down into the grave of her dead hus-
band, and her eyes were filled with sorrowful
tears. She thought of her wedding day, and the
deep, trembling, earnest delight, with which she
regarded his devoted glance as the good priest Of
the little gothic church of St. Marys Cray, in the
pleasant county of Kent, pronounced the irrevoca-
ever and for ever Dear Anne Layton knew that
the widows heart was full, and even her merry
face began to cloud for very sympathy; but when
she remembered how necessary it was TO shield
from gloomy fancies the gentle and impossible
ture of the Princess, she touched her former mis-
tress upon the arm, and with look OF sad ca uiiOn
recalled her to herself. During this time the I'M
conscious Pocahontas had suffered her bower-wo-
man to complete her lahors, and was now survey
ing herself from chapet to m0ccasin, with express
sions of the most unfeigned delight. She examin-
ed her new habments in every way--near and
then affair." turning then first on one side, and then
on the other; weighing the pearls with her hand,
pressing them to her cheeks, and feeling their
smoothness with her lips, to the no small trepda-
ton of Anne Layton, lest this exhibition of exu-
berant gaieiy should mar the effect of her labors.
All at once, with a facility as singular as it was
striking, the mood of the Princess changed. At
the sudden tinkling of hawks bell upon the deer
skin dress she had so lately discarded she started
timidly, and, covering her face with her hands,
preserved for long time fearful and impressive
silence.
Profound indeed during that dark interval, must
have been those sensations of that wild, young
creature, which were aroused BY the tinkling bell
and the deer-skin robe. Who can say that she did
not, for a flashing moment. repent that love had
changed her forest nature! She thought of her
free girlhood before the bark of the white man
penetrated the waters that girded her fathers king
dom-before she was conscious of race existing
superior to her own; and she, who was great
Princess, and the daughter of great King, felt
degraded by the comparison. Then, she wished
she had remained in happy ignorance-happy in
tho Sn,da plea of her forest life and plsaSad