Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1849-06-21
From The New England Offspring
The Wounded Dove.
AN INplaN TALE

AN INDIAN TALE.
" Daughters OF the red men, whittier have We
wandered since the sun rose and smiled upon
this wigwam? Behold, his last red glance is
upon the water, yet the brow of Sunny Cloud
reflects no, its ray And thou Talking Bird
what hath hushed thy ever-joyous voice p
Tell me, have ye been upon the track of the
wolf to-day Z"
Thus spoke the Indian mother to two dark
maidens, who came and rested before her as
she rested al sunse. from her labor.
Talking Bird, the younger of the maindens
replied:
"Nay. we were but thinking OF newly
found friend. We are sad, because he Is OF a
race that our mother loves not. Bending Oak
is wise squaw. Her words are mild and fear
less as the south wind over the prairie. Sun
ny-Cloud and Talking Bird will tell their tale,
and then listen 10 the wise words of Bending
Oak"
he sunbeams had not warmed The stream
when we entered the canoe to 60 and seek med.
lcine herbs In the great prailie far down the
river. Everything was calm and glorious as
the smile of the Grea. Spirit. Sunny Cloud
and | were happy, we mocked the birds that
sang above US, we repeated the wild legends
of our tribe, and talked of all we had ever en-
Joyed, or hoped 10 enjoy. So the time passed
ill The m,onbeams fell upon our heads and the
burning waters dazzled our eyes. We rowed
into the shelter of willow grove, ard rested
AS we sat in the canoe, listening to the low
triples Of the stream, and thinking pleasant
thoughts. there came flash like lightning
through the trees, then sound, quicker and
sharper than thunder and a pretty dove fell
wounded in The canoe beside me- | took the
poor bird and smoothed down its feathers. Il
painted for one moment and then its breath was
gone. Just then hunter appeared under the
shade of a papaw tree His robes were curl
ously fashioned. and he bore upon his shoulder
load of the choicest wild game. /. He was
not like our chiefiains, for his face was of the
hue of the January snow, when The yellow sun
shines upon it, and his eye was brigh, as the
depths Of The moon-ht sky in summer"
"A white hunter! Why does Talking Bird
use golden words when she speaks Of him ~
said the aged squaw, peeriDg into the naden's 3
face The brows Of our young men are like
the wings Of night; and mehinks that the dark
forest girl should admire them more than the
bleached yisages of her nations foe."
The maiden turned and averled her eyes,
and Sunny Cloud spoke in her defence.
The pale hunter was bold and kind. He
laid his burden upon the grass. and spoke TO
US as a brother speaks. He smiled upon Talk
ing-Blrd, and told her that it grieved him to
have killed warbler gentle as herself-whose
voice was musical and tender as her own"
"And did the silly Talking-Bird return his
smile ! Those were not the words of a broth
er, but Of demon. The rauesnake but knows
too we'll how TO lure the mocking-bird. His
charm is bewi,chiag, but he hath a deadly
sting"
Yet surely this is no traitor" PERSISTED
Sunny Cloud. " He spoke of his home in a
far-of land, as beautiful as the hunting grounds
Of our dead warriors. And he called US sis.
lers, saying that we had one Faher-hen he
laid dazzling ornaments into our baskets, and
promised, before another moon, TO bring richer
gifts to the wigwam."
Have ye pu, the white foe on the Indians
Trail :" said the squaw angrlly. "Do,h the dove
uncover its nest TO the glaring eye of the hawk!
Bending-Oak is rightly named. She is like
yon Tree lha. leans from the crsg across the
stream. A few more storms will howl around
her head, and she will fall broken and wiihered.
But she will fall from high place. She has
looked over The tops, and seen the tempest
sweeping up the valley, while others stood
luie. nor dreamed of danger And she can tell
her simple daughters, iha. in the track Of The
white man The red race have ever been swept
away like leaves before the wintry blast. The
ongue Of the pale face hath two sides one is
IS smooth as oil, the other is like Goals OF fire.
# Talking Bird listens TO him, her fate will be
ike .ha, of the bird iha. fell by his fire arrows
1 was a token from The Great Spirit TO warn
ler."
:" Blu, the Indian girls must no. forget to be
grateful" appealed Talking Bird, who had been
anding listener. "As stood in the canoe,
o turn its course down the stream, my blanke,
:augh, in a dead bough, and fell. | could
ave swam TO the shore, bu, the blanket choked
ne, and hung like reed in The deep water.
,a, for the strong hand of the white hunter.
ralking- Birds voice might never again have
,ingled in the songs of the youths by the wig
yam FIRE. Surely, when he comes, We mus,
i've him venison and shelter"
The Indian mothers hear, almost yielded,
vi the frown fingered on her brow, and she
eparled, mulierng,'' Where is The the brave
hal once dwelt in The tent Of Bending Oak {!