The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1850-09-06
From the Philadelphia Saturday Courier.
"STARVED R0CK;"
Or, THE LAST
OF THE ILLINOIS.
BY ADD. II. SANDERS.
CHAPTER Ill.
INNOCENCE AND CRAFT.


Etak sat at the front of her fathers lodge.
The rude men OF the wilderness had gaZed
upon her in her childhood, and now seemed TO
regard her in the lovely maturity OF woman
hood. as one of the Great Spirits" smiles, a
kind OF direct or visible promise from the Splr-
| 1t above OF his love and protection. They
would not let her work with the other wo-
men. but her fathers lodge was provided with
tie delicacies of the forest and prairie, and
she ate and was welcome. A 'sky-bird,s"
feather from her hand was an honor for
which the young braves struggled in the
hunt and on the battle field, and once won
and fixed in the scalp-lock. fear and danger
were but words She loved hes tribe Us they
did her, and her life was full of JOY ard hap
piness. They called her Etak ia their love,
siunfying the ''smile OF the Good 81 irit p
aud very appropriately too, it was the name
! Of u beautiful forest flower that blushcd mo-
destly among It's fellows OH the hill side and
in tie shaded dclls. She had sweet deli
cately marked countenance, half concealed at
the moment of her introduction by the mass of
black tresses which fell in profusion over her
well rounded shoulders, and mingled their sill
ken sotiness with the strong and harsh hair
OF the buffalo robe upon which she was seat
ed. Her little fingers were busily engaged
fastening in those tresses, several rude orna-
menls presented her by Alokena. As size
handled the baublrs her lips parted in Il
smile OF aft, c,ioh. revealing all even set OF
snowy Willie teeth, while he large black
eyes containing "a world of lille and feeling
OF their own, gently aud vacanlly gazed upon
the earth as if her thoughts were playing
around some absent object.
Poor Etak She was untutorod and
no. tod ia, mn
, ment bounded 10 her side, as If TO satisfy
himself OF her continued presence. She was
80 young-a little streaIIct, which having
sparkled and dubbed and laughed over lie
bright path through mead and green wood
was now changing TO the smooth and serious
river. gliding OH In sober grace and matured
5 beau-ies. Why bounded her heart so
strangely when III the presence oil the young
Illinois chief? When he pressed her hand,
such a strange thrill, such delightful agony
of feeling. crept over her, as sunshine over
r the earth, purpling her thoughts with so rich
I Il glow of feeling, that sometimes so bright
and Joyous did the reflection iiom her own
thoughts make every thing seem, she won
dcred whether the hunting grounds OF the
e Good Spirit were more blessed than her OWN
dear home. All, tits all in the light and
shades Of the mind, whether this world be a
heaven or hell 10 Us poor indwellers.
. But the maiden was startled from the bright
: reverie into which she had fallen, by u step
, at her side. She sprang TO herieet with an
exclamation, and met-the Prophet. In CIV
IllZaton there is something in the presence
of youth and innocence before which hoary-
: headed craft and viilauy trenhle. La his
f great features man is the same i'll the city
and in the forest, The same shades and
shadows of character develope themselves.
u bud, blossom and decay and only differing III
r their effects as the causes are marked by Pc
v ruliar and charac ter.sjic differences entwlncd
in the education, not in the nature of tn indi-
vIduals. And in the wilderness there are Il,
great villains, men looked upon by thtIr lei
s lows with Us much apprehension, and shrink
: ing beiore honesty and Innocence with The
q same internal fear, as are to be found III the
life OF Il city. The Prophets whole lie hao
Z been one OF practced Discrimination and treas
n OIL with friend and Toe. There had beer
e none too high nor none too low to escape hs
Vaccinations, If they at all iniericred Will
his real or iancied path OF progress. He haC
always plenty OF yenison. yet he never hunt
H. ed-corn, beans and squashes, yet he neve
e, iabored in the feid--hIs vindictivc and re
q vengelui heart ever thirsted for saughter.ye
J., his arm was never raised in the battlefield
rs III Has VIII
Il remarkable craft he made other persons TIN
instruments by which to supply his indlvid
ual wants and work out his revenge. AS ha
rs been said, the Prophet now aimed at tie DIES
:, truc;on OF the Illinois party to crafty tn
evil promptIngs of his own heart, and partl,
le TO ingratiaie himself with more powerful
tribe. The innocent Etak to be mad
the principal instrument by which this objec
- | VAS 10 be effected.
- The maiden met the Prophet with joyou
10 exclamation, for she knew he came from th
rk Illinois chief But she shank ON his snake
d. like gaze aud trembled as Leaf: then sh
fixed her large black eyes upon his wiihere
countenance, and wondered why she fearc
}" one who had always been kind and good, au
to who had loved her us father.
I'd. The Prophets eye dropped before he
steady gaze, and ii chill seemed TO cree
through his Cd bones and wIthered flesh
not that his scared aud cdllous heart bour
IA upa single feeling OF regret or pity for Il
his marked on, destiny of The being before bin
ia but that innocence seemed to read that in hi
:. which cunning had failed TO discover. X
~. covering himself, he seated her on the rob
and placed himself al her side; then soft
the said
,rd 'sThe Good Spirit smiles on the Ottav
.bo maiden-ior that spirit loves the good a
gentle Etak as does her father Oushelo."
: How smiles the Good Spirit, iittler.l
Etak sees not the smile"
wo 1.-The eyes of the maiden are closed
ich smile is every where. HIS smile is in I
flowers that s,rew the path OF Etak's life
rests upon the Ottawa tribe, strong heal
and happy-in the muniiicence ofiher ior
hat home-in the waving fields oil corn that Il
ing oil plenty, even mid the iros,s aud SHOWS
no winter-in the vast wilderness and prar
with their herds of deer and bufialo-in
,,,Sb;nr s,rnam The r,stinp foiaere ,