Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1853-08-19
MISCELLANEOUS.

For, invisible thee,
Spirits twain have crossed with me.
MISCELLANEOUS.
For the Enquirer.
mUCkWA-AN INDIAN TALE.
KATE KESSARD.
Have you The bright glancng of the Sauit ST
Mare7 Have you stood The edge OF the rapids an'
watched the hurying flow and dash OF the water Gans
off from the hidden ROCKS and inging up shower OF da
into sunlight? Have you followed the graceful
bark of the Indians guided by skill which seems
amos, magical uncrrng is IT, they avoid The hidden dan
gers glide safely through the perlous passage while
still hold you breath for "ar u you have done these things
no,c when OF The village the Of The miners
the putting arrival and departure oil the steamboats, have al
destroyed the beauty Of the by nngDg with
such associations you carry your
those early times when HGnn-pn and Marquette first lee
the way the wilderness guided by holy zeal and open
path for the French traders whom the love Of adven
less than the love of gan carried so far beyond h
bounds Of cviiZ alton
Then the of The Saull ST. Marie danced between
The unbroken pine forests which stretched for miles along
the shore separated from the water only By the long line
white beach broken here and there by Indian
wgwam, relieving the dead of the pine by lis warm
amber colOred bark covering.
The inhabitants of these hus hunters they
fishermen They left the with which their forests nd
islands abounded the moro powerful tribes around them
and contencd themselves with the produce OF their walters
the trout and white fish which have since become noted
for their eplcurean delcacy.
On the point Of sand and pebbles which into the
below the apds, and which cut OH It is from thr
hills by very Of The village and by the portage
dgnhed by the residence Of chief there Then group
of wgwams something larger and permanent than
the scattered huts which lay along the shore. They
The home Of The chief OF his ibe old man but sui
reseed for his experience and sagacitY The form Of the
old man. erect bent; the light, free STEP
emulous the which once guided the canoe was
too feeble TO be trusted among those rapid and hidden
rocks and the ud chief IN his wewam patiently
ing for the cal! of The Munon the Grea, Spirit, who would
lead him 10 fishing grounds glorious than any he had
here lands "besde sill waters But II the chic!
cid and feeble his Muekwa The pride OF his tribe:
who 10 skillu al the oar who fortunate in his fishing
sons2 who could better bear the hadships OF
WATERS when he almost covered their wigwans and
the rapids as',cd fury their struggles
cape from tho chains of ice which flung over
them2 who really with The tale song The ngs
In which the tribe slrove 10 brse the tedousnrss of The
time when their fishing nets must hang idly the wall r
The Indians are not an unsociai peope-they acturp
when with whee; 100 proud to show their ignorance they
take refuge 10 silencC bn lnge freed from any
Of CEREMONY and in where they feel
sy Tor supporting their dignity they as children
And Muclwa had been the nlerest iherelhe il
heart and the in dress His moccasns and eseins
were more skiuiy and eaboatcy decorated than any
the Tribe for they were wrought by Wshoya, the
skiul as well the beautiful ma.dc among thus,
fishermen Of lakss-she who had been 50 long ber.het
TO Muckwa ihey had grown together and chdr, n
had walked hand in hard by the lake shores had
their little canoes the water trying their strength with
that OF the currents had listened together the traditions
their tribe and To the lessons of the old men and
around the winters fire, and when little more than boy and
girl, had been belrolhed, with all the ceremonies OF their
nation, Tor Muckwa was the OF 4 chief
But now came the time when huckwa could longer be
allowed wander around his home with the women g hen
he must go on distant fishing expeditions take his part in
the wars give his voice In the councils of hs people,
win the feeling OF his cunning madness and newly acquired
dignity came, too, the pride Of false pride
ior which they hardly be blamed nours!ed Is il hv
education and The whole force Of habit and example, So
loving Wishoya no less loving her indeed with tender
ness whlch seldom belongs 10 the Indian nature grew
10 be somewhat ashamed M The very manifestations of hi,
oveoi the devotion which had kept closely by her
ride Was worthy OF Indian chief spend his DAYS
in following the ancies of g7 Was she not to he his
he In panlh is Iorh
10 row his boat while he lay and smoked! lie must begin
al once 10 snow her that nc and she woman
his absences grew longer and frequent his manner
"ieh WIN ier less Tree and imperous he brought
nome nan or her fathers cabin but moose hur or porcu
pine quiis ior her embroidery; he longer followed un
questioning he wishes; longer his canoe where
she Pleased or would spend hours in nos,Ing on th ain
BOSOM Oh the laRr talking and singing with her while She
wrought her moccasns tr of birch bark
Msn'oya was OF no nprr 10 bear Ibis mcckly she had
none OF The Indian worlans meek submssiycness hui se
mad only too much Of The Indians surn pride and after
re" EFFORTS 10 overcome Muckwas reserve she Withdrew
herself from him; more ready Ia meet him nm m.
shofe or TO row with him his bou: and wien no came 10
,h ;,; W Wy mah sheltered hcrse'! among the in
the men. 49, " " " " oo ''
onr muesTa was what he had wanted consider.
e" a man ana YET how far from satisfied was he
ut me summer was nsary over and he cunsocd himself
WIN the thought n the onr w,ne, ,v vhi nusI nil hc
n Nd , nun, round the frs,-thc winter nights Of
"s ao S'u'y Telling when WIstoyu could not be yery far
from him. ' 80 " ' "
ahe Autumn came and the winter, bu, brought, with
$500" W n had
never seen before pere Menc the Jesuit prrs who wa.
70 pass 'he winter with the obj way tribe in the
sas 70 sGeA e head @atcrso The Mississippi. and Jules.
the young trench trader who accompanied inc priest and
VINO traded his beads nkcs TOR tbs ,mrs and skins OF
the Indians. " go ~
And now there were no SONGS or rlrs around The 6res
ie @ ",' su"ne wer" silent, listening TO Perre Meme.
~ae lie TOD OF The Christians God Of the love- genl!encss
az. t W UNA who so great aud powerful yet cared
so much TOT itls Indian children He spoke 10 the women
well ucn; he seemed 10 car. AZ much for
her saaoh as tor that of the great chiefs and braves
"to 'ea themselves SO proudly, und Wshoya crcpt his
sA ptS W eaten every word that Tell from his lips
partly To h'de herself aud bushes from the Young French
uaaet "nispeaen aam',,o"; there her face
thought OF or care Tor MncHw, She seemed 10 br far re-.
moved from him. and in his heart he cursed enunl tho ala
priest aud the young pale face had separated them
He hardened his heart against words of The nr;s s,d
when he after The other amonu his
tribe over BY the mild gen,cnsss and unwsa,sd nd
ness OF the old man, bending his head the sno ,iIr If
baptism, he chung the eagerly gloamr t,h ar
his nation and scotncd the more bitterly nconstnnry
and rash weakness of those who lett the of their ia
Tiers and dared the wrath of the ManIton. =
Weeks passed and gave him chance to Wshtoya
Either she was with The priest in his visits among the wig
vans on the shores she at his side in her hop
seeking MS protection from one, but from Muck
wa Once too IN beautiful moonlight night h- had sud
denly come upon her. standing in the snow, by the of
the rapids pointing out their dark wny beauty jules
VINO leaned over her looking the rapids bn hrG
beautiful face MdcSwa drew himself suddenly among
b"nes ana let them pass him. and sought his hui with
his heart dark within hin.
And Wshtoya herself had she really foroo ,rn Mpckwa-
their childish plays their esy oerotha2 He had withdrawn
himself from her had neglected her; she believed thought
ot ner as his interiors that when she to his wigwam
10 i've he would make the slave of her that other chiefs
made OF tholt let her cook his fish draw oil
MS moccasns cleanse his boat work him as servant
and be grateful Tor The least look of Kindness while
Jules told her OF the oi his country who wera
worshiped, waited upon, served devotion throuuh lift
aud who (he said) not half beautiful az she
tIe told Of the far distant where he would
the great waters that glorious coun,r
beautiful than her dreams, where he would ALWAYS b
BY her side TO work for her. guard her from danger
What wonder that she forgot buckwa and listened hew;
Tered, TO the young stranger.
And Pere Meme In his zeal for the conversion bean
ful savage, deemed any worldly suffering of account
when compared with the security OF her soul He
ged her dstase for the condition of Indisn women allow
ID Jules constant opportunities be with her. and
ron'eed him To unite them by the holy bonds Of the