Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-05-06
Naoman-An Indian Tale.

Naoman-An Indian Tale.
We copy the following from one of WiLI1s'
graphic racy descriptions, in the Home Journals
Myne neighbor up stream, Mr.. Philip Yer
plank, between whose noble promontory -lawn
and our own Highland eyre these two streams
have their meadow meeting and united forte going)
gives me the following as a tradition which may
possibly contain the etymology 1t is a slip from
an old newspaper, and j copy it as it stands:
"Little more than acentury ago, the beautiful
region waterea by this stream was possessed by
small tribe of lntians which has long since be-
come extinct, or incorporated with some other saw
age nation ofthe West. Three or four hundred
yards from where the stream discharged itself into
the Hudson, white family the name of Stacey
had established itself, in log house, by tacitper
mission of the tribe, TO whom Stacey had made
himself usefulby avariety of little arts highly es.
timated by the savages. In particular friendship
subsisted between him and old Indian called Ma
oman, who often came to his house and partook of
his hospitality. The Indians never forgive injuries
or forget benefits. The family consisted of Stacey
his wife and children-a boy and girl-the former
five, the latter three years old. hsss! !.
One day Naoman came to Stacey's log hut, in
his absence, lighted his pipe and sat down. He
looked very serious, sometimes sighed deeply, but
said not a word. Staceys wife asked him what
was the matter, and if he was sick. He shook
his head, sighed, but said nothing, and soon went
away The next day he came again, and behaved
strange of this and related it to her husband who
advised her to urge the old man TO an explanation
the next time he came. Accordingly, when he
repeated his visit the day after. she was more i'm
Il am red man, and the pale;faces are our enemies
why should speak?' But my husband and
are your friends; you have eaten salt with us a
thousand times, and my children have sat on your
knee as oiten. II you, have any thing on your
mind tell it me. ~ will cost me my life if it is
known, and the white faced women are not good
at keeping secrets replied Naoman. Try me and
see; will you swear by your Great Spirit, you
else to tell. But will you swear2' do swear by
our Great Spirit will tell none but my husband.
Not If my tribe should kill you for not telling?'
Not ii your tribe should kill me for not telling.
Naoman then proceeded 10 tell her that, owing
to some entertainments of the white people, below
the mountains, his tribe had become irrtated, and
were resolved that night to massacre all the white
settlers within their reach. That she must send
| for her husband, inform him of the danger, and as
secretly and speedily as possible take their canoe
and paddle with all haste over the river to Fishkll
| for safety. tBe quick and do nothing that may
excite suspicion said Naoman as he Departed
The good vile sought her husband, who was
down on the river fishing, told him the story, and
as no time was to be lost, they proceeded to their
boat, which was unluckily filled with water. 1t
look some time to clear it out and meanwhile Sta
cey recollected his gun which had been left be-
hind. he proceeded to the house and returned
whit it took up considerable time, and precious
time 1t proved to the poor family.
The daily visits of old Naoman, and his more
than ordinary gravity, had excited suspicion in
some of the tribe, who had accordingly paid par
ticular attention to the movements of Stacey. One
OF the young Indians who had been kept on the
watch, seeing the whole family about to take their
boat, ran to the little Indian village, about mile
of, and gave the alarm. Five Indians collected,
ran down to the river side where their canoes
were moored, jumped in and padded after Stacey,
who by this time had got some distance out in the
stream They gained on him so fast, that twice he
dropped his paddle and took up his gun. But his
wife prevented his shooting, by telling him that if
he fired, and they were afterwards overtaken, they
would meet no mercy from the Indians. He ac-
cordingly RETAINED, and piled his paddle till the
sweat rolled in big drops down his forehead. All
would not do; they were overtaken within hun
ured yards OF the shore, and carried back with
! shouts of yelling triumph.
When they got ashore, the Indians set fire to
Staceys house, and dragged himself, his wife and
children, to their village. Here the principal old
men, and Naoman among the rest, assembled to
deliberate upon the affair. Tie chief among them,
stated that some of the tribe had undoubtedly been
guilty OF treason in apprisng Stacey, the white
man, of the designs OF the tribe, whereby they
took the alarm and well nigh escaped. He pro-
posed to examine the prisoners, as to who gave
information. The old men assented TO this, and
Naoman among the rest. Stacey was first interro-
gated by one of the old men, who spoke English
and interpreted to the others. Stacey refused TO
betray his informant. His wife was then question:
ed, while at the same moment two Indians stood
threatening the two children with tomahawks in
case she did not confess. She attempted to eyade
the truth, by declaring that she had dream the
night before, which had alarmed her, and that she
had Persuaded her husband to fly. "The Great
Spint never deigns to talk in dreams to a white
face,' said the old Indians: 'tWoman, thou hast
two tongues and two faces. Speak the truth, or
thy child.en shall surely die" The little boy and
girl were then brought close to her, and the two
savages stood over them, ready to execute their
bloody orders.
s'Wilt thou name," said the old Indian "the
red man who betrayed his tribe. Twill ask thee
three times" The mother answered not. "Wllt
thou name the traitor? This Is the second time'
The poor mother looked at her husband, and then
at her children, and stole glance at Naoman,
who sat smoking his pipe with invincible gravity.
She wrung her hands and wept, but remained ST.
lent lit thou name the traitor2 'tis the third
more bitter; again she sought the eye of Naoman,
but il was cJld and motionless; a pause of a mo-
ment awaited her reply, and the tomahawks were
raised oyerthe heads of the children, who besought
their mother not to let them be murdered.
t'Stop,' cried Naoman. All eyes were turned
upon him. "Stop," repeated he in tone of
authority. "Whne woman, thou has kept thy
word with mo to the lastmoment am the traitor.
have eaten of the salt, warmed myself at the
ire, shared the kindness of these Christian white
people, and it was that told them of their danger
| am withered, leahess, branchless trunk; cut
me down if you will. am ready" A yell of
indignation sounded on all sides. Naoman de-
scended from where he sat; shrouded his face with
his mantle of skins, and submitted to his fate.-He
fell dead at the feet of the white woman by blow
Of q tomahawk.
But the sacrifice of Naoman, and the firmness
of the Christian white woman; did not suffice to
save the lives of the other victims. They persisted
how it is needless to say; and the memory of
their fate has been preserved in the name of the
pleasant stream on whose banks they lived and
died, which to this dayis called Murderer's Creek
BOYS LErrER.-The following specimen of a
boys letter from an English Comic Annual, is one
of the richest things of the kind we ever saw. If
is of course by Tom Hood. There is, as an ex-
change remarks, such a truth of character in it