Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-06-22
THE INDIAN MOTHERS AFFECTION.

The ensuing incident is related hy Rev. A.
Stevens in the National Magazine, in his Edito-
rial Jotting8 in the West. We are inclined to
believe that our Christianity would have let the
Indian keep his two wives, as the best course
under the circumstances. Polygamy as neU
institution is abominlble but we doubt the
wisdom of breaking an old tie, entered into
without thought Of evil,
A chief and his two wives were converted,
and wished to Join the Mission Church. lie
was truer man, and had Il warmer heart than
was usual among his race. 1t was necessary
that one of his wives should he put away they
themselves, as Christian converts, saw and con-
cedcd the necessity, but the process Of eff4cting
the separation was heart-rending. The details
of the process coold not be determined in the
wrotched family, and the missionary WAS sent
or. He found them in the deepest grief. One
Of the wives was young and beautiful, both in
person and character; the other was aged and
iuirm, but equally esteemed for her virtues. 1t
was settled that the latter should be retained ;
the other bowed her head and consented it was
right; it was the most mcrciful arrangement.
But a fearful struggle remained: the young
wife was mother; she had an only child an
infant. The chief loved it; it was, perhaps,
to he the inhcrtor of his authority honors he
could not part with it. "Neyer," said the
missionary, "did l witness u more affecting
scene than now followed No possible terms
could be agreed upon between the contending
affections of the two parent. The mother sat
on the ground eart-brokcn, her tears dropping
upon the child that lay in her arms; the chief
stood off, agonized and weeping, and the elder
wife sflrunk away from the scene" The mis-
sionary proposed at last, think, that it should
b, decided by lot, and the child fell to the chief,
but the mother clung to it. The missionary
urged her to carry it to the arms OF the chief,
but she could not; her sobs were her only re-
ply. He then directed the chief to take it
but the latter, overcome ut the grief of its heart
broken mother, could not step forward to do 50.
What was to be done! The agreement WAS
binding. In Indian life, the father was the
only sur. protector of the child the mother $
own future marriage and profession would be
affected, too, by the result. 1t was painful,
a heartrendins case, but had no alternative.
The missionary had to advance to the PROSTATE
woman, and take the child himself She reyeren-
ccd his office she believed the act necessary
and with irrepressibie tears and so's, yielded
the chi but, no sooner had he TAX n it from
her bosom, and placed it in the arms Of the
father, than the woman eaped toward it, and
with outstretched hands, struggled to regain it
crying, frantcally, " Give me my child Oh
give me my child. Do what you will with me
bat give me my child y
| saw the retained wife of the chief at tn,
camp she bears the highest Christian character
and her husband has, understand, nantainet
his Christian integrity. The young, heart
broken mother has found refuge in the grave
-Saturday Ecening Post.