The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1854-07-19
J, the ,Highlanders hold that little

II
tween the New England Indians and
the whites, and though the savages often
visited the settlers they never evinced
other than kindly feelings, and were al
d ways treated with confidence and re-
spect. A short distance from the new
! cabin, lived Chocorua, with few of his
4 neepfe. He was a chief of great infu-
ence among his tribe, and had either
war or peace at his command. He Wis
tied the M'Kenzies often, always bring
ing his little son, a lad some nine or ten
d years old, with him, and being kindly
i treated, a warm friendship soon COM
menced between the dusky boy and gay
Nelly, the "Pale Flower" as the In
dians called her. -.
4 The young native was a bright, hand
4 some, lad, with the keen eye and firm
tread of his father, and the old sachem
looked upon his boy with all that hope
and affection that the proudest king
I would cherish for the heir of his scepter
and renown It was some time before
Nelly M'Kenzie could overcome her
! fear of Indians; she had heard in her
own land, so many tales of their bar
/ barity, faithlessness aad cruelty, that she
/ was at first frightened at the name even,
/ of /" savages" But her father and moth
er, and her brother Allan-who was, to
be sure, almost handwriting no
alarm, she at length began to lose her
shyness and terror. And when Choco-
rua came to her fathers, leading his son,
so near her own age, so handsome IN his
gay Indian dress, she really thought
that after all, they were very clever peo-
pie. ia.7-i
"Pale flower" said the chief, ''this is
my son, his name is Ok-nah-loo, which
means Young Hawk in our language
1-he loves the pale faces for they have
dealt justly with us. %
Nelly shrunk back behind her stall
wart father, as the boy held out to her
beautiful fan, made of gay feathers,
and ornamented with beads and tiny
shells. But a few words from her
mother encouraged the little girl, and
she timidly held out her hand for the
tempting offering. Choeorua smiled,
and when Mrs. M'Kenzie took from her
daughters neck string of red coral
beads and tied them around the dark
throat of Ok-nah-loo, the old chiefs eyes
sparkled with pleasure and pride. Mel
| ly soon began to regard her new friend
with affection, and scarcely a day pass
ed but what the two children played to-
gether before the cottage door.
Well did the M'Kenzies know the i'm
portanee of preserving friendly feeling
with their red neighbors- They knew
the Indian disposition, that it was with
them warm friendship or deadly hate,
and SO by word and deed they strove to
avoid anything likely to give offence
The first year of their new world life
passed away, and they were becoming re-
conciled to their forest home. If the
heather would not bloom around the
cabin, the blue bells would, and many
flower seeds they had planted sprung up
and bore brighter blossoms than they did
under the shadow of old Ben Lommond.
Allan was going back to the old country
in October, to bring some of their rela-
tives, and also one who was very dear to
him, who was waiting hopefully at her
fathers house in the highlands. Allan
had promised to come for her as soon as
possible, and she, happy and trusting in
his promise, worked gaily at her loom,
singing, "The Land of the West" or
some old ballad she knew Allan loved
to hear. ,-.-7 .-, -f=s
But In September an event occurred
that brought desolation on the M'Ken-
zie family and plunged the settlers of
the country into all the perils of an In
dian war. 1t was pleasant afternoon
in the latter part of the month, that Ok
nah-loo and Nelly had strayed a few
rods from the cottage into the cool shade
of the ancient forest. Here the young |
Indian amused his companion by shoot
ing with his bow and arrow the gaudy |
forest flowers from their stems, or, climb
ing the young trees, he plucked the ripe
grapes from creeping vines that wove |
themselves among the branches. At |
last he found, growing in little hollow,
a bunch of dark blue berries; he gath
cred them and eating portion gave the
remainder to his companion. AS Nelly
was admiring the round plump fruit,
however, Ok k-nah-lo suddenly made her |
understand that they were not good
that they were bitter; SO the child tossed
her berries one by one into the air IN a |
playful manner, and then jAined the |
wild lad to chase young bird that just |
then huttered from branch above them. |
An hour or more slipped away, when
suddenly the Indian boy was seized with
giddiness and pain. He cried out that
he was sick, that his head was dizzy, that |
he could not walk, and sank painting on
messy knoll. Nelly, frightened, ran
hastily to the cabin for help the boy
was carried in, and Mr.. M'Kenzie and
his wife done all that experience could /
suggest or affection prompt, to relieve
his suffering. 1t was useless; he died
in a few hours, and sorrowfully were the
tidings sent to the chieftain's lodge
Chocorua came in grief and anger to the
cottage His suspicious mind suggested
his SON. had been puFposely poisoned
and the explanations of Mr.. M'Kenzie,
the grief and tears of the mother and
child, had no effect on his untamed spirr
it. He believed his son had been de-
stroyed by the white parents, that he
might not gain too strong hold in the
heart of their only daughter. He told
them this, and the blood of Donald
M'Kenzie was aroused with an angry
voice be bade the sachem begone, and
reproachedr him bitterly for his cruel
suspicious. Chocorua, with his dead
child in his arms, departed, with threats
of vengeance before the snow fell on the
grave Of the hope of his declining life:
: There was fear and sorrow in the
house of the Scots that night. They
expected the vengeance of the chief,
though they were conscious of their
good faith and Innocence. Well" said