The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-04-14
A Noble Instance of Indian Faith.

! A cor,espondent Of the Detroit Free
pr.ssoiyrs su,ns deeply interesting anecdole,
of the great Indian warrior and prophet
Tccunisrh
! While the enemy was in full possession oi
the country around Monroe und Det'oit,
! Tecunssh, with arge band Of his war
riors. visited the river X isin.- The inhnbi.
( Iunts ulong that liver had been stripped ol
nearly every means Of sul,sisience. Old
! Mr. Riyurd,(a Frenchman,) who was lame,
aud un.bl. by his labor ~ procure u living
for bimselr uud family, hud to keep out ol
sish, of the wandering bands Of sayagcs a
pnir of oxen, with which hls son was able
to pr. cure a scanty support for the family.
Il so happened that while ut labor with
the uxen. fecumseh, who lind come over
fruln Mal,lo,,, wa king up ~ him, said--
My friend, must have thUse oxen. My
young men are very hungry; they have
nothing io eat We muyt have those OK
en-" :,
Young Ri hard demonstrated. Ha told
the chiel that II he tDok hi, oxen his father
would starve I de ,th. ..,.
"WelI," said recumseh, eve are the
conq ,a,,d everything We want Is ours ;
[ must have tho oxen; my people must
not starye; but | will not be 81 mean ~ to
rob you Of them will give you one hnnd'
red dollars Tor them, und that is lar more
than they are worth; but we must h've
them"
Tecumssh got white man to write an or
der on the British Indian agent, Col. Elliot,
..,i. la, Iisfi iilcA
for the money. The oxen were killed, large
fires buiit,and the forest warriors soon feast
ed ON their flesh. Young Rivard took the
order 10 Col. Elliot, who promptly refused
10 pay it, saying" We are EMIT ell to sup.
poi lrom the country We have conquered
shall not pay it."
The young man with sorowful heart.
returned with the answer to Tecumseh, VIII"
said, H. WON'T pay it, will he Stay all
night. aud to-noriow we will so out and
see."
On the next morning b. took young Riv.
ard aud went out to see tn. Colonel. on
me ting him. he sail, "DI YOU refuse to
,my for the oxen b ,usht "
"lcs, said u . Colonel. unl he reilera.
ted the reasons for lis lusal.
IL boughi 'hcm, said the chiei, for my
youn. mcn were very hungry. | prolnisel
TO pay iur them, I'D they shall be paid Tor.
have always heard that the white nations
went 10 war with each other, but not with
peaceful individuals; that they did not roo
aud plumber puor people. will not.
. We l." said the Coiooel, 81 will not
pay for them" :. -,
"You can do as you please said
the Chief, "but before recumstll and liis
warriors came TO fight the battles of the
great king. they had enough to eat, ior
which they had only to thank the Master ~
lif and their good rifles. Their hu' tin
grounds supplied them with iood to them
they can rturn."
This threat proluced sudden change in
the Colnnel's miud. The detection Of the
great clio,. he well knew, would immedi'
ately withdraw all tho na'ions Of red men
irom the British service. and wi hou them.
they were nearly poweress on this lronlier.
"Wel." said the Colonel, f" il ! must
pay, | will"
- Give me hard money" said Tccumseh,
" not rug money, u my bills
The Colonel then counted out hundred
dollars in coin ond gave Il en- 10 him. The
clief hanled the money to young Rivard,
and then said to the Colonel" Give me
one dollar more" IL was niycn aud hand
ing that also to young Rivald, he said,
&" Take That it will pay you Tor tho time
you have lost in getting your money"