Plymouth weekly banner. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1856, 1855-09-20

his cabin. What was then only a wild
( tangled forest. with game starting up a
every rod. had become. before the hand
Of la Dor and cultivation, blooming plain
dotted with white mems homes. No
now, as once, could the hunter shoot
buck while standing under his own caves
he must roam now away over fertile fielt
and grassy meadow. across the rollin;
river and around the foot Of q wooded
hill. ere he could often spy the wild dee
he so loved to hunt. But they were plen
~ there, and a smoking steak or saddle
Of yenison was oft seen upon the hunter,
board.
Ii was 10 hunt q deer. TO fill up. h,
said. the empty spot on the table, that
/ Hugh Ely, the warm hearted pioneer OF
whom we have written, left his dwelling
one morning in winter and hsstened
away out of the sight of the smoke Of the
settlement and far away from its SOUNDS
Fleet was his foot. but fseter the foot OF
this noble buck he had started, and no,
until noon. when he was many miles
from home, did he succeed in pointing to-
ward it his unerring aim. Ere il fell. il
gave one wild bound and leapeG into a
tangled brak ke. and after him went the
hunter. flushed with success, but weary
TOO, with his heightened chase. But
with 4 wilder bound than the wounded
game. and fisrcer fire in their glaring eyes.
there burst upon Hugh a band of Indian
warriors, and in a moment he was disnrm-
ed and bound, and helpless as the diving
deer which sssped just a, his feet. Why
he was then made captive, and why he
was dragged so msny weary miles. no
rest allowed his torn and bleeding feet.
no sleep his heavy eyslids. no hope his
sad, lone heart. he never knew. though
afterwards, when they finally halted with
him at hunting ground in Canada. far,
far away from that valley which had been
so dear home, that he had been mista.
ken for another, for . brother pioneer.
who had once given a deadly iasut to a
fe,tersd Indian who had afterwards es-
capped.
Long and weary were the months Of
captivity that ensued-long ahd weary
TO the captive, torn SO suddenly from his
household treasures, but longer and sad
der, too, 10 The dear ones left behind
for theirs was the agony ofsuspense. and
Of all earth's sgonies, that is the most
borrowing and wsarying. e1tinguishing
even hope itself. For awhile he cher
ishsd the idea of escape. but the close and
continued watchfulness of his captors and
red man, unfrequented country, painless
only to the moccssined foot. after awhile
convinced him it was best 10 submit qui
ly to his wrongs. and trust in God.
When hs had been with them about
year, his faithful fulfilment Of she meni-
al tasks allotted him. his cheerful. quiet
air, bis manly bearence of his captivity.
so impressed the Indians that they relax
ed somewha. their severity. and oc ccasion-
ally allowed him TO wander off piece in.
TO the woods, or to rsmb!s beside the
river. He was seated one brish, suium-
nal afternoon on log tha, had fallen
close TO :hs waters edge. sadly musing
OH his lone and desoste condition, and
wondering if he shonld ever again see the
faces Of those whose memery was so no.
ly. when suddenly a low cooling sound,
like the notes of dove. broke the silence
that reigned. Hugh heard it moment
without observing it very closely. for he
was intsnily locking into his darkened
future. But after while it struck him
.ha, the sound wes an unusual one for
the spot. and somewhat versed in Indian
ways. he recognized i, as one of the signs
by which ;hey express sympathy. pity or
affection. and he looked around TO see if
the vicinity. with wild joy at the thought
that amid the dusky warriors who sur
rounded him. one there might be whose
heart had yet q loving pulse. A clump
OF low. tangled bushes grew jus. back of
his rude seat. the only spot close by that
could conceal friend or foe. He fan
cied. ss he gazed there. he beheld them
move-he was certain OF it-and it could
not be the wind. for scarcely q breath
was stirring. Thea nuiselessly some bush
es were pushed aside. and from the open
ins there appeared the red face Of stran-
ger Indian. In a few moments the branch
es we're pushed still further aside. and a
brawny red arm was visible. 1t held in
its fingers a pair Of moccasins, il turned
them up and down and around. and the n
pointed then southwark. while from the
stern lips issued the same coolng sound.
The heart Of Hugh ped up with quick.
ened life. and he was starting to the side
of the unknown. but as he now felt. friend.
ly stranger. when the signal whoop for
his return was sounded from the camp.
The Indian pressed his hand to his mouth
in token of secrecy. again waved the moe
casin in token Of escape and darted thro'
the bushes and out of sight so quickly.
that il seemed to the observer the earth
must have swallowed him.
More bravely than ever did Hugh now
bear his captivity, for hope burned bright
ly in his bosom. There was something
in the mien of the unknown Indian that
assured him he was planning his deliver
ance. and though he could not conceive
who he was or why he had taken SO deep
nm interest in him. he was satisfied that
in time, through means prepared by him,
he should see again his beloved home
clasp again his beloved family.
Many days passed ere he saw another
token. but one sunny morning as he sat