The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1855-07-25

e the Eagle was supplied with food, ft
y the young wife showed no solicitude, an
s yet no ore saw her form, or heard he
e footsteps on the mound.
, The brother of the Wolf knew We
that the Eagles wife must supply hin
with food, and etermincd, if possible
to entrap her. He therefore studio
and initiated her gait, he obtained OF
portunities of observing her dress, an
when he felt he was perfect in his part
he arrayed himself one evening in
dress the exact counterpart of hers, wit
knife and tomahawk concealed beneath
and bearing some food openly befor
him, took, just at twilight, the common
path up the mound, where he knew tn
mere sound of footsteps would be les
likely to alarm the dog or his master
and he hoped to approach SO near with
out suspicion, that he might by sudden
rush, secure his victim. His plan wa.
successfully executed. He initiated
well the light steps of the Eagles wife
the approaching form was one familiar
to the dog, and he had not caught the
scent. He wagged his tail as he lay with
his eye fixed as if he would soon bound
up and forward with q welcome. The
Eagle addressed his supposed wife in
gentle tones and bade her hasten. The
blood avenger was within ten feet of his
intended victim, and thought that all
was gained, when the dog, with one yell
and one bound, threw him5elf upon him
and bore him to the earth, with his jaws
grappled to his throat Entangled by
the female dress and throttled by the
hound, he could not draw his knife, and
the Eagle, who comprehended the scene
at glance, deprived him of his weapon,
while held by his dog, and then pinion-
ed his arms. Now go to your friends"
said the young warrior, +" L care not for
your blood. Your brother sought my
life, on this very spot, and I slew him,
but only to save my own. But stay,
you shall go home as warrior should.
You have showed some skill in this.'-
He cut the pinions from his arms, and
gave him back his weapons They were
taken in silence, and the humble yet
greatful foe withdrew
Three months had thus passed away,
and negotiations were opened for a ran
som. The friends in such case agreed
first to treat, but do not engage to &c
cept what might be offered for life
This is-Only to be decided on spot ap-
pointed for the ceremony, and with the
stedder of blood unarmcd, and complete-
ly in their power, and bound by the law
to make no resistance. When the par
ties are present, and tho proposed ran
som is offered, it is considered by the
friends of the slain man, and if accept
ed, all is settled: but if not they have
the right to slay the murderer on the
spot, without, resistance from him or
from his friends.
In this case the friends of the Wolf
agreed to consider q ransom, and young
Eagle consented to abide the issue, he |
and is friends hoping that the sparing of
the brothers. life might have some infu-
ence in the descision, and besides it was
now generally believed in the tribes that
the Wolf had been the aggressor.
At the day appointed the parties met
in an open space with hundreds to wit
ness the scene around. The Eagle, all
1narmed, was first seated on the ground,
hen by his side was laid down a large
Knife with which he was to be slain, if
he ransom was not accepted. BY his
ide sat his wife, her hand claspcd in his,
While the eyes even of old men were dim
With tears. Over against them, and so
ear that the fatal knife could be easily
iezed, stood the family of slain Wolf, the
ather at the head, by whom the ques-
ion of life or death was to be settled
Ie seemed deeply moved, and sad, rath-
r than revengeful. A red blanket
-as now produced and spread upon the
round. 1t signii ed that blood had been
he'd which was not yet washed away, the
rimson stain remaining. Next blank
all of blue was spread over the red
ne. 1t expressed the hope that the
lood might be washed out in heaven
nd remembered no more, and last
lanket purely white was spread over all, ,
gnifcant of desire that-nowhere on
arth or in heaven q stain of blood !.
lould remain, and that everywhere, and
y all, should be forgiven and forgot {
IN. ...,.--...s
These blankets, thus spread out, were :;
, receive the ransom. The friends of
lie Eagle brought goods of various kinds
nd piled them high before the father of
le slain. He considered them mo-
ent in silence and then turned his eye1
} the fatal knife The wife of the
agile threw her arms around her hus-
lnd's neck, and turned her eyes implor-
gly full on the old mans face without Il
word. He had stretched his hand to- 81
ard the knife when he met that look 81
e paused; his fingers moved convul- Il
vely, but they did not grasp the han C
e. His lips quivered and then tear 81
as in his eye. father" said the fc
other, she spared my life." The Y