Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1855-01-04
nlisfellarleolls.
From the Home Journal
THE POND OF THE WILLOW.
A LONG ISLAND LEGEND.

Oo'iS Ha'S AA' 'h"A"'SSi P''i' VI ohS
century, Slas Green, one of the early Puritan
settlers Of Long Island, dwelt on his farm in the
eastern part of one of the central townships.
His only child, Alice, was in her eighteenth
year at the time our story opens-a small, slen-
der maiden, low-voiced and gentle, with sweet,
spiritual expression upon her pale face, and a
loving, poetic soul, which her rigid nurture had
failed to chill or change Strange it seemed
that the daughter of the stern and stalwart 81
las should be cast in SO meek and fragile mould;
and the observer would glance from the child to
the parent with the same wonder that he would
have beheld lilly of the valo blossoming from
the trunk of rugged forest oak yet strong
affection existed between them, and, as far as
his iron tenets permitted, the Puritan was kind
and indulgent to his child. Green was on per-
fectly friendly terms with the Indians in his
neighborhood and the instruction of few of
the more docile and intelligent of them in the
rudiments of civilization and theleading articles
of the Christian faith, was Alce's favorite oc-
cupation. She had several pupils, who visited
her regularly in pursuance of their new studies,
and of these, the most devoted to her teachings,
as well as the most highly gifted by nature, was
q youth about twenty years of age, the adopted
son of the chief of the tribe. His parentage
was unknown to the people among whom he
dwelt A band of them, returning from sue.
cessful foray into the lands of distant tribe,
with which they were temporarily at war, had
discovered him, an infant, lying at the foot of
tree in the midst of dense forest, having prob
ably been abandoned in sudden flight and
the chief, who had first beheld the little stran-
ger, urged perhaps by the singularity Of the
circumstance, perhaps by some unwonted prompt
ing Of tenderness-at once adopted him and took
him to his own childless home, giving him an
Indian name, which signifed 1.-The Son of the
Forest" He had grown up well-beloved by all
the tribe, though giving little promise of the
warriorship which be6tted their leader. Cour-
age he had, sufficient for all needful occasions,
but his disposition was naturally peaceful and
gentle yet human nature is, after all, much
the same everywhere, and however the stern
virtues may be cultivated the soft ones will win
their way so the Sonof- the Forest, despite the
important deficiency in his character, he was
dear to his people, and, for their sake, he had
first sought the love of the white man. His
countenance, Notwithstanding its Indian cast
of feature, was prepossessng his figure good and
his manner and bearing, even to the very dspo-
sition of his eadembroidered mantle, had that
air Of peculiar and refined grace which nature
generally gives ready polished, and which, with
out her CO. operation, the most elaborate educa-
ton can never bcstow Was it wonderful that
between hearts 50 congenial, and in their ten
derest and most delicate emotions hitherto 80 is.
olated, as those Of the red young man and his
gentle preceptress, that sentiment, old as the
human race, and more powerful than the proud
est conquers its numbers, ere long arose-tha
Love soon entered and walked hand in hant
with Religion and Letters in their long and fire.
quent interviews Wonderful it might no
have been, but exceedingly distasteful to thu
mind of Silas Green was the faint suspicion O
such state of affairs, which two or three tri
vial occurrences had introduced therein. Hi
resolve was speedily taken. He would not ac
+ knowledge, even to his own heart, the degrad
ing apprehension that "a savage heather 'woult
presume to aspire to, much less win, the afec
tion of his daughter but he decided that tn
d girl was fully as manageable years. and ther
O was no reason why there should be longer della,
in granting the suit of her kinsman, John Wade
a for her hand. John Wade was dweller in
r neighboring townshp,and well known through
a out the region as goodly youth, thrifty an
o prospering in the world yet his avowal tina
r Alice had found favor in his eyes, and the pre-
4 posal to make her his wife which accompanie
it, had lain before Silas Green full eight month
A. without his once urging what he saw was q
N unwelcoms suit upon his daughter. Now how
Il ever, she was suddenly appalled, by the announce
/ ment that within week she was to wed he
~ kinsnan. Like bolt from an unclouded hea,
h en- fell this mandate upon the sunny world {
n sweet fancies which the previous days avowa
- of mutual love had conjured up. Earnestl
a but vainly she entreated and demonstrated.
s, "What objection have you to urge againG
,e John Wade :" sternly demanded the father.
ID "Father, do not love him. never ca
h love him."
t, "Pish was the contemptous reply; $40,
E. is an unseemly word upon the lips of mode
maiden-obedience better becomes them. L
o, me hear no more of this folly"
ii The preparations for the bridal went on bl
Il in the meantime, Alice had formed despera
O. resolve to fly from her fathers house. and pla
k. herself under the protection of her Indian love
I'll Her father had quietly but effectually prevent
IN any meeting between the two since his har
as dreaded bridal day saw all the arrangements
m the sacrifice completed; but not one for the
nd cape of the intended victim begun, Eight
p clock in the evening was appointed for tho Gel
he nony, and from some cause the minister cou
he not be at the house earlier and Alice had
! titioned, and her petition had been acceeded
that she should be left undisturbed in her cha
Is Der during the afternoon, and until seven h
he pealed from the household clock. For two 10
3 hours she sat motionless, revolving her plan
'w her mind and at length, as one difficulty, q