The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1855-12-05

old squaw and looking up into her goot
humored face, said, I am come 10 livl
1 with you, and learn to make baskets
for don't like my homo" She dit
| not say any ything to me, but made SOM
exclamation in her own language, and
the others crowdiug round The boz
laughed, shook me by the hand, and saie
/ was brave girl; but the old IndiaI
grinned, horribly and laid his hand OF
my forhead saying q what pretty heat
to scalp.n / screamed aud hid my facs
inssthe squaw;s blue cloth shirt Sh,
spoke soothingiy, and told me not to b
afraid !, for nebod would hurt me. Shs
then took me to her wigWam, whore ]
sat down and tried to make myself a
home. But somehow, / didn't feel quit5
conifortable.. After. . while the old
squaw took off the pot, and called us "a
supper. This was succo tash that is
dish of corn and beans, cooked with salt
pork. We all sat down on the ground
near the fire, and ate out of great wooden
spoons, which must say tasted too
strong of pine But I did not say so to
them,-by no means-bat ate a CRATE
deal more than I wanted and pretended
to relish il, for fear they wonld think me
i'll bred / would not have had them
know bat what thought their supper
served up in the very best style, and by
perfectly polite and genteel people I
was q little shocked, however by one in
e;dent that happened during the meal.
While the young squaW was helping her
husband for the third or fourth time, she
aecid on m 10 drorned n little suceofaeh ii
on his hand. He growleds out like q
dog, and struck her across the face With
spoon. l thought she showed . chris
tlan spirit, for she hung her head and
did not say anything l had heard OF
white wives behaving worse. So
81 When supper was over, the boy
came and lad down at my feet, and
talked with me about living IN the woods
He said he pitied the poor white people
for being shut mp in houses all their days
For his part, he should die OF such q
dull life, he knew he should He prom.
ised to teach me how to shoot with the
the bow and arrow, to sneare patridges
and rabbits, and many other things. De
said he.was afraid l was almost spoiled
by llvingin the house and going to school
but hoped that, if they took me away
and gave me new name, and dressed
me properly, they mIght mako something
OF me yet. Then 1 asked him what he
was called, hoping he had some grand
Indian name, like lucas. or Miantoni-
mo, or Tushmalnhan but he said 1t was
Peter He was pleasant fellow ard
while he was talking to me did not care
about my home, but felt very brave and
squaw-like, and began to think about the
fine belt of wampum, and the head dress
of gay feathers, and the.red leggins, and
the yellow moceasins was going to buy
myselr with the baskets l was going
to weave. But when he left me
and I went back to the wigwam and sat
down on the hemlock boughs by myself.
somehow, I couldn't keep home out of
my mind. I thought first of my moth
er, how she would miss the little brown
face at the supper table, and on the pill
loW by the fair face of my blue-eyed
sister. l thought ofmy young brother,
Albert, cfying himself to sleep because
I was lost. I thought of my father and
brothers searching through the orchard
and barn, and going with lights to look
in the mill-stream. Again L Thought OF
my mother, how, when she feared ! was
drowned, she would cry bitterly, and be
very sorry for what she said about my
dark complexion. Then I thought of
myself, how I must sleep on the hard
ground with nothing but hemlock boughs
for covering, and nobody to tuck me up.
What if it should storm before morning,
and the high tree above me should De
struck BY lightningi What # the old
Indian should not be . tame savage az
ter all, but should take fancy 20 SET up
the war Rhoop, and come and scalp me
in the middle of the night
The bell in the village church rang
for nine. This was the hour for evening
deEotions at home. l looked round to
see if my new friends were preparing
for worship. But the old Indian was
one, I feared that man who indulged
in beating his wife with awooden spoon
would hardly be likely to lead in family
prayers. Upon the whole was among
rather heathenish set. Then I Thought
again of home, and doubted whether
: t6ax, 1uo,,1d .4zbava anv family worahin
that night with one lamb of the aock
cone astray. q thought of all their
orief and tears. till felt my heart would
burst with sorrow and repentance, for
I dareu not cry aloud.
q Suddenly I heard a familiar sound
At a distance-it was Carlos bark I'i
Nearer it came then I heard steps CON-
ing fast through the cracking brushing
-