The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1855-05-02

side. What was her dismay, after de-
scending the hill and passing through
i yonder little belt of woodland, on com
ing suddenly upon an Indian encamp-
r1eut She paused, hoping to retreat
unseen; but tEis was now impossible
Several Indians started up and ap,
preached her, and a. second glance was
not needed to assure her that among
them she saw her father and mother, and
Disqualification, Ha-o-kin. This worthy
child had made the lives of the old peo-
pie somewhat uncomfortable from his re-
peatedly twitting them with the fact
that he had bought their daughter OF
them twice over, and was cheated out
of the purcase As Ha-o-kin had no
small degree of influence with the tribe,
the old couple felt very uneasy at their
daughters dorilection, it having placed
them in position of debtors to one who
evidently by his frequent taunts and
dunning, was not disposed to let them
sleep over the debt they incurred.
There was, consequently, an exclana-
ton of general surprise and satisfaction
at-the appearance of Wc-no-na. Her
first act was to disincumber herself of
her canoe, and everything that could
impede her fight. She then placed an
arrow IN the strings of her bow, aid, re-
treating few steps, called upon the APP
proaching party to stop. Tsere was
something SO imprrious III her tone that
they instantly obeyed. She thea brief
ly told them that she had withdrawn
from her tribe; that she looked tonone
of them for support +; and that she
wished to lie alone. To this her father
replied in violent language, ordering her
to come to him. She refused by sig
nificant gesture He ran forward TO
meet her, but she soon doubled the dis
tance between them. With true Indian
craft, he then changed his policy and
asked Wc-no-na whiningly if she would
not come to her dear, aifectionate pa
rents At the same time, We-no-na
could see him threaten her mother with
his hatehet, bidding her to join in his
entreaties and lamentations. This the
old woman readily did. But We-uo-Ia
was iuexerabIe Then the amiable Ha-
o-kah approached but as We-ro-na
aimed, or pretended to aim an arrow at
him, he lodged behind bush, and begg-
ed her to hear him. This, she assured
him, she would do if he would stay
where he was. Ha-o-kah tEen informed
her that he had bought her in fair trade
of her parents, and that in common hon
esty she ought to como and be his
wife; he told her that he had but three
wives, all of whom were happy women;
he had been very successful in hunting
and had collected a good number o
skins, beside quantity of BEARS grease;
he had also taken the scalp of Paw
nee, and stolen a horse; in short, there
was not a young woman in the tribe
who would not be proud of the position
he now offered to the disdainful We-no-
ma.
We-no-na, leaning scorufully on her
bow, replied Thief of Dahcotah,
your wife will never be! Y ou say you
have but three: there was fourth who
died of a blow from her husband.
What brave he must be There is
another, who is blind of an eye. How
did she lose it, o great warrior, with
your one scalp, and that, 1 will venture
to say, a woman's2 Never will 1 be one
of your people againl Go vent your an
ger upon the poor slaves who are left to
you, and be content I"
By this time the rage of Ha-o-kah
was at its height; aud regardless of
danger. he rushed forth with howl to
seize her who had dared to give utter
ance to such unweicome truths. But
We-BoIa, yigilant as wildcat and
swifter than the deer, gained an eleva-
ton frem which she again aimed an ar
row at her pursder. He threw himself
on the ground, and the arrow lodged in
the trunk of a tree some distance behind.
With yell, he rose to his feet, and
strained every sinew SO overtake We
ne-na; but, with the ease and grace of
antelope, she outran him. All The
young men OF the encamPn cut were by
this time in full chase; for they knew
that they need expect no 6 ace from
Ha-o-kah unless they were officious in
assisting him. We-no-na ran to the
top of the bluff, whero her wigwam
stood, and threw herself painting upon
a bed of dry, fragrant grass. that she
had prepared some days before. She
had rested there hardly a minute, when
the sound of voices and footsteps reused
her, d springing to her feet, she saw
Ha-o-kah, with three or four followers,
ascending the hill slope frcm the south,
and but a few rods distant. In frenzy
of indignation, she again set an arrow
in the string, and exclaiming, "This,
Ha-o-kah, for the benefit of your three
wives" shot it at him before he had
time to turn aside. 1t lodged in his
right arm above the elbow, disabling it
materially for the active purposes of
chastising his wives or scalping his foes.
The pursuers paused. ouite confound.