Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1858-11-03
Written for the Free Press.
THE INDIAN MAIDEN.


ny 1--WE.
Gene on the Banks oftSs Grand Rapids
of the MGumes River. /
She sat-thAt Indian msiden-on the banks
OF the Mimi Of the North; and gAzed
On It's waters, hurrying as they did,
ImpeTed by fury Of the river god,
Along the rocky bed Of the Grand Rap ids.
She sat-that Indian mAiden-deep in thot
Illuminating, rejecting, musiog
On the brief past Of her own existence,
And the scant history Of the red mans
Race, preserved in wild war legends and the
wampum, Accompanied by silk -shod hope
Fair daughter Of imagination, she, at will,
EOyes far away into the future land,
Plucking the daisies Of the early spring,
Or admiring the autumnal flowers;
She sat-that Ind,a maiden-'neath the
OF shady oak, and gazed up into LbOughsl
The thick foliage Of lis branches, and prayed
The Great SpirittO give strength, to the arm
Oiher yonng warrior lover, to Withstand
The wrath Of tRe ruthless foe, like as
The boughs of that oak withstand the fury
OF the hurricane, when the angry spirit
OF the winds lead on the elemental strife.
With bass bark she had tied the Ainty pOin'
In the cleft arrow She With beads adorned
Her lovers mocasins. She set the wild hawk
Feathers in his head-dress, ornamented with
Rich needle-work of colored quills f ON
The rough porcupine, She for the quiver
His arrows did arrange, gave him bag
OF dried venison, and said "Go, my young,
Brave warrior, and with thee, the Grea'
Spirit
Nor return unless thou thy fierce vengence
Glut on the base hibe that dare invade our
Hunting ground to shoot the deer or stab
the bear
With a stern resolve; tho a tear was in
Ills eye, his bow upon his shoulder filings
And betakes him to his journey. His way
Led far into the wood, where grOwled the
beAl
And the catamount pearched ready to lear
Upon the timid iaNn. Her eye followed
Iii. receeding form, till among the bushes
Lost; then to the ground to catch the lates
OF his footballs, her ear applied. Silence
Soon told alsI he was far away. She sat
Now listening to the trll Of the wild bird
Song, now to th music Of the leaping
Waters Anon the spirit Of sleep clio ed
Her eyes, there under that oak tree. Tn
hawl
Scared above her but needed not The croV
Lighting neer peered into her face, and sal
She s beautiful The beaver passed around
And the f. tod lightly, saying, maid, sleeE
N;gnt came, and still the waters leape
from roc
To rock, lashing the bOuldels in their cour'
Making music wild, yet mournful Withas
As TO lull wild kature to repose.
The night bird poised herself aud lazi'y
Flew across the waters, and screamed lou
And fearful scream, startling the ear Of nigh
Still slept The maidl for she, with an1iO'
thoughts
About the warioriyouth was wearied.
She slept, and dreamed, and in her dres
she sa
The programme of the red mans future.
Oh
To her appeared of lead and bOny form,
The few locka, that did his head adorn, we
White us feathers Of she swan. To weig
he SCENE,
in bis revolving mind, momentops though
Struggling for rehearsal; a sage he SCENE
Well skilled in Indian lore; strangeness W
About his looks; something not earthly.
The maid could not divine whether h
que
Terrestrial or celestial we're.
The maiden gazed, smit with fear and wond
art thou said she, the great medicine nj
Whose wisdom found cordial for wo.stricl
Hearts: or art thou that hoary headed Sc
Who, fame did say, dweli by the gre
fathe
OF watersS'
Then he; NOR dicineRsn nor sc
Am l; but Of thy kindred am; who years
Agone did shoot the deer and spear !he fish
In these same woods and waters; here
dane
About the campfire and sang tho war sol
But death, who spares not the coward L
the BRAY
Came and said, 10 the spirit land must
With him CO. There we the future, as y
The past do know, What before the red m
Lay saw, and now am come to tell you.
Then the maiden said. ii thou from beyo
Vhose mountain mists which mortal visi
bOu
art come, spesk truth and / will hear.'
Then
Ere yOnder mpap shall three times wax
war
Or the sun shall leave the crab and iowa
The Goat, his footsteps turn, thou that crr
Race shalt see, of whom those wanderi
chi
Did tell-those chiefs who from the distant @
Did come, and in talk with your fatKs
Tribe, did to their listening ears inpart
Words more wonderful than 6ctiOns tong
g
Uttered, or eyer fantastic fancy
Wrought in imaginations brain. Strange ia
They told Of huge canoes whose sides belC
'LH-t ad A.