Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1859-08-10
an nynt&;esting story
THE LIFE RANSOM.
BY GEoRGIANSA c. MUNRO.

Softly the west wind stole over the sunny
lake, and welcome to US was even its low
faint breath, as we sat in the shadow cf the
forest trees in the sultry hour of summer noon.
tide. Before US the broad Huron was flashing
in the sun rays, divided from the aower.gem.
med bank BY beltof glittering sand, while
on our right, the bold hoad.land stretched far
into the sleeping waters, whereon rock, and
tree, and grassy mound were brightly mirrored.
Nothing of life stirred in the silent wilder
derness save the brilliant butterflies lowering
around more gaily tinted blossoms, and the
bright humming birds, with their emerald and
ruby plumage, glanciRg like jewels in the sun
shine, huttering over the fowery shrubs, and
darting away across the honeycomb quartz
that cleaned between US and the point, with
low hum as though they were murmuring
tales of the. GOLD which slept below. But all
the unsunned treasures which tho geld el---
might indicate, were in worth lar below the
priceless offering once laid upon those stones,
and many, many years must pass away ere
time, or change, the foot of the stranger, or
the hand of the gold-seeker, shall Danish the
memories which cling around thespot Though
strange to US, they we're familiar to more than
one Of our companions, and as we sat there
beneath the lofty sycamores, with the noon.day
sun pouring down light and beauty on the
fertile earth and deep blue waters, the tale to
which ne listened, gained, perchance, deep
er interest from the scene of its relation.
The coming winter had breathed his first
frost.spelI over the forest, turning to crimson,
and gold, and silver, its garb of varied green,
when one evening q girl sat on the grassy
bank watching the latest sunbeams fade from
the glowing sky and darkening lake. The
sunset hues had left the clouds, and the stars
were glancing forth to mirror themselves in
the blue waters, but still the girl kept her
post, gazing along the shore, and afar in the
distance. She was alone, yet the line of tall
trees bordering the forest concealed an Indian
encampment, and above their heads several
columns of gray smoke were soaring up into
the evening sky, while the murmur Of voices
rose on the air, and at times peals of laughter
echoed through the woods.
But Webegwona cared not to join in the
merriment. She was watching for the return
of her nearest relative, who had ever been to
her as brother, and dreaming such din,
visions as she could dream Of the scenes and
the people among whom her mother had been
born. For though her hair was dark as mid
night, and her features those Of the race with
whom she dwelt, there was enough in The
ma;den's fairer complexion and deep blue
eyes'to have won her the name of Wsbegwona
White Lily which was bestowed upon by
her tribe.
Her father, long dead, had been great
Chief but her mother had been found as 8
child by the Ottowss among the ruins of an
American outpost which another nation had
destroyed aud carried away and adopted by
:hem, had become the wife Of one Of their
bravest warriors. Yet amid all the contrasts
fher wild forest life, the fair.haired daughter
Of the pale. faces had retained some faint re-
collection Of the past to breathe into the wan
dering ear Of her child, before she, also, was
called away, and Wabegwona was lef. AT
orphan--alone, save for Laguiab, the son o.
her fathers brother, who had taken her to hi:
nome, and bads his mother look upon her as
q daughter. And the young men, to whom
her smile was cold as sunlit snow, and the old
women, who we're forever whispering like the
forest leaves, said that Laguiab would make
her his wife. But the maiSen's heart was
still IN her mothers grave, and the bodies,
hunter, and bravesc warrior Of the Ottowas
feared to draw it thence too rashly, lest it
might shrink away from his touch.
And now dark speck gided among the
tar-beams on the lake, and canoe came
bounded forward eagerly, like wild deer to
its favorite haunt. II was that for which
Wabegwona watched, and smile lit up her
features as she behcld it, and her thoughts,
which had been wandering far beyond the
dark forest and the cleaning waves, few back
to the present.
The riae:o Laguiab has not been idle,''
said Nabegwona, who stood on the shore to
welcome her cousin. I" He has fingered long.
buthis canoe is heavy"
The rife Of Laguiab has been his enemv"
replied the hunter mournfully. "Let nv sis.
ter bid the young men come hither, for the
load in his canoe lies heavy On the heart Of
Lagu;ab."
One glance had told the girl that a stranger
lay to all lappearance lfeess in the canoe, and
she hastened to summon the hunters from the
fires, around which they we're talking of the
pastaay's exploits. Then she went on to tell
her aunt of the guest they might expect.
Aow Wabegwona's heart beat as the Otto.
was bore the wounded stranger into the lodge
and she saw that he was not merely younp
and handsome, for that was little then to her,
but the race her mother had always loved. ;!
And when the medicine men had done their
best, aud SO they said charmed the. bullet
out OF the wound. and, spoken the wise words
Whiea would make their herby potions drive