Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1859-11-02
TRACING APEDIGREE.

Some men are boastful of their ancestry,
while others are entirely devoid of all pride of
birth, and have no more respect for the genoa
logical table of their forefathers than they have
for Poor Richards Almanac. The late John
Randolph of Roanoke used to assert his belief
that he was descended from the celebrated
Indian Princess, Pocahontas, but it is not
known that he established his claim to that
distinction.
Many years ago there lived in near State
young gentleman who took it into his mead
, that like John Randolph, he was of Indian
descent, though unlike John, he did not know
exactly the tribe to which his forefathers
belonged. The idea was perfect monomania
with him, notwithstanding the efforts of his
friends to convince him of the folly of his
pretensions, to say nothing OF the a0surdIty
OF them, even if they could be established.
The favorite notion, however, could not be
eradicated from his mind, and he promised
his friends that be would one day convince
them that he was right in his claims.
Having heard that deputation of Indians
were at Washington, on a visit to their great
father, the President, he promptly repaired to
the city, and arranging with the gentleman
who had them in charge, his friends in the
city were surprised to receive an invitation to
accompany him on visit to the Red Men,
before whom he proposed to verify his favorite
pretensions. The parties met as requested,
and found the Indians sitting on the floor
smoking their pipes, and maniiesting but lit
tie appreciation of the honor of the visit.
Having arranged his friends at a respectful
distance from the aged chief who still regard
ed the visitors with stolid Indifference, the
young stepped boldly from the centre,
and presuming that it would require some
show of energy TO arouse the chiefs from their
apparent apathy, he placed his hand on his
breast, and said with great fearlessness:
s.Me-Indian-long time ago."
The chief, who was not skilled in talking
English, took his pipe from his mouth, but
evinced no emotion whatever. The speaker
then thinking that more violent gesture and
louder tone would be necessary, struck his
hand upon his breast with much force, and
said in Il louder tone:
Observation-Disclosures time ago"
Without moving a muscle of his face, the
old chief slowly arose from bis sitting posture,
and turned his eagle eye upon the speaker.
His friends say that the chief evidently under
stood or at least appeared to understand the
meaning of the speech addressed to him; and
they gazed ntently on the solemn proceeding.
The young man bore the searching glance of
the Indian without emotion. All felt s'that
the time had come.'
Moving sufficiently close to the speaker. the
chief raised his hand, and carefully taking
lock of the young mans hair between his fin
ger and thumb gently rubbed it between them
for moment. A IL stood brcathlesS. Quietly
withdrawing his hand, the chief uttered the
slight peculiar Indian grunt, and said s'N ig.'
This altogether unexpected denouement en-
ded the interview, and the discounted de-
scendant of the Tommyh hawks retired with his
friends, the latter roaring with laughter, and
the former filed with a most sovereign con-
tempt for his degenerated Indian relations.