The hydraulic press., 1859-11-26
AN ABORIGINAL ROMANCE.

The Derickson brothers, at Freeman's
Crossing, have living with them an Indian
youth, indigenous to that vicinity, whose
"white name" is Tom. He has been with
them several years, is now eighteen years
old, large, fat, broad-faced, well clad, semi
civilized intelligent and useful, but decid-
edly averse to acquiring a knowledge of let
ters. He is gentle and oblging, yet exceed
ingly sensitive and independent, and not to
be coaxed or driven to anything he dislikes.
While strongly attached to his white friends,
who have always been very kind to him, he
retains a clinging affection for his race, and
frequently makes brief visits to an adjoining
"campoody."
Not long ago, Tom felt moving within him
that power which, according to Coleridge,
doth move the court, the camp, the grove.
He felt attracted towards a dusky damsel
of the pine woods, whose soft dark eyes
to say nothing of her low brow and stiff,
black hair lying straight across it-had Of
ten bewitched his gaze; and, like DR.. Kane's
faithful Esquimaux, Hans, he started off
without warning to seek his affinity. It is
presumed that she was soon wooed and won,
and that the wedding ceremony was per-
formed in the cathedral of the grand old
woods, by the same priest who oficiated in
similar capacity at the junction of the
Euphrates and Tigres, some six thousand
years ago. Tom being no Oviedo, and Mrs.
Tom decidedly no Miss Bartlett, the attend
ance was small, confined to a few Lords Oft the
Manor and their DANES. Not having to fur
nish homestead, nor purchase a costly
bridal outfit, nor buy even a single hooped
skirt, the happy couple were able to begin
housekeeping Immediately, and receive the
congratulations of their friends. An um-
brageous oak formed at once their parlor,
bed chamber, kitchen and larder, where
they could live in the same style of elegant
simplicity which was in vogue-"When'
Adam delved and Eve span", and which
some wise philosophers long to see again
adopted.
But all that's bright must fade, as we need
no poet come from Parnassus to tell us; and
Toms connubial bliss shared the common,
fate. Whether the lady he had chosen from
all the world beside proved false and tickle,
or her lord himself-like all his sex, Gin
constant still and prone to change"-wearied
of her unadorned charms, perhaps will never
be known. Suffice it, that cloves young
he yearned again for the flesh pots of Free
mans Crossing. Acorns and grasshoppers
are not the food of love, whatever music
may be; for Toms affection died and his
flesh grew thin on such "provender'; while
his garments, owing to antiquity and his
wfe's shameful ignorance of sewing or ina
bility to keep Grover & Baker, became
ragged and wofully scant Of the require
ments of civilized prejudice. His physical
health suffered, likewise, and his eyes, that
once Cooked love to eyes that looked again,
were afflicted with griev5us soreness. In
this sorry plight-a warning to all who
'love not wisely, but too welr'-he was at
last found by his white protectors and in
duced, in spite of his pride, to return to their
home. There he lives now, fatter and a
wiser youth, divorced without legal process
and nowise inclined to sigh for "a tent in
the wild wood, home in the grove" In
fact the least allusiOn to his dream of love
offends and annoys him.