The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1859-10-20

complexion had been touched unon with
ooG Gue regard for my feelings. | Iwasno
10 Diane Tor being dark, i did not max,
myself had seen fairer women thar
my mother. | felt that what she said wa,
neither more nor less than an insult: anc
"heh she went out to see about sumner
and left me alone, [ brooded over her
words, growing more and more out Of hu.
NOR, TIL my naughty heart became so hot
! ana Dig with anger, that it almost choked
me. At last, | bit my lip and looked
very stern, for | had made up my mind to
something great. Before | let YOU know
what this was, must tell you that the
Ohondaga tribe Of Indians had their vii
iage not many miles from us Every few
months, parties Of them came about with
baskets and mats to sell A company of
hVe or SIX had been to our house that very
morning, and [ knew that they had their
encampment in our woods, about half a
mile distant. These ! knew very well,
and had quite liking for them. never
thinking Of being afraid of them, as they
always seemed kind and peaceable
10 them l resolved to 90 in my troub-
lie. They would teach me to weave bask-
cts, to ilsh, and to shoot with the bow and
arrow. They would not make me study.
nor wear bonnets, and they would never
find fault with my dark complexion. 7
remember to this day how softly and slyly
L slid out of the house that evening. |
never stopped once, nor looked round. but
ran swiftly till [ reached the woods. |
did not know which way to go to find the
encampment, but wandered about in the
gathering darkness, till | saw light glim-
merlng through the trees at some distance.
| made my way through the bushes and
brambles, and after while came upon my
copper-col0red friends In very pretty
place, down in a hollow, they had built
them some wlgwams with maple saplfngs,
covered with hemlock boughs. There
were III the group two Indians, two squaws.
and boy about fourteen years old. But
L must not forget the baby, or rather pap-
poose, who was lying in "a sort OF cradle,
made Of large, hollow piece of bark.
which was hung from the branch of 4 tree
by pieces Of the wild grapevine The
young squaw, Its mother, was swinging it
back and forth, now far into the dark
shadows of the pine and hemlock. now
out into the warm freight, and chanting
to the child some Indian lullaby. The |
men sat on log, smoking gravely and
silently; while the boy lay on the ground, |
playing lazily with a great yellow hound. |
which looked mean and starved. ike all |
indian dogs. The old squaw was cooking
he supper in large iron pot, over fire
quilt among pile of stones
"for some time, [ did not dare to 90
Onward, but at last | went up to the old
quaw, and looking up into her good-hu-
nored face, SAID, 4 come to live with you
mi learn to make baskets, for don't like
ny home She did not say any thing to
ne, but made some exclamation in her
wn language, and the others came crowd
ne round. The boy laughed, shook me
y the hand, and said [ was a brave girl:
ut the old Indian grinned horribly and
and his hand on my forehead, saving,
W hat pretty head to scalp" | scream
q and hid my face in the young squaws
luc cloth skirt. She spoke soothingly,
nd told me not to be afraid, for no body
'ould hurt me. She then took me to her
'igwam, where | sat down and tried to
lake myself at home But somehow
ldn't feel quite comfortable. After
H.,
allied us to supper. This was succotash,
nat is, dish OF corn and beans, cooked {
ith salt pork. We all sat down on the
round near the fire, and ate out of great !
OGDEN bowls, with wooden spoons, which {
must say tasted rather too strong Of the l
inc. But | did not say so then, by no S
eans,-but ate a great deal more than I t
anted, and pretended to relish it, for l
ar they would think me ill-bred I /
ould not have had them know but what |
thought their supper served in the very q
est style, and by perfectly polite and gen a
el people. was little shocked, how a
-er, by one incident during the meal L
'hile the young squaw was helping her a
lsband for the third or fourth time, she t
cidentally dropped little of the hot t
ccotash on his hand. He growled out a
1e a dog, and struck her across the face II
th his spoon. / thought that she show
most Christian spirit, for she hung t.
# head and did not say any thing. L II
ID heard Of white wives behaving worse 81
"When supper was over, the boy came II
d laid down at my feet, and talked with a
G about living in the woods He said he r.
tied the poor white people for being shut a
, in houses all their days. For his part, ?
should die of such a dull life, he knew =
should. He promised to teach me how /
shoot with the bow and arrows, to snare o.
rtridges and rabbits, and many other l
ngs Hc said he was afraid | was al g