Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1861-04-11
An gnteresting SHINY
THE TRAPPER'S WIFE.
A TRADITION.

Ferdinand Mckenzie, trapper, was 1oat-
ing down the Missouri, somewhere between
the mouth of Knife River and Stone Idol
Creek, through the country of the Mandans.
Ferdinand was lazily reading Horace's
Odes, queer occupation for trapper
but he had been to college in his day.
A sudden, swift shadow on the page; 6
rush through the air, a scream, splash
Down went Horace, up sprang Fediuand,
and stood gazing where the ripples showed
that the creature, whatever it was, had
gone down. Another moment it rose to
the surface, close to the canoe-a woman
Ferdinand grasped her dress; and with
some difficulty, drew heriuto the boat, quite
insensible. No other human creature was
near! She had thrown herself into the
water. She was young girl not more than
fourteen or fifteen She wore nothing but
a pair of old moccasins and deerskin skirt,
also old and much worn; her loug black
hair, which fell nearly to her feet, was her
only ornament. Ferdinand recognized her
as little girl he had seen in the Mandan
village, about four miles above-the de-
pendant of Shawtaharora, or the Coal, one
of the inferior chiefs. She was called a.
mong them Melahartah, or Daughter of
the Willow; but she was not of their race.
Her shoulders were bruised and marked as
with whip; the blood oozed slowly from d
cut on the pretty brown arm. Evidently the
poor child had been cruelty abused, and
Ferdinand pitied her sincerely. He tried
to bring her back to life, and his efforts were
successful a pair of soft black eyes opened
and fixed themselves on his face with be-
wildered, beseeching look, pitiful to see.
"Wby did you do that, my child?" he
asked, in the only dialect Of Sioux that he
could speak. To his surprise, she answer
ed him in English:
"Oh, what for no let Leelinau die? No
want live-no can live so"-and she strug-
gled to throw herself into the water again.
Ferdinand held her gently but firmly.
"No, no, little one You are too young
for that yet," he said with a sigh; for Fer
dinand had been driven into the wilderness
by love affair with pretty St. Louis girl,
and supposed that his heart was broken
thereby.
"Where did you learn English !' he ask
ed, kindly. I never heard you speak it, nor
any of your people"
"They no my people," said the girl, with
sudden haughtiness. "Never! Leeliuau
Winnebago woman. Sioux steal her long
time ago-sell her to Mandan-Leelinau
talk to herself white fashion-so no forget.
Mother, father, all dead-Oh "-she broke
out passiouately, ''let Leclinau die, too.-
See, they pound her good deal-hurt her.
So worse if she live," she added, with a
shudder. "No can live their fashion. Let
her die."
"No, chiId," said Ferdinand, with sud-
den impulse; they shall not hurt you. Will
Leelinau 60 with me and live with me p
"You want me be your wife p she ask
ed, softly.
eyes," said he at venture. eyes,
Leelinau. They will kill you if I leave
you here"
\ "Leelinau will go. You oery good, "
answered the little thing, nesting into his
bosom. 'Love you good deal"
"Poor little darlipg!' said Ferdinand,
as he kissed her. CHOW they abused you.
The fellow ought to be shot," he added,
his indignation rising on a sudden, though
he had been for some days a guest in the
lodge of the Coal, and had become, in a
manner, accustomed to see women beaten
and abused, as we'll as to other usages which
will not bear description. The Mandans
might be described as the sea-captain de-
scribed the islanders -"manners they have
none, and their customs very beastly." p
Ferdinand staunched the blood from her
wounded arm, and babe her sit down in the
boat. He did not mean to run away with
her unless her owner refused to sell her,
Leelinau was Mortified that she should sit
still while one of the stronger sex degraded
himself to paddle the canoe; but he told
her that such was white fashion, and she
was satisfied Ferdinand had not forgotten
that he was gentleman born and bred,
trapper though he was
That respectable chief, the Coal, made
no objection to parting with the little maid
IL so;l cha ros fiarnh LeitchnO-ha1