Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1861-03-28
POcahOntaS,
She was soft landscape of mild earth,
Where all was harmony, calm and quiet
Lux,niant, budding.


Where all was harmony, calm and quiet
Luxniant, budding.
Such was the sweet little Indian girl,
the favorite daughter of the powerful
Emperor of the Powhattan Confederation
in Virginia, when the white people laid
the foundation of new empire there
When a site for settlement was chosen,
Capt. Smith, the boldest Of the early ad-
venturers, penetrated the interior and was
taken prisoner. His captor carried him
in triumph from village to village, and
then presented to the Emperor in his
forest palace at Werowocomoco. Smith
was condemned to die. With his arms
pinioned and his head upon hinge stone,
he was doomed to have his brains dashed
out by blow from club. When the
executioner advanced, Pocahontas, then
a girl ten or twelve years of age, leaped
from her fathers side, where she sat trem-
bling, clasping the head of Smith in her
arms, implored his life.
How could that stern old King deny
The angel pleading in her eye?
How meek the sweet, imploring grace,
That breathed in beauty from her face,
And to her kneeling actions gave
power to soothe, and still subdue,
Until, though humble as slave,
To more than queenly sway she grew.
The Emperor yielded and Smith was
spared.
Two years after this the Indians formed
a conspiracy to exterminate the white
people. Again Pocahontas became an
angel OF fdelverance. During dark and
stormy night she left her fathers cabin,
sped to jamestown, informed Smith Of
his danger, and was back to her couch
before dawn. 1t was no wonder that the
English regarded the Indian princess with
great esteem, and yet, when Smith had
left the colonies, and Incidence and licen-
tiousnes had full sway, the gentle girl was
ruthlessly torn from her kindred, and held
a prisoner on board of an English vessel.
Argall, rough, half-piratical mariner,
desirous Of extorting advantageous terms
of peace from her father, bribed savage
by the gift of copper kettle to betray
her into his hands. Powhattan loved his
child tenderly, and offered five bushels of
corn and promise of friendship toward
the English for her ransom. But other
bonds more holy than those of Argall,
now detained her. While on the ship a
mutual attachment had budded and bios
somed between her and John Rolfe,
fine young Englishman of good family.
With the the title of "the Lady Rebecca"
she and her husband were married.
In 1916, Pocahontas accompanied her
husband to England, where she was re-
ceived at the Court with all the distinc-
ton due princess. But the silly bigot
on the throne was highly indignant be-
cause one of his subjects had dared to
marry lady of royal blood, and abrupt
ly apprehended that Rolfe might lay
claim to the ''crown of Virginia." Afraid
of the royal displeasure, Capt. Smith
would not allow her to call him father,
as she desired to do. She could not COM
prehend the cause; and her tender, simple
heart was greatly grieved by what SEEM
ed to be want OF affection for her. She
remained in England about year, and,
when ready to embark for America with
her husband, she was taken sick, and died
at Gravesend, in the fowery month Of
June, 1917, when not qnite twenty-five
years of age. She left one son-Thomas
Rolfe, who afterward became distin-
guished man in Virginia. His only child
was daughter, and from her some OF the
leading families of Virginia trace their
descent. Among these were the Bollings
Hemmings, Murry, Guys, Eldbridges and
Randolphs. The late John Randolph
boasted OF his descent from the Indian
princess.