Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1862-10-31
Poeahoatas and John Smith,

II has always been grief to romantic
readers OF the early history Of Virginia,
that two persons WHO seemed so wen suited
10 each other as the brave discoyerer aud
the noble daughter OF Powhaltan, should
not have become man aud wife. The pre-
else difficulty in the case has not been made
plain by any historian. An exchange inti-
mates that Mr.. Role, to whom she was
married, and his friends, were guilty OF
base deception, in making her believe that
Capt Smith was dead. 1t says -
There is no doubt what the muse Of his
tory ought to do here. Were she dame
OF proper sensibiliies, she would have Dir.
John Smith married to Miss T. Powhattau
as soon as parson could be got from James,
town. Were It romance that would bo
the result. As it is, we find Smith going
off TO England in two years, and living ua-
married until his death and Pocahontas
married to the Englishman, John Rolfe, for
reasons Of state, we fear,---a link of friend-
ship between the reds and the whites being
thought desirable. She was Of course
Chrislianized aud baptized, as any one may
see by Chapman's picture in the rotunda at
Washington, unles Zouave criticism has de-
molished il. Immediately she went with
her husband to ENGLAND. At Brentford,
where she was staying, Capt. John Smith
went to visit her. Their meeting was sig-
nifcant and affecting. "After a modest
salutation she turned away, and hid her
face, as if displeased.' She remained thus
motionless for two or three hours. Who
can know what struggles passed through the
heart of the Indian bride at this moment
emotions doubly unutterable to this untaught
stranger? 1t seems that she had been de-
ceiyed by Rolfe and his friends into think
ing that Smith was dead, under the couvic-
tion that she could not be induced to marry
him if she thought Smith alive. After her
long, sad silence before mentioned, she came
forward to Smith, and touchngly reminded
him, there in the presence of her husband
and large company, of the kindness she
had shown him in her own country, saying,
"You did promise Powhattan what was
yours should be his, and he the like to you,
You called him father being in his land q
stranger, and for the same reason so must
call you" After pause, during which
she seemed to be under the influence Of
stroag emotion, she said, 81 will call you
father and you shall call me schild,' and SO
/ will be forever and ever your eountryman."
Then she added, slowly and with empha-
sis, ''They did tell me you were, dead and
knew no ether till came to Plymouth ;
/ yet Powhattan did command Uttamattoma-
kin TO see you and know the truth, because
, your counirymen will lie much.'
1t was not long after this interview that
i Pocahonlas died. She never returned to
Virginia Her death occurred ii 1617.--
The issue of her marriage was one child,
Thomas Rolfe; so il is through him that
the first families Of Virginia are sc inva-
riably descended from the Indian princess.
Captain Smith lived until 1851, and, as we
f have said, never married. He was noble
. and true man, and Pocahontas was every
way worthy to be his wife; and one feels
very iLnatured at Rolfe and company for
f the cruel deception which, we must believe,
| was all that kept them asunder, and gave
the story Of the lovely maiden its almost
{ tragic close.