Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1862-10-25
Pocahontas and John Smith.

1t has always been grief to romantic
readers of the early history of Virginia,
that two persons who Sc emed so we'll suited
to each other as the brave discoverer and
the noble daughter of Powhattan, should
not have become man and wife. The pre-
else difficulty in the case has not been
made plain by any historian. An exchange
intimates that Mr.. Rolfe, to whom she
was married, and his friends, were guilty
of a base deception, in making her believe
that Capt, Smith was dead. 1t says;
There is no doubt what tho muse of
history ought to do here. Were she a
dame of proper scnsibilities, she would
have Mr., John Smith married to Miss p.
Powhattan as soon as a parson could be
got from jamestown. Were it roman CO
that would be the result. As it is, we
find Smith going off TO England in two
years, and living unmarried until his
death; and Pocahontas married to the
Englishman, John Rolfe, for reasons of
state, we fear "a link of friendship be-
tween the reds and the whites being
thought desirable. She was of course
Christianized and baptized, as any one
may see by Chapman's picture in the ro.
tunda at Washington, unless Zouave crit
icsm has demolished it. Immediately she
went with her husband to England. AT
Bentford, where she was staying, Capt
John smith went to visit her. Theil
meeting was significant and affecting. "Af'
ter modest salutation she turned away
ana hid her face, as if displeased." She
rem aimed thus motionless for two or three
hours. Who can know what struggles
passed through the heart of the Indiar
bride at this moment-emotions doubly
unuttsrable to this untaught stranger! l
seems that she had been decei we'd by Rolf
and his friends into thinking that Smitl
was dead, under the conviction that sh
could not be induced to marry him if sh
thought Smith alive. After her long, sa,
silence before mentioned, she came forwar
to Smith, and touchingly reminded him
there in the presence Of her husband an,
large company, of the kindness che ba
shown him in her own country, saying
) "You did promise Pewbattan what wa
yours should be his, and he the like
you. You called him father being i
his land stranger, and for the same rea
son SO must call you" After q pause
during which she seemed to be under tn
influence of strong emotion, she said, Z"
; will call you father, and you shall ca
me Child and so will be forever an
ever Your countryman" Then she adde
slowly and with emphasis, "rhey did tel
me always you we're dead, and l knew n
. other till came to Plymouth; yet Pow
haitian did command Uttamattomakln :
j see you and know the truth, because you
. countrymen will lie much"
1t was not long after this interview th'
Pocahontas died. She never returned
Virginia. Her death occurred in l6l
= The issue of her marriage was one chill
Thomas Rolfe; so it is through him th'
the first families of Virginia are SO inva
, iably descended from the Indian princes
Captain Smith lived until 1881 and as "
have said, never married. tie was N
BILE and true man, and Pocahontas WI
every way worthy to be his wife; and oil
feels very i'll patured at Rolfe ard con
pany for the cruel deception which, v
must believe, was all that kept them asuI
der, and gave the story of the lovely msi'
!, en- its almost tragic close.