Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-12-02

| built his cabin. What was then tam
gled forest, had become, before the hands
of labor, blooming plain, dotted with
homes. Not now, the hunter could shoot
deer standing under his own caves ; be
must roam over field and meadow, across
rivers ere he could spy the wild deer
A saddle of venison was often seen upon
the settlers board.
1t was TO hunt the deer, that the pio-
neer left his dwelling aud morning and
FASTENED out of sight OF the settlement,
and far from its sounds. Fleet was his
foot, but heeter the fos Of the noble
buck he had started and not until noon,
and when be was many miles from his
home, did he succeed in pointing towards
it his unerring aim. Ere it fel, it gave
one bound and leaped into a tangled
brake, and after him went The hunter,
but weary too, with the chase But
with a wilder bound than the wounded
game, and a fiercer FIRE in their eyes,
there burst upon Hugh a band Of In
dian warriors, and in a moment he was
disarmed and bound, and helpless as the
dying deer which gasped a. his feet
Why be was then made captive, and
why he was dragged with them so many
miles, no rest allowed his torn and bleed
ing feet, no sleep his heavy eyelids, no
hope his sad, lone heart, he never knew,
though be guessed, when they finally
halted with him at hunting-ground in
Canada, far away from that valley which
had been so dear home, that be had
been mistaken for another, for brother
pioneer, who had once given deadly
insult to a feltsred Indian who bad es-
capped.
Long and weary were the months Of
captivity that ensued-long and weary
to the captive, torn so suddenly from his
treasures, but longer and sad
der, to the dear ones left behind-for
theirs was the agony Of suspense, and
Of all earth's agonies that is the most
narrowing an wearing, extingushing
even hope itself. For "a while Hugh
cherished the idea of escape, but the
close and continued watchfulness of his
,aptors and his situation in a wild and,
save by the red man, unfrequented coun-
ny, pathless only to the moecasined foot,
after a while convinced him it was best to
submit patiently to his wrongs, and trust
n God.
When he had been with them about a
,ear, bis faithful fuIflment of the menial
asks allotted him, his cheerful, contented |
lir, his manly bearance of his captivity,
% impressed the Indians that they relax
d somewhat their severity, and occa-
ionally allowed him to wander off a
,iece into the woods, or to ramble beside
he river. He was seated one bright au-
umnal afternoon on log that bad fallen
lose TO the waters edge, sadly musing
IN his lone and desolate condition, and
wondering il be should ever again see
he faces of those whose memory was so
oly, when suddenly low cooling sound,
Ike the notes of dove, broke the deep
Hence that reigned. Hugh heard it for
ONE moments without observing it close
y, for he was intently looking into his
arkened future. But after awhile it
truck him that the sound was an unusu-
! one for the spot, and somewhat versed
4 Indian ways, be recognized it as one
{ those signs by which they express
pity or affection, and be gazed
around to see if some human
)rm was not concealed in the vicinity, T.,
lid with joy at the thought that amid
le dusky warriors who surrounded him,
ne there might be whose heart had yet
wing pulse. A clump of low, tangled
ushes grew just back of his rude seat,
le only spot close by that could conceal
friend or foe. He fancied, as he gazed /
lere, be beheld them meye-he was 1
ertain of it-and it could not be the G
ind, for scarcely breath was stirring. q
hen noiselessly some branches were +
ushed aside, and from the opening there b
eered the red face of a stranger Indian. a
ntently it looked upon the captive, so {
Itently that its gaze was like a marvel C
Is fascination to him, and he stood root 9
| to the spot. In few moments the
ranches were pushed still further aside,
nd brawny red arm was visible. 1t
cid in its fingers a pair of moccasins, it :
Irned them up and down and around,
I'd then pointed them southwark, while
ON the stern lip issued the same cooling
,und. The heart of Hugh leaped up b
iIh a quickened life, and he was starting q
the side of the unknown, but as be felt a
NV friendlu sfranner. when the sirnal v