The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-04-14
Little Pemfgew wa ssct.

! Little PemiEe wassct.
| Shall I tell you story of . young m,rn.
t,ineer, whose acquaintance I have latel,
been making9 Little Pemigewasset is tn
son of an old chief Of tie Algiocochook trib'
whose steely helmet flashing in the sur
may be seen for many league through the
wild valleys and rsvines Of NORTHERN New
Hampshire. The nursery of the baby river
is far up among the craggy turrets Of th'
old castle and truly Solomon, in all hi'
glory, never dwelt in a palace more gor
geously adorned Two wonderful weavers
Mist ard Sunshine. are continually employ
ed in supplying this kingly abode will
tapestries. Every day new pattern of in
finite richness and delicacy is displayed
and on rare occasions every hour of the day
celebrated by a new design, outrivaling tn,
famous creations of the looms of Arras or o
the Gobelins.
But amid all the splepdor of his abode,
our young prince Is not reared in luxury
On the contrary, his habits are those of ,
hardy young savage; he lives all day in the
open air, and sleeps at night beneath the
stars. Only pure and simple influences are
allowed to come near his babyhood no Wis
itors are admitted, unless it may be, now
and then a simple.hearted deer that comes
to ask for "drink," and starts to see his
branching antlers reflected from the baby's
great brown eyes.
So in his quiet mount ain house the yonng
river learns no evil but much good. Even
the winds that constantly visit his father S
abode must pass through guard Of strong
young pines before they can reach his pres
ence; and though they are his principal in.
structors in music. it is only their soft and
gentle notes that he learns to repeat, in a
sort Of rich, sweet alto peculiarly his own.
1t is neautiful to remain in this quie,
sheltered home, so near to heaven but nei.
ther young rivers nor young people can al.
ways be babies and the time comes when
Little Pemigewasset must leave his noun
tain nursery and 60 out into the busy
world. Far down in the valley there are
hundreds of wheels to be turned, for cotton
must be spun and cloth must be woven,
that boys and girls may have clothes to wear;
and in all this busting world no one, not
even kings son, has any warrant for idle
ness. sg aH, 5r..a- Be-. .a.su..
So away goes the young river, leaping at
one bound over the great front-door step OF
his mountain palace, down, down, thirty
feet or more, until he lands upon the messy
pebbles that gleam more brightly for his
coming. Down, down again, for the stair
way is steep. and he win have many tum.
BILE before he reaches the bottom; but at this
he will only laugh, and. picking himself up,
run along more merrily than before. For
pleasant as are the mountain so!itudss and
the clear air and the rustling leaves, and,
above all, the full heaven, looking down in-
to his resting place, yet work is better than
idleness; and so. cheerily singing the little
songs which he has learned Of the mountain
breezes, he hurries away to put his should
er to the wheel and help along the indus
try of men. Il ar .,a So.
On he goes. leaving behind him the crag.
gy foundation Of his mountain castle, grow
ing stronger at every stage Of his advance.
until. leaplng another cliff, he blows bis
trumpet from the Steep" anda troop OF
young mountaineers appear through the
wooden passes to meet him and join their
forces to inis. il And here in the valley =
beautiful vision often appears.
Pemigewasset's mother-whose Indian
name being interpreted, means the "White
Cloud" passed away from the earth when
he was very little river indeed but still it
is said that her spirit may be seen leaning
over his couch at night, pressing her soft
cheek against his face and lingering thus
until the morning sun 'pears, when, gath
ering up her sof., white drapery, she slow
ly rises along the hillside and vanishes into
the clear heavens. So she follows her child
through Gil his wandering paths and the
farmers in the valley are glad to see this
gentle spirit lingering in the gray dawn, for
they know that fair weather follows her APP
pearaDce. fa-F
At length far down in the vale, our noun
tain cheaftain meets the fair young daughter
Of Winnepiseogee, and their destinies are
henceforth united. Under the new name Of
Merrimack, they pursue their journey to-
ward the sea and many are the generous
deeds which mark their progress. Not on
ly do they bring wealth to the broad acre
Of the farmer, but they lend their mountain
strength to the wheel Of the manufacturer !;
and the effects Of their diligent workman.
ship may be found on every continent Of
the globe.
Do you not think it sad pity, that the
wild young chieftain Of the mountains must
be reduced to toilin factory, among the
close. dull, dusty ways Of men. Yet Is you
could see him playing among the mill
wheels. or gliding swiftly along the race,
would see that with the "st-ong mans arm
for labor" he still possesses "childhood's
heart ofplay." 1t is evident he carries the
memory of his Aouhtain home in his in.
most soul. for the echo Of quiverins popnr
and rustling beech snd sighiag pine is in
his song; but it 10 pleasant memory, for
fha n,.,sic Of his yoicA zrnwa deenar wear hx