East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1866-01-24
.rohu Smith and pocanontas.

Virginia nrst appears In history as
tine fair frame about two noble figures
Captain John Smith and the Indian
an Princess Pocahontas. Their story
is one Of the few of those poetic ira
ditions with which histories so invari-
ably open that are true. Pocahontas
did certainly run forward and clasp
the head of the PROSTATE young Eng
lish Captain, on which the tomahawk
was about to descend in execution Of
her fathers command. The stern
hoart Of Powhatan was touched by
this act Of his child -she was but lit
lie over thirteen years of age at this
time-and he consented that this cap
tive should live to make tomahawks
for himself and beads and bells for
Pocahontas. Afterwards the Indian
king agreed to let Smith return to
jamestown, on condition of his send
ing HIM two guns and grindstone.
When, soon after, jamestown with all
its stores was destroyed by fire, and
the colonists were perishing of cold
and hunger, half of them were saved
by the arrival of Pocahontas with
bread, racoons and venison.
1t was about two years after Cap
tain Smiths life had been saved by
Pocahontas that he came from explor-
ing a large portion Of the colony, to
rest at Worowomoco, where King
Powhatan and his daughter resided
The king being absent, was sent for !;
and meantime Pocahontas, who though
well grown, was not yet sixteen years
of age, called together q number of
Indian maidens to arrange with her n
dramatic entertainment for the hand
some young Englishman and his at
tendants. "They made fire on the
level field and Smith sat on mat be-
fore it. A hideous noise and Shrek
ing were suddenly heard in the adj
Joining woods" The Englishmen
snatched up their arms. Pocahontas
rushed forward and asked Smith to
slay rather than suspect her of perfdy
and their apprehensions were quieted.
Then thirty young women ran OF
from the woods all naked except a
cincture of green leaves. Pocahon-
tas wore on her head beautiful pair
of bucks horns, an otter's skin at her
girdle, and another on her arm (; q
culver on her shoulder and she held a
bow an arrow in her hand. The
other nymphs had antlers on their
heads and various other savage deco
rations. Bursting from the forest
they circled around John Smith and
the FIRE, singing and dancing for an
hour. They then disappeared in the
woods. When they reappeared it
: was to invite Smith to their habita-
tons, where they circled around him
again, dancing and crying, Glove you
not me 2" Then they feasted him
richly; and lastly with pine-knot
torches escorted him to his lodging
This Captain John Smith was without
a doubt an imperial kind of man,
and there is no wonder and no doubt
that the Indian maidens felt tender
palpitations on his account. A far
different night was that which, at a
later period, found Pocahontas spend
ing the whole of dark night climb
ing hills, toiling through thickets to
reach the tents Of Smith and his
companions, to warn then of the de-
cree of death which Powhatan un-
der some misunderstanding had is
sued. Smith at this time offered her
many beautiful presents but, as he
himself wrote, "with tears running
down her cheeks, she said she burst
not be seen to have any, for if Pow
hatan should know it she were but
dead and so she ran away by her
self as she came"
Some two years later Smith came to
England. The Indian Princess was
induced to marry John Rolfe by be-
ing told that Smith was dead. After
being baptized-as one may see in
Chapman's huge picture of that event
in the rotunda Of the Capitol at
Washington-she was taken to Eng
land as Mrs. Role. At Brentford,
where she was staying, Captain Smith
visited her. She uttered no word on
seeing him, but after modest saluta-
ton turned away and hid her face
She remained thus motionless for
nearly two hours. She then came
forward to Smith and touchingly re-
minded him, in the presence of her
husband and large company, of the
kindness she had shown him in her
own country. "Yyou did promise
Powhatan," she said, "what was
yours should be his, and he the like
to you. You called him father, Being
in his land a stranger, and for the
same reason so / must call you" -
After long pause and much emotion
she said, 81 will call you father, and
you shall call me child, and so L will
be forever and ever your countrywo-
man." Then slowly, and not without
some indignant flashing from her
great dark eyes, "they did tell us al
ways you were dead, and / knew no
other till l came to Plymouth. Yet
Powhatan did command Uttamatto-
maxim to seek you and know the
truth, because your countrymen will
lie much. Our colonial angel died
soon afterwards, in 1917, leaving one
child, Thomas Rolfe.
Twenty Impolite Things
/. Loud and boisterous laughing.
.. Revding when others are talk