The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1867-01-11

most flew over the ground, taking fiyinl
leaps over the fallen trees, while hi.
long locks streamed upon the air.
lie reached the broken water, and tn,
boat nearly in the middle of the stream
was rapidly approaching it. Then II,
plunged in, half swimming, half wad
ing, contending with the tumbline
waves, and with the assistance of hi.
pole springing from rock to rock. He
reached the channel, and battled for one
moment with the angry element for 6
foothold, then, when the boat approach.
ed, with one great leap, he was standing
in her prov.
There was no time for words, and he
did not even look behind him; all his
strength and skill were required to guide
the boat amid the foamiug breakers, to
fend her with his pole from the rough
jutting rocks, and force her into the
safest channels. He had often poled up
and down those rapids, but never before
with pole so short and untried, or with
freight so precious. How quick was
his eye; Eow firm his muscle! as he
stretched sometimes nearly half his
length over the water, to guard against
some treacherous rock, and quick as
thought sprang to the opposite side, to
ward off danger there. Sometimes,
when his pole was firmly settled for a
moment, he would exchange a smile of
encouragement with Kitty, then again
he would spring over her as if she were
a bale of chattles, to guard the boat in
the rear. At length the rapids were
safely passed, and the boat brought into
the shore. The two Adventures, wet
and exhausted, but grateful and happy,
sat down in the sunshine upon q fallen
| tree.
Kitty's emotions took the womanly
form of tears, and it was with alternate
smiles, sobs, and broken words, that
she expressed her thanks to the brave
boy who had risked his life for her own.
She called him her best friend-her
brother.
He took her hand, which he pressed
between both his own, and while he
looked earnestly in her face, said, slow
ly: "Sisters marry, and brothers live in
friendship with their husbands. Icould
not look upon your husband, Kitty,
therefore I am not your brother"
Her eyes fell beneath his gaze; her
cheeks flushed with surprise and embar-
rassment, and she made an effort to
withdraw her hand.
The boy unclasped it instantly, and
sat silently by her side.
Panied with the thought of grieving
him, she lifted her eyes, and met his
own fixed, full of sadness, upon her.
Have l vexed you ?" she whispered.
"Oh no, now he replied; "what
more could you do for poor Sam, for In
dian Sam, than to pity him, than to en-
dure him? How should he dare love
Kitty Hoffman, the pretty girl, the wise
girl, who has more book learning than
all the men of the settlement? L will
go away with F'ackabason, who is kind
to me. l will shut up my heart toward
women forever"
The youthful face Of the speaker grew
pale with his stern purpose, but his lips
were tremulous with another emotion.
How unconscious he was of all his splen-
did gifts, youth, beauty, and heroism
In his own eyes, he was but tho poor
and unlettered Indian boy. The senti-
ment of caste rose as strong in that little
village as in the circles of city life. The
Indians are always regarded by the
white settlers as an inferior race, and
Sam shared in that opprobium, of which
he was fully conscious.
He waited as if to hear from Kitty
one more word, before he should leave
her forever. A struggle suggested by
his words was going on in her mind,
which he perceived by that power which
accompanies strong emotion, and which
reveals soul to soul more clearly than
words can ever do.
She did not speak, and shade of bit
terness passed over his face. Then he
said:
"The path through the woods is long
and lonely, but Kitty is forest maiden
and does not fear it. l will go now,"
and he moved away. But a few low
words from his companion arrested him:
"Do not leave me-"
He turned: "Have you one word of
hope for me, Kitty ?" "If there is hope
in this-that you are to me the noblest,
the kindest, the most beautiful of hui
man beings"
He sprung toward her, falling upon
his knees at her feet, and seizing her
hands which he pressed to his lips and
cheeks"
"Silly boy" said she, but with q
smile and tears, "to plunge into Salmon
Rips, daring death at every step, and
all to save a girl who for her folly de-
served to be drowned"
CHAPTER II.
Sam found frequent opportunities of
stepping in mt Peter Iloflman's, to con-
verse with Kitty, and when the time
approached for his raft to go down the
river, he proposed Il plan to her. lie
would remain at Oldtown, and enter Il
school; Kitty should not huve hus-
band who could neither read nor write.
TO that she replied: "You are hero,
sam; but you do not know how hard
it will be to lift up your tall person in
the \ Il G class,n