The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1870-06-23

:
maiden, made good his escape and has,
tened to his own tribe, for what purpose
was not then known but Hua- Honka
was arrested, arraigned before the council
and sunmarily condemned as criminal
Her father, with inhuman sternness and
cruelty, sentenced her to suffer death on
a certain day then not far distant.
In the meantime every precaution was
taken to prevent her escape; and, mas
much as the young brave had gone home
TO his people, and was in all probability
ignorant of her situation, Hua-Honka did
not anticipate the possibility of rescue,
SO after several Intellectual efforts to elude
the vigilance of her guards, she resolved
TO meet her fate with such fortitude as
became the daughter of a great though
cruel and inhuman chief
The place selected for her execution, as
upon all other occasions, was within
few yards of the brink Of the precipice
which is formed by the "Alum Banks"
Hua-Hohka, much exhausted by the close
confinement and the anxiety which she
had experienced since her arrest, was
brought TO the spot with her hands pin
toned behind her back and closely guarded
by two warriors. With no small degree
of rudeness she was bound and fastened
TO the trunk of tree in such a manner as
to deprive her of al! motion, the cords with
which she was secured being so tightly
drawn as almost to lacerate the flesh.
glance at the situation and the mum
Der of warriors assembled revealed the
impossibility of escape, even if the faint
hope of rescue had been entertained by
her, while the dark eyes of her father, in
famed by a passion truly demonical, told
her palmer than words could have ex-
pressed that neither pity or mercy was TO
be obtained at his hands However she
gave no manifestation of emotion, but
with characteristic Indian stoicism calmly
surveyed the scene around her Sill, as
the decisive moment drew close to hand
that was to usher her spirit from time into
eternity, and her inevitable doom became
more fully impressed upon her mind,
feeling Of anxiety and overwhelming fear
crept into her heart. She cast one eager,
longing glance at the familiar faces and
objects with which she was surrounded,
and then turning her eyes to the deep blue
vault Of heaven, silently but earnestly
committed herself into the hands of the
Great Spirit, who she doubted not would
soon welcome her TO the spiritual hunting
grounds of her people.
The preliminary arrangements were
speedily completed. The warriors, fully
armed, were drawn up in semi-circular
line around her, the empty space in their
ranks being protected by the precipice,
thus closing up every avenue of escape,
even had she remained unbound. Five
young warriors, with arrows adjusted 10
their bows, s;oUd in readiness 10 execute
the sentence of death and in the midst
of profound silence, when every eye was
inlently bent upon the fair and helpless
victim, the inhuman old chief advanced to
give tue signal for the murder of his own
child
But just as the words were forming on
his lips wild yell of rage reverberated
through the forest and prevented their ut
terance; and Immediately after the young
brave and d band of his warriors, with
distorted features and upliited tomahawks,
rushed into the circle,
For moment the assailed party were
seized with CONSERVATION, and stood still,
as if footed 10 .he ground, but the voice
! of their chief soon recalled them TO their
perilous situation and their duty, and a
fierce and bloody hand 10 Land contest
ensued.
Although inferior in numbers, the adj
vantage gained in the onset remained with
H., 4 Al.
my before them, and the young brave,
with some three or -four of. his warriors,
was rapidly forcing his way to the spot
where Hua- Ionka was bound TO the tree,
an unwilling and terrified spectator of the
combat, confident of achieving her release
and subsequent safety.
But the wary old chief no sooner OBJ
served the movement and conjectured lis
| object than every other consideration WIS
forgotten in a savage resolution 10 destroy
his child, who he feared would be carried
off by one whom he now considered bis
deadly foe if she were not disposed Of in
/ summary way. Raising yell of rage
| and defiance, he rushed forwa ard with the
fiendisb determination of taking her life
with his own hand or perishing in the at
tempt.
The apparent intention of the old man
drew an exclamation of horror from the
lips of The young brave, and furious at The
thought of losing his bride when just with
in his reach. with an effort almost super
human he thrust aside every obstacle tha
presented itself and seized the uplifted arm
of the old chief who was just in the ac
of plunging his knife into the breast of hi
helpless child
A fearful struggle, hand 10 hand, i'm
mediately took place, in which the oil,
man fought with desperation that coun
terbalanced the greater activity of tn
young brave, and proved himself no meal
or unworthy antagonist.
The warriors, alarmed at the perilou