The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1870-03-25
gnisrelIaneons SeIettions.
THE HURON'S PLEDGE
BY WILLIAM A. sIGoURREY.

BT WILLIAM a. SIG oURREY.
It was at The close of an October
day, in the year II, that a solitary
Indian was seen standing upon the
j hill that now overlooked the popu-
lous city of Bridgeport, in the south
ern part Of Connecticut. He was a
tall youth, and from his war paint
and dress the most careless observ-
P er of the various tribes that then in
habited the tract Of country between
the ocean and the lake, would have
pronounced him a Huron. At his
| feet lay a dead wolf and a red deer,
and against a small oak, within his
reach, rested q small rife.
| Upon his brow was a coronet of
eagles feathers, while 4 hunting
shirt Of skins, with leggins of the
same material, ornamented with the
quills and dyed hair of the porcupine
completed the dress.
The truant school-boy and the re
turning hunter had seen him as he
stood there, with his head bent up
on his hand, apparently absorbed in
the deepest reflection, ard had quick
ened their steps to the village TO
make due report Of such an alarm
ling appearance. He, however, let
them pass unnoticed; yet his dark
eyes flashed with eagle brightness
as they wandered over the struggled
houses of the village, until they at
length rested upon a little mound
about stones throw from the
church, upon which a dark pine tree
was discernible from the evergreen
foliage. Then, for the first time,
he spoke:
1T is enough" said he; "the Great
lSpirit is kind kind. Waukino will
visit the grave of his fathers"
Evening settled upon the town,
and the fury of q sudden storm was
spending itself against the snug cot
ltages of the settlers.
The worthy minister, Mr.. Harlow
lhad assembled his little family, con
sisting Of his wife, a daughter of
Fifteen, and a servant, in his dining
room, and before a cheerful fire was
endeavoring to while away the eve
ming hours by repeating to them a
tale of interest and virtue.
Julia Harlow, for such was the
name of the laughing girl, who sat
Opposite on a stool and rested her
arm upon her fathers knee, while
she gazed with intense interest upon
his benign countenance, was beauti-
ful.
The worthy minister had just fin
ished tale of deeper interest than
usual, concerning the Indian depre-
dations on the frontier, when a loud
knock at the poor startled the whole
family. The father rose TO his feet,
the mother dropped her knitting
work and started half way from her
chair. the servant turned his eyes
wistfully to his master, and seemed
| to be glued to his seat, and the cat
bristled up her back as she started
from the corner, and Juna's lap-dog
run barking to the threshold, while
his mistress cought hold of her
fathers coat and anXiously awaited
for the deaOuement. For moment
mot a word was uttered; but the good
Imam, recovering his composure soon.
er than the rest said, in his mild
tones:
"Whoever you are that wander in
such night as this, l bid you well
come"
| No sooner had the words fallen
from his tongue than the door ep-
ened. and tall Indian, nearly intox-
Iicated, with a haggard face and
Iblood-shot eye, entered, and, with a
bare good evening, seated himself in
the vacant chair, and in a drunken
voice called for food and drink. The
minister told him to be gone, that
| there was tavern at the next door
where he would be well taken care
of, and finally, when the savage re-
fused to depart, bade the servant to
aid him in putting him into the
street.
At that moment Julia interceded,
and recalling to her father the Incl
dents of one of the tales he had re-
lated that exening, which went to
show that an Indian never forgave
an injury nor forgot favor, urged
him with simple eloquence to let the
Indian remain until morning.
The savage, in the meantime, hav-
ing, by the genial warmth Of the fire,
recovered the use of his almost be
Inumbed limbs. and having also
NEARLY recovered from his drunken
lift, put on the proud mein of his
race, and rising from the floor, in
native majesty, walked towards the
ldoor The good feelings Of the
clergyman at this moment, seconded
by the entreaties of Julia, got the
better of his fears, and biding the In
dian to return to his seat, command
ed the remains Of his hOmely dinner
to be set before him. This was done
1.-THE Indian ate furiously, taking a
large glass of hard cider, laid him
self down upon the rugs, that had
been spread out for him, and was
soon lost in sleep, dreaming, no
doubt, of his distant hills, whore res
ted the remnant Of his own powerful
tribe.
As the night advanced the family
retired, and all was silent. At the
first flush of fdawn, the storm having