The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1872-05-10
An rn,iIn,, 'sale.
BY DAVID NEwsoM.

Many years ago, there resided on
Big kanawha in West Virginia, a
wealthy, respectable gentleman
whose name was Steptoe. lie had
a darling daughter ard three SONS.
Miss Laura Steptoe was amiable,
beautiful and highly accomplished.
She was now seventeen years OF
age. Several young gentlemen had
sought her hand in marriage, but
one young man-Charles Morris
was the accepted lover ofthe charm
ing Laura. Mr.. Morris bad asked
the consent Of her parents to their
marriage, aud it was freely given.
The time was setin July, and many
persons were invited to the we'd
ding. Two weeks before the APP
pointed time for the marriage OF
Mr.. Morris and Miss Steptoe, two
beautiful young ladies, sisters
whose names were Clarissa and
Mary Hilton, paid a visit to Mr..
Stcptoe's. The next day after their
arrival there, was Sunday. The
three girl, IN the forenoon, took a
pleasant walk, and finally went to
the Kanawha river, a hat mile dis
taut. They went into their long,
family canoe; and they were expert
in managing canoe or skltf, and
the river was low and very calm,
they had a fine time of sport upon
the river. They remained III the
canoe for ali hour or more, and then
went ashore. Dinner time was at
hand, and they intended to return
direct. At three O'Clock +. NJ, no
girls came home. Mr.. Steptoe anil
his family became alarmed, and
feared that the young ladies Lad
gone to the river, and were drown
ed. searching for them, it was
ascertained that they had gone into
the canoe, and had returned again
to shore at a landing a little dis
tance below. There were signs in
the sand, the girls tracks, and In
dian moccasin tracks. There were
no sign Of any blood, and the tracks
made off into the heavy brush and
timber land on 10 path or road.
The Indians Lad been fought and
driven back towards Ohio, several
years before this time.
The settlers had all lett the forts
ard gone on to their lands, and
thee were but little fears about the
Indians. Several of the Chiefs of
the Miami Indians, had Offered
dozen of their braves five hundred
dollars each for the captureand de-
livery to tie Chiefs OF any beautiful
young white woman, not over 25
years old. These braves Lad secret
ly and adroitly made their way
across the country from Ohio, and
had arrived on the Kanawha. They
had watched the young ladies, and
when they came to shore, siezed
them. One Of the Indians spoke
broken English, and he assured the
girls, that no harm should come to
them, if they made no noise. But
it they cried out, so that the whites
should pursue and kill any of the
braves, then certain death should
be their fate. lie also acquainted !
the gir's with the greaL honor which |
would be theirs, in marrying their
head chiefs. The party t!avclcd
rapidly all that afternoon and till
len O'Clock at night. Next morn
ing, tile girls were ordered to as
sumo Indian dress, and moccasils.
For three days they all travelled as
ar as the girls could endure to go.
7'hey lived on parch corn and wa
,er. The Indians treated those
'oung ladies with marked respect ,
md Kindness. At night, each girl I
vas tied fast and tight, and the
hongs were tied to an Indian on .
ach side. So soon as the girls and s
heir captors struck out into the for Y
st, Miss Steptoe made q private sig Ii
al to the other girls to do as she
ras doing. Tbs was to break q i !
mall lealy twig now and then. d