Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1872-06-29
A Terrible Test of Friendship.

The following beauflfuI st0ry IS oid,
but literally true. and was first pub
1;ahed i'm a iectures de!ived by William
Tracy. Esq, of Utica, n. u, on the
early histy Of Oneida county:
One of the first settlers in Western
New York was Judge w., who es.
tablished himselfat Whitestowp, about
four miles. from Utica. He brought
his family with him, among whom was
a widowed daughter Will, only one
child-a fine boy about four years old.
You will recollect, the country around
was an unDroken forest, and this was
the domain of the savage tribes.
Jndge W saw the necessity of
keeping on good terms with the In
dams. for, AS be was nearly alone, he
vas eompletely at their mercy. Ac-
cor,linriy he took every opportunity
Ia assure them of his kindly feelings,
and to secure their good will in return.
,GsyesaI chiefs came to see him, and all
appeared pacific. But there was one
thing that troubled him; an aged chief
ofthe Omeida, tribe, and one of great
influence, who resided at a distance of
a dozen miles, had not yet been Is see
him, not could he ascertain The. views
and feelings Of the saclIem in respect
to his settlement in that region. At
last he sent in a message, aud the an
swer was that the chief would visit
shimOn the morrow. rs
Q True to his appointment the sachem
came, Judge W. received him with
marks Of respect, and introduced his
wife his daughter aud little boz. The
interview that followed was interest.
ing. Upon its result, the Judge was
convinced that his security might de-
pend, and he was therefore exceeding
anxious to.make a favorable impress.
sion upon the distinguished chief. He
Expressed his desire to settle in the
country; to live on terms of amity and
good fellowship with the Indians, aud
to be useful to them by Introducing
among them the arts OF civilization.
The chief heard him out and then
said: "Brother, you ask much and
You promise much. What pledge can
sou give o: your faith 7 The white
name word may be good for the white
man, yet it N but wind when spoken
to the Indianw e.
II have put my life in your hands, y
said the judge; "is not that az evi.
deuce of my good intentions have
placed confidence in the Indian, and
will not believe that he will abuse or
betlay the trust that is thus reposed.n
$50 much IS well, replied the chief;
"tLe Indian win repay confidence for
confidence; il You will trust him he
win trust you. Let this boy 60 with
me to my wigwam--I will bring him
back in three days with my answerw
Ifsn arrow had pierced the bosom
Of the mother she could not have felt
II deeper paug that went to her heart
an tho Indian made this proposal.
She spraig forward, and, running to
the bog, Who stood at the side OF the
sachen,, looking into his face with
pleased wonder and admiration, she
eucircied him la her arms, and press
ing him to her bosom. was about to
Gu from the room. a gloomy and
oninous trown came over the sacilem's
brow, but he did not speak.
But not 30 with Judge. lie
knew that the success OF their enter.
prise, the lives of his family depended
ON tho decision of a moment.
AStay stay, my daughter,n he said.
" Bring back the boy, 1 beseech you.
He il 70 more to you than me. I
would not risk hair of his head. But
my chill, he must 20 with the chief.
God win watch over him! He will be
as safe in the sachen,s wigwam as be-
peath our own roof"
The agoniEed inother hesitated for a
moment and then stewly returned,
placing the boy on the knee of the
chief and kheeting at his feet, burst
into 8 food Of tears. The gloom
passed from the ssehem's brow. He
arose and departed.
I shall not attempt to describe the
agony Of the mother for the ensuing
days. She was agitated by contend.
ing hopes and fears. In the night
she awoke from sleep; seeming to
hear the screams of her child calling
on its mother for help. But the time
wore away slOwly-and the thinl day
came. How slowly did the hours
pass. The morning waned away, noon
arrived; yet the sachem came not.
There was gloom over the whole
hopsehold. The mother was pale and
silent. Judge W. walked the floor
to and fire, going every few minutes
to the door, and looking through the
opening in the forest toward the
sachem's abode. - 49, =
At last as the rays of the setting
sun were thrown upon on the tops of |
the trees around, the eagle feathers of
the chief were seen dancing above the |
bushes In the distance. He advanced
rapidly-and the little boy was at his |
site. He was gayly attird as a |
young chiet--his feet being dressed i'm |
m occasins, fine beaver skin was
on his shoulders, and eagle feathers
Was seuck IN his hair. He was in