The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-12-08

we're iTk-ome enough AT tbr tim, prIn-
cipally ON account of the hl"ws aud
maIedictien. which sitsnded the in
sirneIion. Now. among the native pa
iron. of his masters sroKgery. there
were several white peopi-. onr Of whom,
gray hsirsd and venerable looking
Frsnchman had apparently taken quite
q liking TO Nick, and u.sd often to con-
verse with him. When drunk-which
was frequent occurreDce-he was part
iculayly aaable, and il was a practice Of
his to burst into tears, and, seiziDg Nick's
hand, swear that he was lad after his
own heart, who reminded him Of son
buried in Ia belle France, and for whom |
he would shed his best blood, il need be.
The constant recurrence Of these pro-
testations ofregsrd so influenced Nick at
last, that, upon one occasion, when his
master had given him q tremendous
horsing for forgetting to salt the omelet-
tes prepared for his break-fa fast, be fed
the house, and, hunting up his verbose
sdmirer, besought him to save him from
the rumseller's brutality. The veteran
was deeply moved, indeed, but in man
ner Nick had little counted upon, for af-
ter reading him lecture upon iDgrati-
tpde IN leaving master who had rescu,
ed him from the perils Of the sea and in
stalled him in the best bar-room in Ia
| hiti-wbich lie seemed to consider the
height ofhuman felicity-he fogged him
with as much vigor as weakness caused
by age, and dissipation would sllow, and
bore him to his old quarters, where Nick
was again beaten and locked in an upper
chamber in solitary confinement, while
the yetern was presented with demi.
John Of rum, and retired into state of
drunken seclusion, which lasted for over
a week. Nick, smarting with wonnds
and il-treatmsni, lay upon she floor Of
his prison. till niRhtfall, and all the
household had gone to sleep, when he
managed 10 burst open the window, low
cred himself to the ground by rope
made from the coverings of some goods
stored in the room, and ran ont into the
night, he knew not whittier.
|. While passing through the town he
suddenly encountered tall and fierce
looking native, whom he recognized as
the Chief Of one Of the wild tribes in the
interior, to whom he hal frequently sold
liquor, for which, Like the rest Of his
{ people, the Chief had consuming paA
sion. This native, who was more intel
ligent than most Of his race, and could
speak little French, interrogaied Nick
~ to his destination. and upon hearing
the cirum-fanees, offered TO take him
with him to his tribe, and train him az
: his own son. The natives were cannibals.
, and Nick was rather doubtful whether
his introduction might not he the signal
for n grand feast. stwhich he should fig.
urs as the principal baked meat; hut be
: finally reflected that he might as well die
' at once rs perish by inches with his in
human master; moreover, the Chief
seemed sincere and friendly, and, if ht
> fulfilled his promise, career of sucf
surprising delights was open before hin
that to boy Of Nick's temperament i
" was perfectly irresistible-so he took tn,
II savage's hand, and accompanied him IL
| L = al
:, ding all night and a part of next day
u they reached large native village nest
% ling in valley among the hills an
. fronting upon beautiful land -girt Ia
d COON, where the water wascrystal clea
70 and little troubled by the waves of tn
y sea. Nick thought he had never seen ,
~ more beautiful spot, and though he wa
~ little alarmed at the actions Of some G
Is the ssvages, who fonrished unpleasant
" looking clubs and spears made ofshark
T. teeth and fsh- bones, in a very sugge
-. tive manner, ,,bs, was soon relieved by Ii
~ Chief who ,ina a few words apparently e,
- plained his position in the tribe, an
caused the demonstrative ones to thro
= aside their weapons and bear him 0
y their shoulders in triumph to the hon
:" the great man occupied. Here the gar
~ of civilization was removed@fro hir
en- and the. costume ofsthe country, consis
- ing Of s.quantity Of blue paint and C
'"' coanut oil, 9 with the minor item of
narrow strip of'cloth about his loir
W was placed upon him. A native .arti
!" with Q, fish needle and a prepar
Gu tion distilled from the juice of certa
S plants, then tattooed his shoulder will
'P' mark denoting that he was Of the Chic
10y household, his ears werepierced and (
o. nnmeDted with rings, ana q plentifuli
''', past of fsh and fruit was set before hi
'.u Thus began bis life among the cansib
!" "A life lasting for four years, and ma
ing interesting bysmany scenes and expe
,iHs ences which, if Dsrrarated, would
y" far extend the Hmits Of this article. r
y, Suffice 10 10 say ihat he therouEf
eeo enjoyed it while it lasted. for at Il
"e" Oe age he was little troubled with thong
'.'' of the future. and he was the leader
"f all The boys Of his years by virtue of
ing adoption as the Chiefs boy" Bel
T, endowed by nature with strong CON
Nv" nv, tuition and excellent physique, he '
'"s soon able to outstrip all his compani
NV" in fenis Of strength and agility. and
time became the most successful hur
and firher in the tribe. Though
'''" want Of clothing rather embarrassed
IVY at first, he became so habituated 4
'k slate of nature in this respect that
has never yet been quite able to en-
'"' the hsbiliments which a colder clin
""' and the prejudicea OF society requ
'"e' His relations with the tribe were gel
y" W ally very friendly, and as he grew tt
"'' Is or 16 years old-a period at WI
' ,., people mature in that part of the VI
~ many dusky maiden began to
'"', upon him with no nnkindly eyes.
ench - MI az: ,:,.i. !,