The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-06-15


see the moon shining until they got to sleep,
which they quickly did, after their night and
day Of toll.
"The next morning they started early, but
hunger and fatigue were telling on them,
and their progress was painful and slow.
By the time the sun was high and the
droning bumble.bee came singing around
them, they heard the welcome sound of the
lower falls.
"'There! aunty, do you hear the water
fall? said little Joe. ooh dear, there's an
Indian, let's rum
"But they were too frightened to run, and
stood stock still, while the savage came rap
idly toward them. As he approached he
stopped, raised his gun, pointed it at them,
took careful aim and fired. Lydia clasped
the boy to her breast and sank to the ground,
terrible faintness coming over her. Some
thing struck near her, and opening her ewes
she saw wildcat struggling on the ground.
The Indian finished him with the butt of his
was Scitterygusset.
"'Please don't kill u.s. said little Joe plain
lively.
'Scitterygusset good Injun, no kill um
boy said the old chief.
"'Oh Scitterygasset,' said Lydia, "will you
take us to our friends?'
"ENo white man left in Toam now, all gone
down to Andross island,' replied the indian
sententiously.
"TolamP' broke in the skipper, "who's
Toam? and where in thunder is Audrogs'
island?"
"Toam was the indian name of the town
ship" replied, quite delighted to get an
opportunity to impress upon his obdurate
mind little of that statistical information
which he so sadly needs aud so persistently
rejects. That obstinate mariner will actually
sit up all night making gaff topsail for the
yacht on his family sewing machine, when he
will not spare five minutes to listen to in
structive lore which prophets and kings
might sigh for.
Everybody knows the old indian name
was Machigonne,". persisted the skipper,
sand there was marble hotel and steam
fire engine named for it."
"No, my dear, that was only the name of
Clay Cove, and that's what it sgnified, and
Andross' island is just where you are heading
when you ought to be pointing for the Bug
Light. Mr.. Bangs didn't come along to
name it until a hundred years after, and Mr..
Cushing hundred years later still" The
ekipnor ha inf
up so that we headed for the breaLwater
again, and trumphantly resumed my story.
"'Then will you take US there p said Mrs.
Corbin.
"'Um,' replied the Chief you go with me.
Papoose hungry, eh?' and he opened deer
skin pouch and gave them some smoked dried
venison, which both the little boy and the
woman devoured eagerly. A short walk
brought them to the river where Scittery-
gussets canoe lay, and in few minutes they
were snugly slowed in the bottom of it, while
the old chief stood in the stern and padded
down the river"
AT this moment the mother of the little
boys gave cry of alarm, and locking I'D we
found that porgy steamer was heading for
us. We could see both her red and green
lights, and we were right in her track with
no light aboard our craft to warn her. The
idea of being run down by steamer is not
pleasant even in the daytime, but at night
when everything about you looks weird and
strange, the situation is startling, but fortune
favored us, and the steamer passed a little
astern, while we slid in toward the cape
shore. Then up came another steamer. and
another behind her as we stood across in
snort tacks, and made it lively for us until
we got far enough to be out of their track.
Then the yacht Princess came along, quite
ghostlike in the dim starlight, and we had to
Keep out OF her way. Finally we reached
our dock and amid the hustle or iauding nv
story was forgotten. But the widow came to
me as we stood on the wharf waiting for the
baskets and bundles to be passed up aud
asked, ''Did they get safely to their friends ?n
"They did, madame" replied. "The old
chief landed them safely at Andross' island,
and then padded swiftly away, and very
happy we've Parson Burroughs and his com
panions to receive the wanderers, AMI very
welcome was safety and rest to the weary
travellers, even amid all the anxiety which
still surrounded the refugees"
"And did Mrs. Corbin get another hus.
band?' asked the little widow pe1suasively
Madame" replied, ''she was plump and
fair, something over forty, it is true, but
blonde, and very enterprising. She had evil
IDENTIFY won the heart of the old Indian chief.
there were plenty of eligible gentlemen COM
ing to the new world to seek their fortunes,
and she had an excellent farm of her own,
with no responsibilities except Little Joe,
who was himself heir to good farm. Ger
tainly she had great possibilities before her,
possibly two or three husbands"
Chow nicew said the widow. And the
church clock striking midnight, we separated,
seeking my lodgings, while very weary
procession tugged their baskets and children
up the hill. westward, to their homes and
very late supper.
That's what the skipper calls a nice trip
down to Birch Island!
-