Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1879-02-01
party and mingled viii bis friends.

party ana mingled with MS 1rIen0S.
He knew that If successful in reach
ing his canoe with the maiden, and
once getting clear from shore he
would be almost safe, for the war
riors could not pursue him until the
canoes were repaired, when he
hoped to be far away.
The moon had gone down, and
the darkness was only dispelled by
the blazing fires. Louisa was led
forth-as she approached the fatal
post she trembled with horror and
fright her helpless situation was
apparent. Before her was a death
of dreadful torture, and the lurid
light showed scores of demon-like
forms whose eXulting shouts were
loud and frequent. She saw the
scalps of her parents hanging at
Paugus' belt as he bound her to the
stake and it was only the hope of
soon being freed from her sufferings
that sustained her. Metalleck gazed
for moment upon the fair form of
the victim-her hands were clasped,
her dark eyes were seemingly up
lifted in prayer, and her raven hair
about her snowy shoulders. The
throng fell back and Paugus lighted
the death fire. The flames were
kindling when Metalleck bounded
forward, severed the cord which
bound her, caught her in his arms
and before his comrades could re-
cover from their establishment, had
reached his canoe, and with his
paddle urged the light bark rapidly
from the shore. Then with cries of
rage and disappointment the sava-
ges rushed to the beach. Paugus
Whirling his huge war club around
his head launched it after the re-
ceding boat, but it was beyond his
reach, and the weapon plunged
harmlessly into the dark waters.
The chief then gave orders for i'm
mediate pursuit and they repaired
to their canoes, which to their sur
prise they found useless Metallick
had done his work surely, and the
enraged and baffied warriors return
ed to the burning pile in silence.
Impelled by the strong arm of the
Indian the canoe glided swiftly
down the lake in the direction of
the settlement. He endeavored to
quiet the alarm of the maiden, as
surfing her of her safety, and of a
speedy return to her friends. Wrap
ping his deerskin mantle around
her he resumed his paddle in
silence, and Louisa, exhausted by
fatigue, sank into quiet Slumber.
Towards the middle of the forenoon
Metalleck drew near the settlement,
using great caution lest he should
be discovered, taken for an enemy
and fired upon by the pioneers, who
were doubtless on the watch. AT
length the canoe touched the shore,
and Louisa awakening saw the
smoking ashes-all that remained
of her once pleasant home. She
thought of her murdered parents,
of her own helpless situation, and
she almost regretted she had es-
capped death. But when she realized
her obligations to him who had
periled his life to save her, she was
overcome with gratitude. As the
chief placed her on the shore she
fell at his feet, and with streaming
eyes and broken Utterance, thanked
him for her deliverance, and beg
ged him to quit his savage life and
dwell among the whites. But the
stern Indian spoke not-gently re-
leasing himself from ner grasp, he
turned away, and waving his hand
in adieu, seized his paddle,
and with a few strokes was
far from the shore. Louisa
watched him until he disappeared
among the islands, and then sink
ing on the sand poured forth an
earnest prayer for her safety.
While thus engaged she heard foot
steps approaching, and turning
around, fell into the arms of her
friends, whose surprise and joy may
be imagined when she told the in
cident of her capture and rescue.
Aid soon arrived to the colony,
the savages were driven away, and
the cabins rebuilt, but it was long
ere tie settlement fully recovered
from the terrible blow. AS for
Louisa, the hOrrid scenes she had
passed through unsettled her mind,
and the poor orphan became de-
ranged. Sometimes she would
roam around the woods and then
sit and grieve for hours upon the
lake, or relate to those who cared
for her the fate of her father and
mother, and her own rescue from
the savages. When autumn came,
and the fading leaves strewed the
forest aisles, the crazed girl died,
and they buried her by the tail elm
that Swallowed the graves of the fall
len pioneers.
MetallOck never Joined his tribe
again but sought a home on the
head waters of the Connecticut,
where he lived many years. The
death of Paugus, which happened
at the battle Of LOvwell's Pond, put
an end to the Indian wars in that
part of the country which was soon
occupied by the whites.
Long years have gone by, and
now a large village occupies the
place of those rude cabins, the blue
waters of the lake now bear the
steamer instead of the canoe, and
the adjoining mountains are widely
celebrated as a place of fashionable
resort during the summer months.