Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1880-01-01
INDIAN SLAVERY.
A Carol in Prose abont Marie, a Pacific
Coast Squaw.

A Carol in Prose abont Marie, Pacific
Coast Squaw.
V, sayelli in ArgonAut.
Many years ago it was custom, quietly
conducted, for certain lawless white men
to 90 among the Eel River Indians and
steal the children Of the tribe and carry
them away to be sold for slaves among
families in other parts of the State. |
have seen the poor creatures, after they
had been driven like beasts before their
captOrs, with sore feet and sullen faces,
sitting alone, apparently hopeless and
apathetc. But who shall say that be-
meath that stOlid exterior there was not a
human heart, hot and bitter from cruel
wrongs endured.
Two lustrums have passed since one of
these raids resulted in the capture, among
others, of a girl ) or years old. With
the Characteristic of her race she pos
sessed 10 beauty to soften the hearts of
beholders, but as she promised a sturdy
frame, she was readily disposed of to a
lawyer, who in turn presented her to his
wife to be trained as maid of all work.
She received the name Of Marie, and soon
became neat and dett worker in all
household ways. can bear testimony to
the immaculate neatness of her kitchen,
and the snowy whiteness of the clothes
that hung on wash day from her line and
also to the quiet way in which her labor
was performed. knew Marie for many
years, aud never heard her speak but
once Or twice in all that time. Her face
always wore the same look. and | have
often wondered if she thought at all. She
went to no place, saw no company, and,
year after year, with automatic precision,
performed her tasks. What mattored it
to her II the skies were aolaze with spIen
dor, as the sun, whose rays warmed her
people and her native valley, went down
IN the west.
All about her the mountains rose,
pine. crowned to the summit, wall be-
tween her and home, but she never seem.
ed oraise her eyes to the rocking tree.
tops, or hear the wind as it came down,
sweet with the breath of flowers or sad
with their dcath-song. have wondered
if she had no memories, no stirring of the
blood, no heart.throbs, no yearning; if
she were content as she appeared, if she
loved or hated her owners, or If, to the
same, she was as she seemed. Some
times she has raised her eyes to my face
with look could not define, but il
passed so quickly that doubted If had
seen it at all.
As the years went by Marie grew to
womanhood, but she developed to our
eyes no new beauty, and no new awaken.
ing Of NE faculties affections, and she
stirred no new thought on our part con.
cerning her. As the village where her
owner lived enlarged, thad the ambition
to possess an Episcopal church and Il
curdte. The man sent to this place was
Il gentle, charitable character, who strOvc
to make his people better. and worked
faithfully among his charge always Civ
ing them the light OF true life and
earnest purpose to help them into better
paths. This man had an Indian in his
employ, whom he strove to enIighten.
Pedro, like all his race, was not easily
impressed, and II things touched the
deep places oi MS nature, no outward
sign betrayed the workings within. 1t
happened, II things ever happen IN this
world, that Pedro and Marie met, and
though no one ever knew how. they soon
developed INTO intimacy. Tins intimacy IN
time became love, and they planned to
marry and pass through the world to.
gether. do not know that they used
other language than the English, and |
suppose IN tins allean tongue they CON
tnyed to understand each other, | ap'
prchend that tue language OF affection
was not copious, but those dull faces and
cold eyes must have developed new DOW.
crs, and those two hearts have felt that
bliss of being understood that civilized
man awogates solely to himself.
Marie was so much slave that she had
no idea of leaving her mistress. or or
ganizing home Of her own, without that
mistress consent. 1t will never be known
what mental struggles she passed through
uti JIe sue Vo'H Tei ucs'IHS any %'Acu pc'
ishment was tbe first feeling her story
roused but soon indignation appeared.