Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1884-04-19


united lips of the nation. The Cir
Gle broke its order, and screams of
delight mingled with the hustle and
tulmult of preparation. Hayward
struggled madly with his captors;
the anxious eyes of Hawk-eye
began to look around him., with
an expression of peculiar earnestness;
and Cora again threw herself at the
feet. of the. patriarch, once more q
suppliant tor mercy.
Throughout the whole d of these
trying moments, Uncas had, alone
preserved his serenity. He looked
on the preparations with steady eye,
and when the tormentors' came to
seize him, he met them with a firm
attitude. One among them, if pos
sible more fierce and savage than his
fellows, seized the hunting shirt Of
the young warrior, and at single
effort tore it from his body. Then,
with yell of frantic pleasure, he
leaped towards his unresisting victim,
and prepared to lead him to the
stake. But at that moment the pur-
pose of the savage was arrested as
suddenly as if a supernatural agency
had lnterposed in the behalf Of Uncas.
The eye-balls of the Delaware seemed
to start from their sockets; his mouth
opened, and his whole form became
frozen in an attitude of amazement.
Raising his hand with a slow and
regulated motion, he pointed with q
finger to the bosom of the captive.
His companions crowded around
him in wonder, and every eye was,
like his own, fastened on the figure
of small tortoise, beautifully tat
tooed on the breast Of the prisoner,
in bright blue tint.
For a single instant Uncas enjoyed
his triumph, smiling calmly on the
scene. Then motioning the crowd
away with high and naughty sweep
of his arm, he advanced in front Of
the nation with the air of Il king. and
spoke in voice louder than the mur-
mur Of admiration that ran through
the multitude.
''Nlen of the Lenni Lenape" he
said; "my race upholds the earth!
Your feeble tribe stands on my she'll!
What fire that Delaware can light
would burn the child of my fathers"
he added pointing proudly to the
simple blazonry on his skin; "the
blood that came from such a stock
would smother your flames! My race
is the grandfather of nations!''
"Who art thou?' demanded Tam
enund.
.'Uncas, the son Of Chingachgook," )"
answered the captive, modestly turn
ing from the nation ga son of the
great Unamis.
'The hour of Tamenund is nigh !"
exclaimed the sage; "the day is come
at last to the night! l thank the
Manitto, that one is here to fill my
place at the council-fire. Uncas, the
child of Uncas is found. Let the
diving eagle gaze on the rising sum-"
The youth stepped lightly but
proudly, on the platform, where he
became visible to the whole agitated
and wondering multitude. Tam
enund held him long at the length of
his arm, and read every turn in the
fine lineaments of his countenance,
with the untiring gaze of one who
recalled days of happiness.
SIS Tamenund boy?" at length
the bewildered prophet exclaimed
''Have | dreamt of so many SHOWS
that my people were scattered like
floating sands-of Yengeese, more
plenty than the leaves on the trees
| rhe arrow of Iamenund would not
frighten the fawn his arm is with
cred like the branch of dead oak !;
the snail would be swifter in the race;
vet is Uncas before him as they went
to battle against the pale-faces! I'm
cas- the panther of his tribe, the
eldest son of the Lenape, the wisest
Sycamore of the Mohicans! Tell
me, ye Delawares, has Tamenund
been sleeper for hundred winters :"
The calm and deep silence which
succeeded these words, sufficiently
announced the awful reverence with
which his people received the COM
munication Of the patriarch. Uncas,
however, looking in his face with
fondness and yeneration, presumed
on his own high and acknowledged