The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-02-08
THE PRESS.
MONDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 5.
[Examiner1
PEREcRINE WHITES PRES.
EMIT.
BY FRED MxRoN COLBY.

1t was Sunday afternoon in New Ply
mouth, Nov. 1884. The people OF the llttle
village were going home from meeting,
marching gravely and sedately from tne
queer, square log church, with its fiat root
decorated with six grim old cannon, down
the hillside TO the cottage-lined street streWn
with the dead leaves of autumn.
What strange looking figures they would
have been to us, those Pilgrim men and wom-
en- the first in their broad-brimmed, sugar
loaf hats, dark, long and wide-fapped round
abouts trouser or petticoat breeches, long
gartered hose, and buckled shoes; and the
lattes were dressed in their long cloaks and
chaiSe-tOpped bOnnets OF the hrSt King
James's time.
Strangely solemn and of unvarying gravi-
tv, were the countenances of all, as they
moved along, two by two, or three by three,
the men carrying their psalm DOCKS In one
hand and a fiint-lock in the other. Even the
young folks had the same grave, quiet de-
pertinent, though there were some ameng
Ehem whose twinkling eyes told OF a spirit OF
merrment within that even the sternnesS Oh
Puritan society could not entirely suppress
Behind all the others walked three lads,
dressed IKE their fathers in rutfs, small
clethes short, close jenkins and steeple-
crowned hats. They had sat quietly enough
on the hard board benches through the long,
tedious three hours sermon, kept somewhat
in awe, perhaps, by the stern glances OF the
tithinx man, or the threatening shake of his
dreadful wand. Even now, on their way
down the hill, among the stumps OF the clear
ing. where the first May flowers had been
found and where the first dead lay buried,
they cast ever and anon suspicious glanceS
at that official. and carried on their converse
ton in low. half-whispered tones, as if fear
full of being overheard, Tor thelf SUBJECT was
Sacrilegi0uSly secular.
f'Hey, Master Jonas, John Goodman says
as how he's going to have a shooting match
on week Wednesday. And he's engaged the
Indians to furnish him twenty turkeys and
whoever shoots them will take them home,
said Abiel Mullins.
''Yea, verify, and mean to shoot one OF
those same turkeys, at least shall try, and,
peradvcnture may succeed:
And the speaker, a tall lad, whose dark
blue eyes looked almost black, and whose
thick brown hair curled like Cavaliers all
over his head, source of constant anxiety
to his father, William White, one OF the
prominent men of the colony, and who was
decidedly Round-head in his procllyltles,
tossed his head with very important air.
"If you compete you will certainly get one.
None of the old marksmen can beat you,
Master Peregrine, whispered Abel. Wont
it be fun If you do2"
''It's the musket more than me, !" answered
Peregrine very modestly. You know father
bought it of an English trader last year, and
there's no other that's like it in the settle
ment."
Anyway, you can hit silver button at
forty yards, said Jones, land | don't be-
lieye Miles Standish can do that"
NAY, but he would cut an Indians head
off with his sword quicker than conld shoot
turkey" declared Peregrine, who was
great admirer of the little, stumpy, gritty
captain,
shooting" whispered Abel.
II shall ask mine, and II he won't let me,
III get King James, the Indian boy, TO shoot
for me with his bow and arrows mean to
have Thanksgiving turkey, any way, said
Peregrine, sturdily "Oh!'
This exclamation was 0ccasioned by
stroke from the wand of the tithing man,
who had seen the three heads too closely to-
gether and surmised they must be discuss
ing some other subject besides the sermon,
wicked boys that they were.
One tap was enough, and neither of them
dared speak again. Peregrine looked to see
If his father had observed his disgrace, but,
to bis relief, that worthy man was just enter
Ing his house that was one OF the first on the
long, straight, Leyden street
Presently Peregrine himself was in the
loW-roofed kitchen, stirring the fire in the
great fireplace. Then he put log ON behind,
placed the andirons up to the log, and great
forestick upon the andirons. The space be-
tween he filled up with smaller wood, and he
soon had roaring fire, which cracked loud,
and blazed up into the chimney.
After the light, old fashioned Sunday sup
per was served, and it had become SO dark
that Peregrine could see no longer to read in
the great Bible, the whole family gathered
around the blazing fireplace. Bleak and cold
it might be out of doors, but in the Puritan
household there were always warmth and
cheer.
Old Dusky, the cat purred before the fire.
The quaint furniture, the battened doors
with the wooden latches the rough-heWn
beams and timbers of the ceiling, the dresser,
with the shining pewter plates in the corner,
all served to give the room an old fashioned,
comfortable air. As Peregrine knew no 9th
er, and all the houses in Plymouth were very
much alike, the thirteen year-old boy
thought that his home was as good as pal
ace.
The day Peregrine had been longing for
came at last, and dawned clear.and bracing.
The shooting match was not to occur until
the afternoon, and Peregripe, who had OBJ
tanned the consent of his parents to take,
started off with his friend Abel Mullins,
each taking. his gun with him.
Though they were both good shots for
boys, they had yet to learn the ways of wild
fowl. The result Of their hunt was that
though they scared up plenty of wild tur-
keys, and even several wild geese, they did
not secure a single bird
At noon, after long and wearisome tramp,
they came out upon a clearing several miles
from the settlement Through this cleared
area ran small stream whose banks were
grit by a growth of willows and alders.
"Hullo, where's that? cried Abiel, sudden
ly, as the sound of gobbling arosein the bush.
Somewhere about here, verify. Perad-
y
softly"
And Peregrine moved around with the
noiseless step of an Indian scout ON the trail.
Very soon loud cry arose from Abel
Here they are! The birds are already
Gagged for us, so we can save our powder and
lead"
Sure enough. down by the rivers bank
they found several turkey traps, which were
nothing but covered pens, with the lower
part of one side left open Corn was strewn
around, and the foolish birds had been en-
ticed to enter, but not discovering a way of
escape at the top, never thought to retreat
by the entrance at the bottom.
Half a dozen large, fat coek-turkeyS, re-
splendent with the brightest gold-tinged
bronze, were found to beimprisoned in these
traps.
well, Peregrine, you take the first pick,
said Abiel, after they had made thorough
examination of the trapped fowl.
The Puritan lad heSitated a moment, then
looking suddenly into his friends face, he
answered:
Il don't think, Abel, will take any of
these turkeys"
''Why, what do you mean, Peregrine ?"
asked Abiel very much surprised
Il mean" he replied, shat the the tur-
keys are not ours, and that we have no right
to them"
But we found them.'
Yes, but did net set the traps. Suppose
these traps were ours, and somebody came
along and took our game?"
mat is inherent; only an lnulan SeI
these, and what's an Indian but savage? '
asked Abiel, stoutly, using the same argu-
ment that the government agent has been
using the last hundred years.
IAN Indian has rights and it would be
mean to steal his property. shant touch
one of these turkeys"
Master Peregrine shouldered his musket
and stepped very decidedly away.
II don't want to be mean," said Abiel,
turning away more slowly, "and don't be-
neve but that an Indian would have taken
ours had he found them"
sit does not concern us what be would
have done. We have had better instruction
than the savages, and ought to do better than
they"
All this time 1.-the, dark body, ia the
picturesque garb of Wamponaog lay Sc
creted under the leaves beside large rock
near the turkey traps, and as Peregrine and
Abiel walked slowly away the figure arose,
revealing the coppery visage of young In
dian lad, who proceeded straightway to load
himself with the four smallest fowls.
He hestated, looked after the retreating
figures of the. whites, seemed undetermined
for an instant what to do, then started off
for Plymouth in a direction that led him at
right angles from the path that was taken
by the two boys