San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1886-04-22

| lnelT Gnu, tuOuBh uo oE bo oknNoi
And, after they have shown their pride,
Like you, awhile, they glide
Into the grave.
RoDT. HERRroK.
The Indian Chief..-A Striking lllustra
tion of Parental Affection.
During the war in America, q com
pany Of Indians attacked small bod,
of British troops, and defeated them
As the Indians had greater advan
tage in swiftness Of foot, and wer'
eager in the pursuit, very few of tht
British escaped and those who fel
into their hands were treated with I
cruelty, of which there are not man,
examples even in that country.
Two of the Indians came up to {
young officer, and attacked him will
great fury. AS they were armed Will
battle-axes, he had no hope of escape
But, Just at this crisis, another Indi
an came up, who was advanced in
years, and was armed with bow and
arrows.
The old man instantly drew his
bow but, after having taken his aim
at the officer, he suddenly dropped
the point of his arrow, and interpos-
ed between him and his pursuers,
who were about to cut him in pieces.
They retired with respect. The old
man then took the officer by the
hand, and soothed him into conf
dence by caresses; and, having con-
Quoted him to his hut, treated him
with kindness that did honor to his
professions.
He made him less slave than q
companion; taught him the lang uage
of the country; and instru cted
him in the rude arts that are pra ctic-
ed by the inhabitants. They lived
together in the most perfect har m ony:
and the yonng officer in the
treatment he met with, found
nothing to regret, but that
sometimes the old man fixed his eyes
for some minutes with steady dy'ah aha h1@ 81
lent attention, burst into tears.
In the meantime, the spring re-
turned, and the Indians again took
the field. The old man, who was
still vigorous and able to bear the
fatigues of war, set out with them
and was accompanied by his prisoner.
They marched above two hundred
leagues across the forest, and
came at length to plain, where the
British forces were encamped. The
old man showed his prisoner the tents
at distance: "There," says he, "are
thy countrymen. There is the enemy
who wait to give us battle. Remem-
ber that I have saved thy life, that l
have taught thee how to conduct a
canoe, to arm thyself with bow and
arrows, to surprise the beaver in the
forest"
"What vast thou when first took
thee to my hut? Thy hands were
those of an infant. They could neith-
er procure thee sustenance nor safety.
Thy soul was in utter darkness. Thou
vast ignorant of everything. Thou
owest all things to me. Wilt thou
then go over to thy nation, and take
up the hatchet against us? The Of
tcer replied "that he would rather
lose his own life than take away that
of his deliverer."
The Indian, bending down his
head, and covering his face with both
his hands, stood sometime silent.
Then, looking earnestly at the pris-
oner, he said, in voice that was. at
once soitened by tenderness and
grief: "Hast thou q father 7" "My
father" said the young man, "was liv-
ing when I left my country" "AlasT !
said the Indian, show wretched he
must bel" He paused a moment
and then added, "Dost thou know,
that I have been a father IL am a
father no more-I saw my son fall
In battle.-He fought at my side.-1
saw him expire.-He was covered
with wounds when he fell dead at my
feet"
He pronounced these words with the
utmost yehemence. His body shook
with a universal tremUr. He was al
most stifed with sigbs, which he
would not suffer TO escape him. There
was keen restlessness in his eye but
no tears flowed to his relief. At length
he became calm by degrees; and
turning to the east, where the sun
had Just risen "Dost thou see. said
be to the young officer, ''the beauty Of
that sky which sparkles with prevailing
dayi and hast thou pleasure in the
sighti "Yes," replied the officer, Il
have pleasure in the beauty Of 50 fine
a sky. Il have uonei- said tie In
dian, and his tears then found their
way.
A few minutes after. be showed
the young man aInagnOlia tree N fnil
bloom. -DOst thou see that beautiful
tree, said be, '-and dOst thou look
upon It with pieasurei- Yes re-
pied the Of6csr, 1 look with pleasure
upon that beautiful tree 81 have
no longer any pleasure IN lock5ug up
on it, said The Indian hastily and