The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1890-04-11
LAST OF THE DELAwAaeS.

The Old Indian Who Uacovers Only to
the Great Father"
The Chief of the Delawares, that is
the title Of the stalwart old man with
the coarse black locks, the wrinkled
copper skin, cunning black eyes and
cruel mouth. Seventy-five years old,
but more erect and OF greater height
than any white man IN the mountains.
Chief of the Delawares, but a ruler
without one subject, with n log cabin
on the mountain side, bit of meadow
land, a stretch of pasturage for his
sheep, where his ancestors had seign-
ioral rights over the lovely glades OF
the Alleghanies. He knows, the old
man, of what race he sprung and what
his inheritance, but he rarely speaks
of it.
Once, two years ago, he showed that
he knew his family's history as we'll as
the proudest New Englander. The
late w. w. Corcoran, of Washington,
was stopping at Deer Park, and IN one
OF his drives some one pointed out
Manner Male and told Mr. Corcoran
that he was Chief of the Delawares.
Mr.. Corcoran turned 10 him quickly
and asked his name. Not acknowledge
ing the name which the white people
have given him, 'ManIfer Male" he
drew himself up proudly and said: 4
am the Chief of the DeIawares. Z
II remember well, ." said Mr. Cor
coran, when an ancestor of yours,
probably your father, was taken by
my father TO see the President, An
drew jackson, about a treaty signing
away this whole section TO the white
man and agreeing to leave this coun-
try for the Southwest. Did you ever
hear of itP"
''Yes. 1t was my father His peo-
pie went When the time came he
could not go. lie died on the spot
where my cabin is when the news was
brought TO him that the white men
were building a railroad in the valley
where his people built their camp
fires at the coming of the winter
Old Manner Male did not take off
his hat or bow his head as he stood at
the side of the fine equipage, but the
courtly old gentleman in the carriage
raised his hat and bowed homage to
the last Chief of the Delawares.
1t is this same old Manner Male who
comes twice a week to the rear door
of a pretty summer cottage and ex-
changes a fine saddle OF mutton for
money handed him by a pretty young
matron, before whom he takes off the
hat that he will never raise to any
white man save one, and that is the
stately gentleman who sits on the
/ porch with a white-frocked child at
his side and always says: Good day.
Mr.. Male. We are greatly indebted
1 10 you for your mutton
The Old Indian bows to the Great
! Father for it is the President OF the
/ United States who has greeted him
/ and the Presidents 5 daughter who has
! taken the mutton, Of which ne is as
proud as his ancestors OF their God
( given rights, the glades of the Ale
! ghanies.
He has dozens of grandchildren,
this old Manner Male. The dusky,
brown-s1inned daughters Of the fallen
house sell masses of rhododendrons and
laurels TO the summer guests, and ia
the winter gather the red berries OF
the wintergreen, which they trade for
flour in the nelghboriBg towns. The
sons OF the house, none of whom have
Manner Males proud carriage. sioucb
into the village with a string of pheas-
ants slung across the shoulder or a
half-dozen mountain trout dangling
from the hand.-Deer Park (Md. }
Cor. n. 7. Press. -