The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-01-22
THE ONEIDA COUNTESS.
True Story of Frenchnian's Life
with the Indians.

1892, Il young man of good birth, hnc
education and good address, who was
glad to escape from Paris with his life,
came to this country. lie was tail and
handsome, with the manners of an
ariStocrat. Finding nothing To do (fOr
the physical labor of the docks was so
much hrtter done by the negroes that
he could not stand the compctItion) he
finally gave up in despair: and while
he had money for the few implements
needed, started for the Oneida county,
where he cut a few saplingS and built
himself shelter from the weather.
lie tndcavorcd to support himself 10y
fishing, shooting and trapp ing, but had
made little progress, when he was
stricken down with fever. His end
seemed coming. He was alone and
helpless and. commenting himself to
the care of Heaven, he lay down tn die.
On the other side of the wood near
which hc had built his hut, but hidden
entirely from his view, there lay an
Indian village. One afternoon, an In
dian girl, named Nanita, out bcrrying.
cspicd the hut of the stranger, and
naturally pcercd into it. Hearing no
ucise, and seeing no one, she finally
entered and found handsome man
lying prone, very pale and apparently
dead Her woman's heart was touched
with pity. She saw, too, that, though
iDScnsIblc, the man was still alive
The young girl paused not to think
of his color. Her fleet feet took her
back 20 her wigwaIn, whence she re-
turned with milk, rum and Il blanket.
With the latter she covered him, and.
pouring Il little rum down his throat.
she pillowcd his head upon her lap
ana sat still and watched him Pres
emily he opened his fine eyes and gave
her a dim, wandering. wondering look.
But he was faint. He saw, however,
in the large. luStrous, black, dccp-sct
eyes. of the squaw lcgibly written:
Thou shalt not die forsaken, stranger"
She signified to him as well as she
could that he mast sleep now, and that
she would return after awhile and see
him.
In a couple of hours the Indian girl
returned to her patient with food and
medicines for the night. She found
him still very feeble. but much better:
she made him eat and gave him to
understand by eye and pantomimc
that he must sleep, and she would see
him as early as possible the next morn
ing.
In the morning the Indian girl told
her mother about the stranger At
first the squaw was suspicious, but she
went with her daughter to see the
stranger. when her heart warmed to
the young paleface: and, with true
womanly feeling, she busted herself
about the sick man. The women re-
moved him to their own wigwam for
better nursing.
Three weeks good nursing brought
him round, and he was a man again in
all but strength. The patient cndur-
ance of the count. with his quiet,
graceful manners. won the little com
munity, and all found Il pang in their
h arts at the mention of his depar-
turc.
The old warrior, one morning. said:
stranger the time has come when
YOU should no longer he stranger.
You have 4 name in your own country.
What j. it,
Arthur DE Lille, they call me in my
own country"
Then. Arthur De Lille" said the
chief, stay with our people another
moon. Hunt with Us. fish with us. go
to our council fires. smoke with us, then
go back to your own country. Or, if
voU like the red mans life and will
cast Your lot with us, we will adopt you
into our tribe. You shall he my son:
you shall be a hunter and 4 warrior.
Adopt our custom and our costumes.
and we will give yOu a wife from our
tribe
Nanita explained what he did not un-
derstand to De Lille, who, turning to
the chief, said:
1t is well said. 1t shall be So" and
offered his hand.
They smoked a pipe together, and
the understanding was complete.
Arthur De Lille rapidly grew from
convalcsccnce to robust health. lie
walked. wrestled and ran with the
young braves, his great height being
of much advantage To him. His educa-
tion in the school of the athletes and
in fencing and shooting in Paris now
became of great service to him. With
returning health he developed great
physical power: the Indians were
proud of him, he was their equal in
most sports, their Superior in many
things.
As the time approached for his de-
cision, DE Lille went to the old war
rior and 81 Id:
De Lille wants to go into retreat
for three days To consider his decision.
He wants to be alone. to consider the
future, to consult the Great Spirit"
De Lille speaks wisely. 1t shall he
SO. No one shall speak to thee. to ask
anything of thee for three days.
II was SO ordered. He took his gun
and went to the top of a mountain,
and there considered his situation. lie
reviewed the civilized savages of
France, destroying everything that was
good. Then he turned TO the peaceful
civilization of the savages going on
around him and thought of what he
should lose, nay, had lost, in France;
then of the life of toll and labor before
him; then of its freedom-thc joyous,