The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-05-13

The Pathetic Story Of an Indian
Boy.


a. the west branch OF the Su>quehan-
IA. was the last fon,hola IN penusyl-
vania east OF the Allegheny mountains
that the Indians abandoned Long af-
ter the outpostS of civilization had ad-
vanccd far up the valley the red men
tarricd by the graves Of their anccS-
tors. They were loath 10 leave the
clear waters Of the river, cucascd in
the fruitful little valley that was
hclamcd In by hills and mountains.
Well they knew that the time was
drawing near when iucNorablc fate
would compel them 10 turn their backs
on their old homes and trudge towards
the setting sun, hut they dreaded 10
make the change
The time came, however, when the
westward movement was almost inn
perative. 1t was decided that the
tribe should migrate to the hcadwa-
tcrs Of the stream. fully fifty miles be-
yond the limit Of white settlement.
But few friendly Indians, who were
on the best OF terms with the whites,
refused to heed the command OF the
chiefs TO move westward This bred
vcngcful feelings on the part Of their
kindred
The advance line of civilization At
this time was the mouth of Lycomimg
creek now within the limits Of VII
Transport. At the base Of the noun
tain lived young friendly Indian
named Fleet-Foot, who made fair
living by hunting and fishing assisted
by the handiwork Il his young >quaw,
who made handsome baskets that
were sold 10 the settlers
Both Flcet-Foot and his wife AIinna-
waqua Sparkling Watcr) werc re-
marIzably fine types of the Indian Of
those days. bat they had lit-lc pa
roosc that was q wonder a1l "a delight
to all thu whites in the sparse settle
Iac:lts Even tn fpndost mothers @d-
mitted that he wa, juat the sweetest
little thing they ever saw-with the
exception OF their own children, OF
course. lie had great big, laughing
hazel eyes ha.f-ro~y checks, nose
that a sculptor woulI have adorcG aud
the cunuinrc.t little mouth. He was
very appropriately named -tar-Eyco-
Little star Iycs was about wo years
old when the tribe migrated to the
new location inr uT the river Angry
threats had beea male a--ilaJ Fleet
Foot bccaUsc OF L.a refusal 10 join
them. Tut be was happy ana canteutcd,
and Nliuuagvagua dread Il the thought
OF Leaving her white fr.enta-
ono Gar, shortly after the migration,
Flect-Fool WA Lnut.1g la The noun
tains. Minna aqua left her wiEwam,
a solid Strurtur. Of lO"s. which the
white had helped 10 buid, 10 90 10 a
spring 5Dr water. -lc ha loft star
Eyes play ing on the floor, lut when
she returned IL few minutes the child
had disappeared. She hastily looked
about called him, and then hurried
She had hardly passed the door when
She stopped, turned pale and pressed
her hands to her heart. Her keen ma
tive instinct detected strange moccasin
tracks on the ground. Her mind COM
pretended IL al as she sunk fainting
to the ground. Star-Eycs had been
kidnapped 10y his kindred in revenge for
Fleet Foot's refusal to Join them; that
was evident.
There was 4 gr~ot commotion among
the settlers VIII they heard Of the
dastardly act -.&ny Of them were
eager for immediate pursuit Of the
captors. but Flcct-Foot disS uadcd them
by saving that the Indians would sure
ly kill the papoose if they found that
they were followed. and besides there
would be danger Of ambush by large
party Of Indians.
y
Just before daylight N the morning,
Fleet-Foot and Minnawaqua were sud-
! denly awakened by the voice OF Star
| Eyes at the door, crying bitterly. In
trice the child was in the arms Of his
! ovcrioved parents. but they were sur
| priScd 10 find him tremblHgly feeling
their faces with his hands. What was
the matter? He always spoke in Eng
! liSh.
star Eyes tan't see"
True enough. he was totally blind.
although the big, lustrous eyes looked
lust as natural as on the day he was
abducted Fleet-Foot understood it
all The tribe had wreallcd their
vengeance by binding the innocent
child and then stealthily returned him
The settlers were wild with rage
when they heard OF it. Some of them
were eager for an expedition against
the Indians, but cooler counsels pre-
vailed.
Among the settlers were a Quaker
family from Philadelphia. who had
taken special interest IN Flcct-Foots
little family. Part Of the Quaker
family. including the mother, We're
about to make journey TO the city to
visit their friends, and il Vas suggested
that Minnawaqua and her blind child
should accompany them in order that
the latter's eyes might be examined 10y
an oculist and treated If there was any
! prospect of restoring the sight.
1t was a tedious journey in those
davs on horse back all the way TO Har-
risburg and thence 10y primitive stage
coach. but it was accomplished, and
the little blind papoose was taken 10 an
eminent 'oculist. Examination showed
that the eyes had been blinded by
holding close TO them, with the lids
opened, a very hot object, probably
either a red-hot iron or super-heated
stone. 1t was not the first case known
of such Indian atrocity.
The oculist did his best 10 repair the
vision but all he could accomplish was
to restore just sufficient sight for the
child to distinguish between light and
shade He could distinguish persons
only by their voices
Ten years passed and the line of set
tlement reached further up the valley.
The kind Quaker family moved dozen
miles above To the mouth of Pine
creek, and Fleetfoot, with three chill
drcn in addition TO the nearly blind
boy, determined to move westward
with them. 1t was difficult for the In
dian, even with the help of Niinnawa-
qua in basket making, to earn a living
for his little family. There were white
hunters in the woods now and game
was getting comparatively scarce
Even after the removal to Pine creeh
the Indian was sorcly pressed by pov-
ertv and he soon determined, though
with great reluctance, to join his trib
at the headwaters of the river, nearly
forty miles away.
1t was sad parting. Minnawaqua
with all the stoicism of her race. coul,