The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-03-03

aio iiOhic. many Il tl1nc he uWOke from
his sleep with u shudder ut the thought of
tho life before him. lie resolved to SEIZE
the first opportunity to escape.
But oh, the hopeless waitingi
Taught cunning by the crafty savages
he made the best of his situation. He
went hunting and fishing with the Indian
lads and rapidly became favorite in the
village. The rcd squuws plated rich mats
Tor his wiywam and made handsome leg
gings and moccasins for their Young pale
face brother.
Tho months sped by, summer and au-
tumn passed, and the cold mort hern winter
set IN. One December day when tho ground
was frozen hard and the lake was one sheet
of glittering ice n band of warriors return
ed from IA foray they had made among the
white settlements to the southwark There
was great rejoicing in the village over the
scalps and the plumber. 1t made the white
boys heart throb as he recognized among
the spoil familiar articles of household use
shears, knives, housewife and pair
OF candlesticks such as he had often seen
In his home at distant Penacook But
what gave him the greatest start was that
no saw dangling from one huge redskins
belt string of shining steel skates.
Evidently none of the Indians had ever
seen any of these articles before. They
crowded around the lucky warrior whose
prize they were and examined them with
the greatest curiosity. What were they?
What was their user The warrior could
not tell
Does the young palefacc know?" ques-
toned the braves as they gathered about
the young captive.
lAban touched the skates reyerently and
answered that he knew their use very we'll
Speak, my sonv' cried the old chief
who had adopted him. "Tell my nation
what are these pieces of smooth steel fas-
tened together with straps of leather"
"They are wings with which to fly"
said the boy, with n solemn air. "The
Great Spirit has sent them as gifts to the
red men,
The Indians shake their heads and look
doubtfully at ono another They can
hardly understand it. 1t is wonderful
thing.
GLOW can one fly with these things?"
asked the old chief incredulously.
Come with me to the lake, and will
show your braves how to use the mystic
rious wings" returned the lad, with great
er interest than no really cared to show
In his excitement he trembled The hand
in which he held the mysterious wings
shook.
The idea was received favorably. The
whole village rushed down to the shore
where the lake lay stretching it's cleaning
length miles and miles away to the south
ward.
When the ice was reached, I.aban fitted
pair of skates upon the feet of four of
the young braves. The sharpcst, strong
est pair he bound upon his own feet. Then
scizing muskct from the hands of war
rior stumbling near, he babe the braves
stand upon their feet and follow him.
They endeavorcd to do rs he directed
but only stumbled over each other, making
the greatest confusion possible The crowd
OF warriors, women and children regarded
the scene with amaZcmcnt and concern
Scarcely able to control his countenancc,
Laban bcrated the crcstfallen braves for
their carclcSSncSs
"You did not do as told you, ~ he said
"Now, stand up and watch me, and you
will see better how to do it,
lie darted off, swift as n swallow, over
the ice That had not break or Granny
In 1t, now skating in n circle, now in a
straight line, now retrcating, now advanc-
ing, his motions watched with the great
est interest by the savaucs
He had tested his skill and the surencss
OF his skates. They were buckled secure
ly. They were stanch and strong. He was
ready for the supreme effort.
Dashing up TO where the four young In
dians were waiting trembling and expect
ant he shouted:
Nov forward, forward where the Great
Spirit calls you! Away, away! Follow
mel"
Like an arrow shot from bow the young
palcface flew over the cleaning ice Tho
sharp stccs struck fire. SO rapidly did they
glide along that smooth, frozen highway
In attempting To follow him the unlucky
braves again stumbled and struggled in a
ridiculous heap upon the slippery floor of
the lake. In the excitement few noticed
the vanishing figure of I.ahan Whitaker
When it was too late, n few of the savages
discharged their muskets after the fugi-
tive. but the bullets fell far short of tho
mark. While they still gazed in amaze
mcnt the lad disappeared behind II point
of land, and they never saw him more
Great Spirit called palcfacc, not In
dams. White man. wings not Indians. -
said the old chief resignedly. But the
squaws of the village, after the old Indian
fashion, made lamentation rs for the dead
Some six weeks aftcrward Il thin, hag-
gard boy, dressed in the furs of the Indian
and carrying n muskct and n pair of
skates, staggered out from the forest and
approached the little hamlet on the Merri
mae. Dogs barkcd Mt the approach of
the strange visitant and the settlers gath
cred i'll small groups, wondering what tho
Indian lad might want
But as he drew nearer they saw that it
was no Indian, but white boy. and the
wondermcnt was still greater until he cried
out, Don't you know I4aban Whitaker"
That night there was rejoicing in Pena-
cook The garrison house of Deacon Whit
aker was filled with neghbors, who gath
cred to offer their congratulations and lis
ten to Laban's story. Scarcely could they
believe the tales that the lad standing
among them safe and sound had r.,scd