Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-02-09

Nc HlHue lne DeSJ OF MS SITUATION. lie
went hunting and fishing with the Indian
lads and rapidly became favorite i'm the
village. The red squaws plated rich mats
for his wigwam and made handsome leg
gings and moccasins for their young pale
face brother
The months sped by, summer and an
tumn passed, and the cold northern winter
set in One December day when the ground
was frozen hard and the lake was one sheet
Of gllttering ice band of warriors return
ed from 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
boy 8 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
he saw dangling from one huge redskins
belt "A 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 use? The warrior could
not tell.
docs the young paleface know" ques-
toned the braves as they gathered about
the young captive.
Laban touched the skates reverently and
answered that he knew their use very well.
"Spcak, my som" 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 solemn air. "The
Great Spirit has sent them as gifts to the
red men"
The Indians shake their heads and look
douhtfully Mt one another. They can
hardly understand it. IL is wonderful
thing.
GLOW can one fly with these things?"
asked the old chief increduously
"Come with me to the lake, and l will
show your braves how to use the mystl-
rious wings returned the lad, with great
er interest than he really cared to show
In his excitement he trcmbled The hand
in which he held the mysterious wings
shook.
The idea was received favorahly. The
whole village rushed down to the shc
where the lake lay stretching its cleaning
length miles and miles away to the south
ward.
When the ice was reached, Laban fitted
a pair of skates upon the feet of four of
the young braves. The sharpest, strong
est pair he bound upon his own feet. Tn I,
Selling musket from the hands of II W r
rior standing near, he babe the braves
stand upon their feet and follow him.
They endeavored to do as he directed
but only stumbled over each other, making
the greatest confusion possible The crowd
n " nd CHI III =,
the scene with amazement and concern
Scarcely able to control his countenance,
Laban berated the crestfallen braves for
their carclcSsness.
You did not do as told you, " he said.
"Now, stand up and watch me, and you
will see better how to do it,
He darted off, swift as "A swallow, over
the ice that had not n break or Granny
in 1t, now skating in circle, now in a
straight line, now retreating, now advanc-
ing, his motions watched with the great
est interest by the savages.
He had tested his skill and the sureness
of his skates. They were buckled secure
ly. They were stanch and strong. He was
ready for the supreme effort.
Dashng up to where the four young In
dans 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
paletace flew over the cleaning ice. The
sharp steels 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
ha 1ala In bo
the vanishing figure of Laban Whitaker
When it was too late, "A few of the savages
discharged their muskets after the fugi-
tive, but the bullets fell far short of the
mark. While they still gazed in amaze
ment the lad disappeared behind point
of land, and they never saw him more.
Great Spirit called paleface, not In
dians. White mans wings, not Indians,
said the old chief resignedly. But the
squaws of the village, after the old Indian
fashion, made lamentation as for the dead
Some six weeks afterward thin, bag
gard boy, dressed in the furs of the Indian
and carrying musket and a pair of
skates. staggered out from the forest and
approached the little hamlet on the Merri-
mac. Dogs barked at the approach of
the strange visitant, and the settlers gath
cred in small groups wondering what the
Indian lad might want.
But as he drew nearer they saw that it
was no Indian, but white boy, and the
wonderment was still greater until he cried
out, "DOn't you know Laban Whitaker"
That night there was rejoicing in Pena-
cook. The garrison house of Deacon Whit
aker was filled with neighhors, who gath
cred to offer their congratulations and lis
ten to Labans story. Scarcely could they
believe the tales that the lad standing
among them safe and sound had passed
through such peril, but they could not
doubt him, for there were the wonderful
skates, and there was Iaban himself
On one of the streets of New Hampshres
capital city there stands an old style man
sion. 1t is owned and occupied by one of
Laban Whitaker's descendants, and if you
were to visit it you would be shown the
identical skates with which the young pi-
oneer boy outwitted the Indians. Fred
Myron Colby in Washington News.
Language Giants.
The publication of Lady Richard Bur
tons Life" of her husband recalls some
interesting facts concerning the linguistic
career of that DISTINGUISHED Traveller ike