The Portland daily press., 1894-02-10

But, oh, the hopeless WalGlng!
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 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 au-
tumn passed, and the cold northern winter
get in. One Decem Der day when the ground
was frozen hard and the lake was one sheet
of glittering 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
sca1ps and theYlunder. 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
he saw dangling from one huge redskin' s
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 use? The warrior could
not tell.
''Does 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.
'sSpeak, my son!'' 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"
'tThey are wings with which to fly, !"
said the boy, with a solemn air. 1.-THE
Great Spirit has sent them as gifts to the
red men,
The Indians shake their heads and look
doubtfully at one another. They can
hardly understand it. 1t is a wonderful
thing.
''How can one fly with these things?"
asked the old chief incredulously
"Come with me to the lake, and I will
show your braves how to use the mystic
rious wings" returned the lad, with great
er interest than he 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, Laban fitted
pair of skates upon the feet of four of
the young braves. The sharpest, strong
est pair he bound upon his own feet. Then,
Selling musket from the hands of war
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 confusioa possible The crowd
of warriors, women and children regarded
the scene with amazement and concern.
Scarcely able to control his countenance,
Laban berated the crestfallen braves for
their carelessness.
"You did not do as I told you, he said.
"Now, stand up and watch me, and you
will see better how to do it,"
He darte1 off, swift as swallow, over
the ice that had not break or a Granny
in it, now skating in circle, now in
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 stanoh and strong. He was
ready for the supreme effort.
Dashing up to where the four young In
dams were waiting, trembling and expect
ant, he shouted:
e'Now forward, forward, where the Great
Spirit calls you'll Away, away! Follow
mer'
Like an arrow shot from bow the young
paleface few 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 Stun bled and struggled in a
ridiculous heap upon the slippery floor of
the lake. In the excitement few noticed
the vanishing figure of Laban Whitaker
When it was too late, few of the savages
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
dams. White man 8 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
ana carrying muSkc1 anu d pair VI
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 ga'''-
cred in small groups, wondering what tAe
Indian lad might want.
But as he drew nearer they saw that it
was no Indian, but white boy, and the
was still greater until he cried |
out, t'Don't you know Laban Whitaker"
That night there was rejoicing in Pena
cook. The garrison house of Deacon Whit |
aker was filled with neighbors, 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 passed |
through such peril, but they could not |
doubt him, for there were the wonderful |
skates, and there was Laban himself.
On one of the streets of New Hampshire's |
capital city there stands an old style man
sion 1t is owned and occupied by one Of
Laban Whitaker's descendants, and if you
we're to visit it you would be shown the
IDENTICAL skates with which the young pi-
,neer boy outwitted the Indians.-t'red
Myron Colby in Washington News.