Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1922-01-05

times had he answered the self-same
question SHOULD a paleface wed a red
skin? Always had his answer been
the story told him by his father and
his fathers father.
"Come the paleface maid and the
redskin brave to seek the counsel of
Manihola?" he asked slowly.
ayes, o chief, and eagerly they a
wait the answer" said the maiden.
"Then shall Manitoba give his coun-
sci as the years have taught him wis
dom, as the gods have given him their
secrets and the whispering winds and
laughing waters have told their age
old stories. Thus shall Manitoba an
swer."
Slowly did he then lay down his
pipe and in slow impressive tones be-
gin his story.
'Three suns had set since the little
band of Jesuit fathers had formed a
solemn procession to the final resting
place of their beloved leader, Father
Laurette. Three suns had set and still
Marie, his daughter, sat in stony 81
lence by the fireplace. Nor did she
move except to swallow few morsels
of food, barely enough to keep her a
live. Outside the Father of the Waters
rolled on in an endless passage, an
swering to the call of the forest with
a sonorous roar.
up to the little hut came Penawoki
friend and counselor of the white man,
and he knocked at the door, then en-
tered and stood silently by the side of
the white chiefs daughter. Slowly
did Marie look up, then again resumed
her silence, that brooding silence that
bodies naught but i'll for him who
courts it. For many minutes the eyes
of the stolid Indian dwet on the fair
chiefs daughter, then he spoke:
marie, daughter of the brave white
chief, of him whom Penawoki coun-
seled- daughter, list to the words of a
friend
Still she sat in stony silence heed
ing not the Indians words.
Daughter, by the seven moons of
heaven the wandering hand of fate
points out her paths. In seven moons,
when the great white blanket falls,
then shall thy fate come
"Thus spake Penawoki, friend of the
fair chiefs daughter. She answered
not, only looked at him with somber
eyes.
"Then the old chief left her, sitting
still in silence by the dying embers."
The old chief paused and neither Of
his hearers broke the quiet. Slowly
he drew at his long pipe carved with
hideous figures, which had been hand
ed down from father to son. Then he
resumed his story:
Ear above in the heavens the sew
enth moon had already begun her jour
ney and the great white blanket lay
on every side" Marie needed not these
reminders of Penawoki's prophecy, for
in the lonely hut the memory Of her
father lived and her sorrow found no
ceasing.
"Then one day, before the fatal
moon had set, Penawoki bore on a
swinging bed of tough tree branches
the form of redskin brave wrapped
in furs and blankets. Stopped he at
the door of the white girl, seeking aid
for his wounded kinsman.
MANY days Marie dressed the
wounds of the redman, dressed them
the way the white chief taught her.
Thus she lived for many days, listen
ing not to the words of the new white
chief or to those of Penawoki, listen
ing only to the voice of her father as
it rose from out her sorrow.
MANY suns set before the depart
ing of the redskin. Loath he was to
leave her, for his heart was on fire,
was all a-quiver as the heart of a
frightened deer when the hunter press
Is hard upon her. On the eve of his
departure he spake thus to the silent
maiden:
40 Marie, is there naught but pity
in the heart of the white chiefs daugh
ter? Naught but pity for a brother?'
go Babette, Marie is always friend
to all the red men, thinks Of them as
brothers,
Suddenly he swept aside his Indian
clothing and stood before her clad in
the garb of her countrymen. Quickly
she sprang to her feet.
cart thou spirit? Art thou one
let loose to torment
"'Nay, not SO, for l am an Indian,
yet am l also of the French. Kins-
man am to thy father; kinsman am
to the retlmen, to the aged Penawoki.
Heed yet my words, o maiden, for
love thee as Frenchman; as such
then do / WOO thee
"But Marie would not reply for she
remember I'd well the stories of the life
of one who wed redskin. Therefore
did Pena,yoki see the form of this
brave warrior pass over the white
trails to the Northland.
"Long he waited and watched the
white chiefs daughter, sensing the
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