Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1922-09-28
AhOlaha
A LITTLE MARYLAND CAPTIVE
An Historical Romance of the Pioneer History Of
Western Maryland
By the late Rev. A. L. Oerter,

instruments reached their ears. The
trombonists of the congregation were
announcing the death of one of the
members from the terrace or balcony
on the roof of the Bethlehem's House.
The sweetly solemn sounds of the
chorales, mellowed by the distance.
Impressed the travellers with peculiar
emotions, and all paused to listen, the
Indians especially, with evident wond-
er and awe. Mr.. Weiser, who was ia
miliar with the custom, explained it's
meaning, and all thought it very beau
tiful and appropriate.
At the Crown Inn they disnnounted,
and Mr.. Weiser said they should rest
there while he transacted some busi-
ness in Bethlehem, and after dinner he
would take them over, and show them
the settlement. They watched the
ferly-boat that took him over, pro-
PEELED by rope rigging which was
new to them, and more expeditions
than the old way by polling; and then
they walked about the neighborhood.
Dannie and Marie found a path that
led them along the river until they
were opposite to an island of some size,
on which they saw many catalpa trees
growing, from which it obtained the
name Catalpa Island. later changed to
Calypso Island.
"Oh what pretty island!" ex-
claimed Marie. 81 wish we could get
over to it, Dannie."
AS she spoke, they saw two Indians
coming down the channel between the
bank on which they stood and the
island, in canoes. They padded their
canoes to the bank, and one of them
asked, "You want go on island ?"
They hesitated, and Dannie asked,
"How will we get back?" eve take
you back" the Indians replied. See
ing that they still hesitated, he con-
tinued, ave good Indians; not hurt
you, nor anybody; live here at Beth
lehem."
Marie was still rather fearful, but
seeing that they looked kind and gen.
tie, not like the wild Indians among
whom they had been living, they en-
tered the canoes and the Indians pad
died over to the island. Drawing the
canoes up on the bank, the walked
with Dannie and Marie about the is
land, showing them path that led to
the upper end, from which they had a
fine view of the river and it's thickly-
wooded banks, and then down the op-
posite side, until they reached the
lower end, and their starting point.
During their walk the Indians told
them that they were Christian Indians
belonging to the Brethren, who had
built a village for them which was
called Main, near Bethlehem, and that
they had chapel there, in which the
Brethren, kept meetings for them.
"How did you come to live at Beth
lehem?" asked Dannie. "We used to
live at a place farther up country, on
the Mahoni," said one of the Indians,
"where we had many houses, and
teachers with US; but the fighting In
dians come and kill all the teachers,
and burn the houses, and would kill us
too, but we off hunting. Then we
come to Bethlehem"
ave We're carried off by the bad In
dians," Dannie told them. They killed
my father and brothers, and took my
mother and me away with them, and
we lived with them until now they are
going to give US up to the Government
at Philadelphia"
"They took me too," said Marie,
"and shot at my father, but did not
kill him."
"They come here with you?" asked
the Indian.
eyes," replied Dannie, "they're at
the inn where we stopped"
The Indians looked at one another,
and one said,
"We go see them"
AS they saw that Marie was gather
ing some of the flowers that were