The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-04-02
Alice Of Old Vincennes
By Maurice Thompson
COPYRIGHT BY ALICE THOMPSON
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ALICE. foster daughter OF
GASPARD ROUSSILLON, was loved by
FITzHUGH BEVERLEY, American Army
CAPTAIN HELM surrendered Vincennes to
the English general.
GOVERNOR HAMILTON, during the Revo-
lutionary War.
FATHER BERET and
a CAPTAIN FARNSWORTH, an English
~ man. infatuated with Alice, planning to
~ spare her the punishment Hamilton IN
81 tended for her because she assisted RoUs-
81 sillon to escape.
~ was captured by Hamiltons Indian
scouts. During the night their leader.
&pNG HAIR. stole Beverley away and sd-
united friendship for his captive. The
& 81 indian had in his possession a lOcket be
2nging to Alice which Beverley wanted
80 ONGHAIR fumbled in his
- pouch and took out Ances
locket. which he handed to
Beverley. white man love lit
6 <# girl?" he inquired in a tone that
f-dered upon tenderness, again
ealing in Indian.
Beverley clutched the disk as soon
Is he saw it CLEAN in the starlight.
white man going to have little
girl for his squaw-eh?'
yes, yes" cried Beverley without
hearing his own voice. He was trying
to open the locket, but his hands were
numb and trembling. When at last he
did open it he could not see the child
face within, for now even the star
light was shut off by a scudding black
cloud.
Little girl saved Long GLARS life.
Long Hair save white warrior for
little girl
dignity which was almost noble
accompanied these simple sentences.
Long Hair stood proudly erect, like
colossal dark statue in the dimness.
The great truth dawned upon
Beverley that here was q character
istic art. He knew that an Indian
rarely failed to repay a kindness or
an injury, stroke for stroke. when
opportunity offered. Long-Hair was
a typical Indian. That Is to say. a
type Of inhumanity raised to the last
power; but under his hideOus atrocity
of nature lay the indestrUctible sense
Of gratitude so fixed and perfect that
it did its work almost automatically.
It must be said. and it may or may
not be to the white mans shame, that
Beverley did not respond with alb
solute promptness and sincerity to
Long Hairs generosity. He had
suffered terribly at the hands Of this
savage. His arms and legs were raw
from the biting Of the thongs; his body
ached from the effect of blows and
kicks laid upon him while bound and
helpless. Perhaps he was not a very
emotional man. At all events there
was. no sudden recognition OF the
favor he was receiving. And this
pleased Long Hair, for the taste Of
the American Indian delights in i'm
mobility of countenance and reserve
Of feeling under great strain.
wait here a little while" Long
Hair presently said. and without lin.
gering for reply. turned away and
disappeared in the wood. Beverley
was free to run If he wanted TO, and
the thought did surge across his mind:
but a restraining something, like a
p rland laid upon him. would not let his
limbs move. Down deep in his heart
a calm voice seemed to be repeating
Long, Hairs Indian sentence-'Wait
hertm3s n+.le While"
A few minutes later Long-Hair re-
turned bearing two guns, Beverley's
and his own, the latter, a superb
weapon given him by Hamilton. He
afterward explained that he had
brought. these, with their bullet
pouches and powder-horns. to a place
Of concealment near by before he
awoke Beverley. This meant that
he had swum the cold river three
times since nightfan; once over with
the guns and accoutrements; once
back to camp, then over again with
Beverley! All this with a broken
arm, and to repay Alice for her kind
ness to him.
Beverley may have been slow. but at
last his appreciation was. perhaps, all
the more profound. AS best ne could
he expressed It to Long-Hair, who
showed no interest whatever in the
statement. Instead Of responding in
Indian, he said damn" without en-
phasis. It was rather as If he had
yawned absently, being bored.
Delay could not be thought of.
Long-Hair explained briefly that he
thought Beverley must go to Kaskas-
kia. He had come across the stream
in the direction of Vincennes IN order
TO set his warriors at fault. The
stream must be recrossed, he said,
farther down. and he would help Bev-
erIey q certain distance on his way
then leave him TO shift for himself.
He had a meager amount of parched
corn and buffalo meat in his pouch,
which would stay hunger until they
could kill some game. Now they
must go.
The residence OF a youthful and
powerful physique offers many a prob
lem to the biologist. Vital force
seems to find some mysterious reser-
voir of nourishment hidden away in
the nerve-centers. Beverley set out