Year: 1872

A+%tAhf AMY eNA-N+
who idolized me in return. Yes, we
were happy in each other, and with this
we We're content. We had been married
little over year when our hearts
were gladdened by the birth of little
daughter, whom her grandmother in
sisted upon calling White Star, not
withstanding we had her christened af
ter my mother, Gertrude Valerie. From
infancy she gave promise Of great beau
ty, and as she grew, L resolved never to
bring her up as l had been, but, on the
contrary, to keep her as far as possible
in ignorance of that beauty which had
caused her mother so much vanity and
her grandparents such heartfelt misery.
Lenard would sit for hours listening to
the innocent prattle of his child, or in
teaching her the path through the may
forest. Sometimes he would take her
in his canoe and teach her little hands
to use the oar as they skinned lightly
over the surface of the Mississippi.


''Before she was ten years old she
knew every track Of the wild forest, and
could paddle canoe almost as well as
her father She would many a day
wander Off into the most lonesome and
deepest part of the forest i'm quest of
herbs, whose medicinal qualities she
thoroughly understood After gather
ing great punches of the different varie-
ties, she would tie them in knots ready
for sale in the distant villages; then,
] fiinging them across her shoulders, she
would trip along, humming some live
ly air, until she had possessed herself of
all the wild flowers she could find; then,
seating herself beneath the shade of
some tree, would weave them into bas-
kets and wreaths, some of which might
have shamed the fair daughters of culti-
vation and refinement. Decking her
brow with a natural coTOnet, she would
resume her bundles of roots and herbs,
while peeping out from beneath the
green might be seen the gayest Of earth's
choice treasures. In this manner she
would return, looking the very personi-
ficatiOn of some rustic queen. She was
loved by the entire tribe, who were al
ways ready to do favor, or to bestow
some rude gift upon their beautiful
Star As she grew in years she became
more and more beautiful. Her tall,
graceful form was as plant as the bend
ing willow, and might often be seen in
an attitude as graceful as it was easy as
she stopped to aim her arrow, which art
she was well skilled in. Ofttimes when
she would strike the mark, which she
had arranged for her own amusement,
she would clap her little hands and
laugh with n glee which would make
the old forest ring, and exclaim in her
fathers tongue, White Star bids fair to
make a hunter and with a bound
she would spring away into the woods
as she carroled some wild Indian air
One Of her favorite amusements was the
guitar, and of which she was exceeding
/ ly fond. With this she would wander
away for hours together, and when We
would sometimes reprimand her for her
/ truancy, she would smilingly reply,
'Oh, have only been wooing the big
tree, and mother must not frown, for
White Star is so happy


At this part of her story Catherine
leaned her head upon the table and


wept, for her heart seemed too full to
proceed, as memories of her lost one rose
before her. After few moments, over
coming, her emotion, she raised her
head, while her large black eyes fairly


flashed, so bright were they, as she cast
them towards Sonora:


"But before she was as old as you,
fair girl, her happiness was gone!" and
springing from her chair with a bound


which caused her listeners to start, con-


tinued, "Gone-yes, forever blasted, and


by that fiend in human form who would
have made you his wife, and who before


he even saw you was welded to one as
fair, whom he cruelty deserted Then,
pacing the floor, as she tightly grasped
the small box within her hand, she


turned to Mrs. Hewitt, saying, "Madam,
I am not crazy, though to have been so
once would have been a source of happi-
ness to my aching heart but, madam,


my child, my beautiful White Star, was


my idol, as dear to my heart as yon fair


girl is to yours. Can you, do you blame


me, for being nearly frantic? God for
: give mel" and dropping into her seat


again, she pressed her fingers to her


forehead with such force that the prints
Of her nails We're visible.


All present felt deeply for her in her
{ grief, and suffered her to remain perfect
= ly quiet for a few moments, while Harry
: rang the bell and ordered some wine,
: which he insisted upon her drinking.
, Mrs. Hewitt, turning to her, said,
5 while her own voice quivered with
! emotion:


{ "Madam, LET me beg OF you not to
proceed any further this evening, but
5 wait until tomorrow to finish that


which we are all anxious to hear, fol
, YOU need rest. Remain a guest with Us


tonight, who henceforth will always be
/, your friends. You are already too much
: excited over your wrongs for me to al
{ low a further recitation of them at pres
, ent; therefore, dear madam, take my
: advice. Tomorrow we shall all feel II
better spirits to listen to that which
] concerns not only yourself, but our OWL
}. honor and happiness, for 1 for one an
] truly, yes, almost too happy, to think
e nv daughter has ESCAPED from the fang: