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ARRIVAL AT MANIIATTAN, 86
till it glowed like the neck of araven. Then she girded his little
crimson robe witha string of wampum, and after arranging her own
attire, shot the canoe out of the cove and urged it slowly across the
mouth of the river. Her eyes were full of tears all the way, and
when the child murmured, and strove to comfort her with his fhfant
caress, she sobbed aloud, and rowed steadily forward.
It wasa strange sight to the phlegmatic inhabitants of Manhat-
tan, when Malaeska passed through their streets in full costume,
and with the proud, free tread of her race. Her hair hung in long
braids down her back, cach braid fastened at the end with a tuft of
scarlet feathers. ‘A coronet of the same bright plumage cireled her
small head, and her robe was gorgeous with beads, and fringed with
porcupine quills. A bow of exquisite workmanship was in her hand,
‘and_2 scraf of scarlet cloth bound the boy to her back. Nothing
could be more strikingly beautiful than the child. His spirited head
ras continually turning from one strange object to another, and his
bright, black eyes were brim-fullof childish wonder. One little arm
_ Was flung around his’ young mother’s neck, and its fellow rested on
the feathered arrow-shafts which crowded the quiver'slung against
her left shoulder. The timid, anxious look of the mother, was in
strong contrast with the eager gaze of the boy. She had caught
much of the delicacy and refinement of civilized life from her hus-
band, and her manner: became startled and fawn-like beneath the
rude gazeof the passers-by. ~The modest blood burned in her cheek,
and the sweet, broken English trembled on her lips, when several
persons, to whom she showed the Ietter passed by without answering
her. She did not know that they were of another nation than her
husband, and spoke another language than that which love had
taught her. At length she accosted an aged man who could comn-
prehend ‘her imperfect language. Ile read the name on the letter,
and saw that it was addressed to his master, John Danforth, the
richest fur-trader in Manhattan. The old serving-mani led the way
toa large, irrecular building, in the vicinity of what is now Han-
over Square. Malaeska followed with a lighter tread, and a heart
relieved of its fear, She felt that she had found a friend in the
kind old man who was conducting her to the home of her husband’s
fither. i os
The servant entered this dwelling and led the way to a low parlor,
paneled with oak and lighted with small panes of thick, greenish
glass. “A series of Dutch’ tiles— some of them most exquisite in
finish and design, surrounded the fire-place, and a coat-of-arms,
elaborately carved in oak, stood out in strong relicf from the panel-
Ing above, A carpet, at that time an uncommon -luxury, covered a
greater “portion of the floor, and the furniture was rich in its mate.
rial and ponderous with heavy carved work. <A tall, and rather
hard-featured man sat in an arm-chair by one of.the narrow win-
dows, reading a file of papers which had just-arrived in the last
merchant-ship from London. A little distance from him, a slight
.