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gure entear—ineinenqean niente teense tern ettetn eo
tons en ~ meen ne
42 MALAESEA.
2
oppose. A wild idea seized upon her. She would no longer remain
in the white man’s house, like a bird beating its wings against thé
wires of acage. The forests were wide and green as ever.. ” Her peo-
ple might yet be found. She. would seek them. in the wilderness.
The boy should go with her, and become the chief of his tribe, as
her father had been. ‘That old man should not forever trample down
‘her heart. There was a free life which she would find or die.
‘The boy’s childish petulance had created this wild wish in his
mother’s heart. The least sign of repulsion drove her frantic. She
began to thirst eagerly for her old free existence in the woods; but
for the blood of her husband, which ran in the old man’s veins, she
would have given way to the savage hate of her people, against the
household.in which she had been so unhappy. . As it. was, she only
panted to be away with her child, who must love her when no white
man stood by to rebuke him. . With her aroused energies the native
retivence.of her tribe came to her aid. The stealthy art of warfare.
against an enemy .awoke. They should not know, how wretched she
was. Her plans must be securely made. Every step toward free-
dom should be carefully considered. — These thoughts occupied’ Mala-
eska for days and weeks. She became active in “her little chamber...
The bow and sheaf of arrows that had given her the appearance of
8 young Diana when she came to Manhattan in her canoe, were
taken down from the wall, newly strung, and the stone arrow-heads
patiently sharpened. Her dress, with its gorgeous. embroidery of
‘fringe and wampum, was. examined with care. She must return to
her people as she had left them... The daughter of a chief— the
mother of a chief — not a fragment of the white man’s bounty.
should go with her to the forest.
Cautiously, and with something of native craft, Malaeska. made
her preparations. Down upon the shores of the Hudson, lived an
old carpenter who made boats for a living. Malaeska had often
seen him at his work, and her rude knowledge of his craft gave
peculiar interest to the curiosity with which she regarded him. The
Indian ‘girl had long been an object of his especial interest, and the
carpenter was flattered by her admiration of his work.
One day she came tohis house with a look of eager watch fulness,
Her step was hurried, her eye wild as a hawk’s. “when its prey is
near. ‘The old man was finishing a fanciful little craft, of which he
was proud beyond any.thing. It was so light, so strong, so beauti-
fully decorated with bands of red and white around the edge — no
wonder the young woman’s eyes brightened when she saw it. .
** What would he take for the boat? ? That was a droll question
from her. Why, he had built it to please his own fancy. A pair of
oars would make it skim the water likea bird. He had built it
with an eye to old Mr. Danforth, who had been down to look at his
boats for that dark-eyed grandson, whom he seemed to worship.
None of his boats were fanciful or light enough for the lad. -So he
had built this at a venture.
Yi
we.