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56 ~ - -MALAESEKA,
I have said that the storm muffled all other sounds; and the four
men who had left their boat at the foot of the cliff stood’ close by
Malaeska Wefore she had the least idea of their approach. . Then a
blacker shadow than fell from the pine, darkened. the space around
her, and looking suddenly up, she saw the stern face of old Mr. Dan-
forth between her and the firelight. Roe bend ot
_ Malaeska did not speak or ery aloud, but snatching the sleeping boy
close to her heart, lifted her pale face to his, half-defiant, half-terrified.
‘Take my grandson from the woman and bring him down to the
boat,’’ said the old man, addressing those that came with him. .
“** No, no, he is mine !”? cried Malaeska fiercely. ‘* Nothing but
the Great Spirit shall take him from me again!” .
The sharp anguish in her voice awoke the boy. IIc struggled in
her arms, and looking around, saw the old man.
Grandfather, oh ! grandfather take mte home. . I do want to go
home,”’ he cried stretching out his arms. Te me
— Oh! [have not the power of words to express the bitter an-
guish of that single exclamation, when it broke’ from the mother’s
pale lips. It was the cry of a heart that snapped its strongest fiber
there and then, The boy wished to leave her. She had no strength
after that, but allowed them to force him from her arms without a
struggle. The rattlesnake had not paralyzed her-so completely. -
So they took the boy ruthlessly from her embrage, and carried
him away. She followed after without a word of protest, and saw
them lift him into the boat and push off, leaving her.to the pitiless
night. It was a cruel thing — bitterly cruel — but the poor woman
was stupefied with the blow, and watched the boat with heavy eyes.
All at once she heard the boy calling after her : :
‘* Malaeska, come.too. -Malaeska ~- Malaeska ! 2?
She heard the cry, and her icy heart swelled passionately. . With
the leap of a panther she sprang to her own boat, and dashed after
her tormenters, pulling fiercely through the storm. But with all
her desperate energy, she was not able to overtake those four pow
erful men, They were out of sight directly, and she drifted after
them alone — all alone. : .
_Malacska never went back to Mr. Danforth’s house again, but she
built a lodge on the Weehawken shore and supported herself by sell-
ing painted baskets and such embroideries as the Indians exéel in.
It was a lonely life, but sometimes she met her son in the streets of
Manhattan, or sailing on the river, and this kept her alive.
After a few months, the lad came to her lodge. . His grandmother
-!
- consented to the visit, for she still had compassion on the lone Indian,
ant would notlet the youth go beyond soa without bidding her fare-
well. In all the bitter anguish of that parting Malacska kept her
fuith, and smothering the great want of her soul, saw her son depart
Without putting forth the holy claim of her motherhood. One day
Malacsk. stood upon the shore and saw a white-sailed ship veer from
her moorings and pis3 away with cruel swiftness toward. the ocean,
the broad, boundless ovean, that seemel to her like eternity.
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