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64S -) MALAESKA.
‘green-sward beyond the porch to watch their coming, not anxiously,
but as one who feels restless and lost without her usual companions.
After standing on the grass for awhile, shading her eyes with her
hand and looking toward the woods, she at last returned to the porch,
laid down her work, and entering the kitchen, filled the tea-kett'e
and began to make preparations for supper. She had drawn a long
pine-table to the middle of the floor, and was proceeding to spread
ity when her eldest daughter came through the porch, with a basket
of whortleberrics on her arm... [er pretty face was flushed with
walking, and a profusion of fair tresses flowed in some disorder from
her pink sun-bonnet, which was falling partly back from her head.
_ Oh, mother, I-have something so strange to tell you,’’.she said, >
setting down the basket with its load of ripe, blue fruit, and: fanning
herself with a bunch: of chestnut-leaves gathered from the woods.
** You know the old wigwam.by ‘the Straka?’ Well, when we
went. by it, the brush, which used to choke up the door, was all
cleared. off 5; the crevices ‘were filled with green moss and leaves, and
a cloud of smoke was curling beautifully. up from the roof among the
trees. We could not tell what to make of it, and were afraid to look
in at first; but finally I peeped through an opening in the logs, and
as true as-you are here, mother, there sat an Indian woman reading
—reading, mother! did you know that Indians could read? The <2
inside of the wigwam was hung with straw. matting, and there was
a chest in it, and some stools, and a little shelf of books, and another
_ with some earthen dishes and a china cup and saucer, sprinkled with
gold, standing upon it. I did notsce any bed, but there was a pile
of fresh, sweet fern in one corner; with a pair of clean shects spread
on-it, which I suppose she sleeps on, and there certainly wasa teath-
er pillow lying at the top. = . oe
** Well, the Indian woman looked kind and harmless; so I made
an excuse to go in, and ask for a cup to drink out of. :
: ¢ As I went round to the other side of the wigwam, I saw that the
smoke cdime up from a fire on the outside; a kettle was hangingin _,
the flame, and several other pots and kettles stood on a little bench ~
ui by the trunk of an oak-tree, close by. Imust have made some noise,
th for the Indian woman was looking toward the door when I opened it,
ui ' -asifshe were’a little afraid, but when. she saw.who it was, I never,
i saw any ‘one smile so pleasantly; she gave me the china cup, and .
went with me out to the spring where the boys were playing. :
- AgI was drinking, my sleeve fell back, and she saw the little
wampum bracelet which you gave. me, you ‘know, mother. _ She
started and took hold of my arm, and stared in my: face, as if she
would have looked me through; at last she sat down on the grass by
- the spring, and asked me to sit down, by her and tell her my name.
When I told her, she seemed ready to cry with joy; tears came into
i her eyes, and she kissed my hand two or three times, as if Thad
‘ been the best friend she ever had on earth. ri
**T told her that a poor Indian girl had given the bracelet to yous
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