Monedo, The Indian Captive

Many a long year siiice, there lived in 3hiludelphia a gentleman by tlie name of Ashton. An Euglishinun by birtli, he emigrated to this cuuntry with the purose of adopting it as bis own At the leriod when our story commenced, Mr. Ashton was almost alone nn the earth. - With the exception of a littlo daughter, who was now seven years oíd, he had surviyed a numcrous and belovcd family, - ïie wife and childreu, one by one, had aken their fiual departure, to a better world. He was a man of wealtb, and lis temperament was peculiarly romantic. wandering and adventurous. He traveld mucb, and his daughter, young as she was, usually aecompurned him. Nothing, lowever, excited in him more profound and painful interest than the aborigines f the wilds He had seen but little of hem, although from his infancy he was 'amiliar with the strange peculiarities of I heir character. He regarded them as a ace of beings, possessiug niar.y good and evil qualities, and destined by the jreat Kuier of tbe Universo, for soine i noble and exalted purpose. His ( jective theory upon this subject, liowever ' 'isionary, was recommended at least by Dovelty ; and as a proof that it was rot utterly despicable, wc have only to mention that its subversión was attempted by SRveral learned aud distinguished ineu of tbat age With metaphjftieal ; quisitions, however, vre have notbing to do, and without further prelude, we shall endeavor to follow up the incidents which our brief sketch proposes. The banks of the SusqueLanna vrere the frontier of our country. Indian villages were gcattered along the shore, be youd which the wliites seldom attempted to pass, uuless in largo and well armed forces. Mr. Ashton, anxious to acquaint himself with the manners aud eustotns of the red men, set, out with a party of eight persons, exclusive of his daughter, with the design to reside for a time ín their villages. 'He carried presents, with which he hoped to conciliate their favor ; although he apprehended little orno danger. After a journey of five days while they were quietly partaking their breakfast they heard a loud wbistle rescmbling that of a partridgo. Thiee of the company instantly seized their guns, and went out with the b'ope of procuring game. The whistling still contiuued, but the report of their pieces wasnot heard; and a3 they remained a long time absent three others were despatched by Mr. Ashton in pursuit ; while he, Lis daughter aud another of the party remaiucd behind. Ap hour elapseJ, and not a single gun was firecl, nor had one of the six returned. The whistling continued, but at a greater distance. Th s, for a time, was sufficient to account for the protraeted absence; but another hour I was speedily numbered wi'h the preceeding; and theo a vague presentimeut carne i over the miud of JVÍr. Ashton, that ovil I was abroad. He feared that his com pauions had been duped by the wild men's i gtratagem ; and wheu he mentioued bis doubts to nis only remaining friend, he ] at once concurred m the belief. It was 1 not a timo íbr indecisión. Their personal safety was perilltd. While tbcy were yi&ing, hurriedly, the best mode of proceeding. a touiakawk whirled by them, and struck iuto a tree. Mr. Ashtou i caught up his daughter in his arms, and fouud thtmeelves dashed upon the banks of the river already named, nearly opposite the site afterwards chosea for the I capitol of Pennsylvania. They ereeted a tent in which to pass the night, and procure refreshments, beforo proceding further. When the morniog camo, they were so much delightcd with the sur rounding scenery, that they mutually consented to dejay their departure. The bilis on every side ascended in beaulful grüdations aud afforded a scène excecd jngly loyelj and picturesquo. They pnseed their titne in slang aud huuting; but were cautious to remain as much as possible in a body, lest they should be uuceremutfiously attacked by the Iord3 of the forest. A little before sun set, on the third day, two Indiaus were observed lurking at a distance among the trees. - Not until now, had the adventurers reflected on the imprudenoe of remaining thus exposed. The great cautioD, which tbey observed for their own safety, might i vmy naturally induce a suspicion that they had cone upon a hostilo errand. - Mr. Ashton suggested the propriety of; croesing the river as soon as practicable on the ensuing day ; and accordingly, the necoKeary preparatioDP wero maie lic therefore continued hia way through the forest, for ncarly a niile, when ho arrived unexpeotedly upnn the border of the river. He paused to recover from bis exhaustion. " I hear a strange noise;" said the littlo girl. " A strange noise ? " repeated the father. " In which direotion my child ? " " Near youdcr rook, You had better asccnd the tree. It sounds like one iu distress." Mt. Ashton climbed into a tree, and to his dismay, he saw, at no great distanee, three of his comradcs stretched upon the ground. Thoy wcre all apparently dead, excepting oue, who was still writhing in the agonies of death. Their faces wero elotted with blood, and the gory scalp had been toiu from every reeking skull. It was evident that they had been de eoved by the whistling, as they supposed, of a partridge; and in this way led on to their destruotion. Mr. Ashton was rapi dly desoeuding the tree, when tho lorest rang with Lidian yells ; and up sprung, immediately around him, a dozen giganti; forms. One of thera seized upon the daughter, and holding her aloft, bore her away to the river. He leaped iuto a oanoe, and dashing his oars into the wator soon disappeared. The father was lashed to a tree, and doomed to be burnt at the stake, aftur the awful ceremonies of his wild capturs. " Why is it," he asked, " that you seek to take my life ? You have destroyed my companions, and carried off my daughter. Still you are not satisfied. You want my blood. Who can say I injured you? - Have I plundered your villages ; or murdered your wives and child ren? Think not that a paleface is af'raid to die ; he only complains of injustieo and cruelty. Will uot the great spirit be offended ? " " You speak foolishness," said one of the war chiefs. "We canuot be dcoeived. You are iull of bitternem. You camo among us as a spy. You built your wigwam noar our villages. We kuew we were in danger. We believed you were plotting our destruction. We watched you that we might take your scalps - We s.uoeecded. The palofaces say that we aro cunning. It is right we shoald do so. We will not be shot down like dogs The Great Spirit made the roeks that they might bid e us. You come to ihoot our deer and fisli in our waters ; jut we have taken you prisoner. You tremole beoause your heart is not brave. You stand before us and plead for nier.;y. Did the Saggenah ever show mercy to the Eed Man ? Are we more cruel than the Yengese ? Have you not driven us from our huuting grounds ? Have fou not violated our daughters ? Have ou not marched your armies against us without cause ? Have you not come upan us at night liko cowardly thieyes, and butchcred us as though we were beasts ? A. Red Man never forgets an injury." When this speech was concluded, Mr. A-shton was left, for a time, to bimself, wbile his oaptors went in searoh of fagots, to carry their gentence into execuAon. During their brief absence a tal! [ndian woman made her appearance. ''Yciu are to be burnt!" she said, iddrossing hersolf to Mr. Ashton. He looked assent. " It must not be ; " she 3ontinued. " There ! pow you are free. Go and teil your white sisters that an Indian woman gave their brother liberty Fly quickly or you will be overtaken ? " Mr. Ashton profited by her advice; and hastily took his departure. He returned, atlength, to Philadelphia, deeply gricved not only for the loss of his daughter, but for those also, wbo had accompanied urn. Ten years from this period we find him traveling in the Cañadas. He was winding slöwly aloug the banks of the St. Lawrence,' in company with a number of fnends. A inile distant, there was a cluster of villages, inhabited by Indiaus and whites. IJ ere they proposod to pass the night. Upon application, they procured the requiste accoinmodations, As the night was pleasaut, Mr. Ashton was not anxious to retire early to rest. He waudered out alone, and seated bimself in a grove of trees. He heard voices and loüking around; he saw a young man seated beside an Indian girl. He approached a little nearer withput being obsurved - and as the moon was shining brightly, he bad a full view of their features. It did not require mtich diseerument to perceive that they were iqdulging the romance of love. ' They say you have given your heart to Monedo, the daughter of Snow," said the girl, looking ejrnestly into the face of her eompanion. " An Indian woman bestows lier affections onl}' to ono ; but the Suow Skins divide theirs with many. You say you are sorry you must Jeave me ; but I sball soon pass from your memory. You may weep in my presence, but Monedo will dry up your tears." " I will deccive you no longer," said the young man. " Monedo is to be my tvife. She comes to the village to-raorrow, when we will be united according to the rites of the Christian People. VVho will say I ought not to love her ? She is already my sister. She was stolen iway by tho lied Men from among her seople ; aud she longs to be restored to :heir society. Would you be pleased to ?ee her pine away iu these solitudes, like i withcred fluvver ? " You talk very wisely ; " said the irl, with an angry look. " You whispered many things in my ear, which I wa a fooi for believing, You are like the serpent, winding itself in Ihe grasa. Hear away my contèmpt; because you have lied like a drinker of firewa'ter. - Fly to the arms of your beloved, and bestow upon her your false and prejured lieart." As she tlms epoke, she roge up, and walked haughtily away. The next day, the village rang with the nsws of Monedo'a arrival. Every onewas praising her beauty, or hurrying on to obtain a sight of her person. Mr. Ashton, on inqniry, was told that ehe was a captive from the white f ettlements, who bad üved many years among the Indians; but was now to be surrendured to a ricb young trader, who is designated to become her busband. She ' has received various nnmea. ljy soine, she was ealled Monedo, or the Spirit ; and by otbers, the Paijghter of now. because her oonplexion was so exceedingly delicate. The reader need scurcely be informed that Mr. Ashton wif.h the yearning de, 6ire of a bereaved ind lovely heart. cberished the hope that this was no othr than his lost daughter. There was uothing to encourage the imagination or to justify the surmise - still he could not ! divest himself of tbo belief. He hasteDd te the sr-'t, ivbere Dupt.ial? were to be oelebrated ; and he was not dUappointed. Monedo sprang forward, likean angel of ligbt, and was. clasped ia tbe endearing embrace of her överjoyed pareDt. The young trader who was about to become her husband, also shared u tbo happinesa that this unexpectcd meeting ocoassioned ; and thuj the day, that had dawuod so badly, paesed merrily away. Many an affluent and delioate lady among us fuils, with all her attractions, to win as good a liusbajid as tho captive Monedo fuuud iu the forest. The descendant of this unión are now, a rioh, respeotcd, and powerful i'amily ia one of tbe Atlantic eities.