Beadle's Dime Library, Vol. II, No. 14 — page 26: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

; ; e ] So ~ <e-~ —_— = =i ee eee eee ee = ee -__ —-— 26 eee + The New York Library. Thayendanegea made no reply, but gave an order to his chiefs, and his own men intents dispersed to their different camp-fires, to see the repose from which they had been aroused, while Thayendanegea cast himself down upon his bear-skin, and lighting his pipe, went to smoking, as if no one lived but himself. _ “If you have no respect for me, you might have for the gentlemen with me!” said But- ler, now piqued beyond forbearance. “T know you, Walter Butler, and I judge strangers by the company they keep!” said Thayendanegea. “If your men are in the cold and dark, you had better go and pitch a eamp for them, if you know how—if you jon’t, I'll lend you a savage to show you? Butler kriew his man too well to trifle with him further, and he departed with his suste —or all but one, and he wore no uniform. He remained standing a moment in the shade ot the tent, until Butler and his party were out of hearing, and then stepped for- ward. “Creat Mister Var-Eagle, blease for let or Hon Yost live mit you and your mens— P can’t live mit such tam schoundrels as Cap- tain Putler—I hunt mit you when oy ; blease let me live mit you! individual. ou was a said this “Yes ; you are a rascal, but too good for his company. There is meat, eat. ere is a blanket, take it and sleep!” was the brief, but to the poor Dutchman most satisfactory reply. cv ierlentitie now spoke a word to Nis- eayuna, who brought him a blanket, which he wrapped around his form, and scorning the shelter of a tent, raised more for form than necessity, in such weather, lay down to sleep. Niscayuna, wrapping a blanket around him- self, sat down by his chieftain and brother's head, and there sat igs Seam y him, until, at last, his eyes became weary, and with his rifle beneath his head, he went also to sleep. Hon Yost, after eating as if he had fasted for a week, picked a blanket from a pile. to which the chiet had pointed, and tuiowor suit. CHAPTER XLIV, One night more, and another camp. Whe would believe it? the united forces of Butler and Thayendanegea, of which, by his British commission, the former is in command, are encamped upon 4 lofty hill, evergreen covered, within one mile of the village and fort which they intend to attack. And this, although the colonel in command, Alden, has been in formed of the intended attack. But, like Braddock in the French war, and still later, my poor friend Dade, in the Florida war, he held Indian cuaning as well as courage at toe light a weight, and was sunk by it in conse quence, And here, too, guided by the knowledge and skill of Thayendanegea, they had been led, in broad daylight ; so that before they laid dowp in their blankets for the night—as they did without fires—they could count the soldiers ip the garrison, see every house in the village, and even notice every spot where a sentine) was posted. Sud That night, before he made dispositions in rd to his own thovements in the morning (and history proves it), Thayendanegea, much as he hated. Butler, held an interview with him in regard to the sparing of families in the lace — telling him that friends of General ohnson and his own father dwelt there. But I cannot pause. A painful task is be fore me; and the sooner it 1s over, the better. Having marked the position of every senti- nel the night before—leaving Butler to choose his own point of Deady. Thayondabeges: at or before dawn, while snow-flakes were falling thick and fast in the air, moved down the hil with his men. Butler, with his “ Rangers "— alias murderous tories—taking their route. shut before they reached the village, a set- tler, going in on horseback, crossed their path. He was fired upon; but, in the darkness and mist of the morning, he escaped. The alarm was given—guns fired; and all was now ex- ‘citement and confusion. Butler and his Ran- gers, without even approaching the garrison, sprung to a work of general desolation and carnage. Thayendanegea’s heart, savage (?) as it was, thrilled with horror when he found how he had» been betrayed by the fiend Butler. One of his chiefs he sent to protect the vener- able minister of the place — others he sent elsewhere ; but he hastened to one family, of which he had spoken particularly to the hated tory. He was too late when he arrived at the house of Judge Wells: the family were slain! He hurried in pursuit of Butler, who, mad with excitement, sword in hand, was rushing from house to house, killing and ordering to kill. He found him in the act of causing @ womay» and child to be slain in bed. “ Back, murdering dog, or you die !"’ cried Thay- endanegea. ‘The child nor woman are enemies the king! Go check your devils—they are not men.” Thus rebuked, Butler turned away—not in shame, for he had none; and Thayendanegea went on, to gave. From the moment the garrison was alarmed and the fort secured, he knew how useless it was to try its strength without artillery. His wish was im- possible; and now, sickened and disgusted, he re- gretted that even the oath, by which he held his commission in a cause which he had been reared to believe right, had been kept. Morn of horr>r ! let not thy sun rise higher to my view; for cal it # red—red with blood! Reader, go toimpartial history for a recital of the horrors of November 10th, 1778, in Cherry Valley— where yet the name of BuTiLer is used to frighten wicked children iuto silence! HAPTER XLV. Still another camp-fire, and one more melancholy than any yet; it is ata half-duy’s march from Cherry Valley, toward Niagara, whither Thayendanegea, with some important prisoners—needed to effect exchanges—is bound. Melancholy, because these poor prisoners have been suddenly wrenched from their desolated homes; some have left living rela- tives behind; others have left those whom they best loved on earth, dead and stark upon the ground, The camp is in a beautifal and romantic spot—it is ina dense ravine, where a broad glade of autumn- dried grass spreads out a soft carpet for the foot. ‘Through its center winds a rippling stream, on its way to the Susquehanna, Upon either hand, seem- ingly all around, rise mountains, crowned with evergreen, so steep that they almost seem to topple over the plain below Here in this dell, hitherto so lone and still, where few human feet have ever trod, but where the red deer has rejoiced to feed and play, rest all of Thay- endanegea’s band—for he*has not lost a man—and their prisoners. Butler, with his tory Rangers, and a few mercen- ary Indians, with whom Thayendanegea’s band ‘have no connection, have taken another ronte, Bold in his conscious strength and feurless na- ‘ture, the War-Eagle has caused his camp-fires to be lighted as usual, for he knows that no force behind ‘will be strong enough to follow him; and if they did, he would almost, or quite, rejoice at the chance of a fair fight—so sickened and iagusted was he at the butchery of the morning, so dissonant with his own character. It was after all the camp was still, and such of the rixoners as would eat had been fed, that Thayen- a went to his own camp-fire, where Hon Yost lay sleeping, and Niscayuna sat on watch. He approached the fire, cast himself down on his blanket, and for a time remained in thought—sad *houvht, for more than once a sigh rose from his breast, At last he said: ** Niscaynna, from the day we fought at Oriskany until now, you have clung to me as the vine clings tothe oak. You aremy brother, There is a stone in my heart to-night, and I can not cast it out, ‘There is a cloud before my eyes; it is very dirk, but in its center I see the L Wy of the Pale-faces. the White Dove of my bosom, The path of my feet is to Niagara, but my heart wants to walk to the wig- wam on the Mohawk!” Niscayuna listened in silence; he did not even Talse his eyes from the ground, upon which he was gazing. ‘I must send a messenger to the White Dove— will my brother go to her ?"’ continued the chief. The frame of Niscayuna shook as shakes the as- n leaf, when the winds are breathing quickly; ut he made no reply. “The White Dove is in a net! She calls upon the Eaule to save her!’ continued Thayendan And his strong frame shook with an agitation which it bad never known before. ‘*My brother only dreams a bad dream/’ said Niscayuna, at last, in a low and tremulous voice, But yet he did not raise his eyes from the ground, “It is no dream, for I can not sleep,”’ said Thay- endanegea * Her low voice moans in my ear all the time—the Dove calls for her Eagle, and says: *Come to me, or I perish,’” ‘** My brother’s ears are filled with the sounds he heard this morning—of the doves which were cruelly sent to the spirit-lend!’’ continued Nisca- una, mu No—my heart bled for them; there is only one voice now in my heart—it is the voice of the Lily of the Pale-faces—of the Dove of my bosom!” ** Let my brother, the Great War-Eagle, be a ‘pete and not w. ak, like a woman. Let him sleep, an rest. will drive away bad thoughts |” ‘*] will listen to the words of my brother—I will try / said Thayendanegea. And he drew his blan- - around him, and covering his head, tried to sleep. And Niscayuna, upon whose face an hundred thoughts seemed to painting themselves, as if below. in his heart. many passions were at war, looked at the form of the reclining warrior ; but he did not try to 5)" And at times low murmurs would rise to his lips—the thoughts of his heart trying to get out from their prison. ** Dyagetto has kept her pledge!” he murmured. ‘The War-Eagle never shall be wed to a cursed pale-face 1” “Who spoke?” cried Thayendanegea; and he half arose from the ground. * The wind was groaning ar the caverns of the hills!” said Niscayuna, “ elee is still, but the singing of the water as it goes to dance with its sisters in the Crooked River!” * “I can not sleep—the voice that is in my heart is too loud!” He rose, and for a long time walked to and fro before the fire, his agitation not decreasing in all this time, but rather becoming more violent. At last he addressed Niscayuna once more: ‘* Will my brother be my mpanenies to the White Dove? I dare not trust another. My brother loves me. He has proved his love. J have proved it as the strong man ae the bow! Will my brother go to the White Dove ?”’ | ** Will my brother let his meaty go back to the night after the fight at Oriskany?” asked Nisca- yuna. “I close my eyes and it flies back swiftly,” re- plied Thayendanegea. ‘** Then it sees the hour wher the great eA bade Niscayuna call him brother before ali the Na tions,’’ continued Niscayuna. “It looks upon that hour, and the eye is not dim which sees it,” said Thayendanegea. ‘Has that memory an ear, as well aa an eye?” asked Niscayuna, “Only one years so that which goes in at the one has no other to flee out of.” “Then it hears Thayendanegea swear by the Great Spirit that Niscayuna shall never be driven from his side!” cried the young warrior, and a look of triumph sat upon his features. “It hears the oath, and Thayendanegea will not break it!’’ said the warrior; but there was a deep sadness in his tone, He spoke no more; but sat all the night long b the fire, evidently hi ea some plan in his mind. for the great veins in his temple were falling and rising, as if the thoughts were coming and going from the heart to the brain. It was morning. The war-party was afoot while yet the gray dawn hung upon the path of departing night. The morning food was cooked and eaten the prisoners prepares for the day's journey; and all was ready for departure. Then Thayendanegea called his sub-chiefs to him, and upon a piece of white bark he marked ont for them their course, and the distance they must muke * The name Sus nna, in the Indian langu means the Crooked River x upon each day’s sourney, This done, he told them to on, and he would overtake them upon the ps! . die had another work to do, and must go and do it. The band, with its sorrowing train, moved on, and but three remained—Thayendanegea, Niscay- una and Hon Yost. ‘Why do you not go with them ?"’ asked Thaven- danegea, sternly, of Hon Yost, and he pointed to the departing party. ‘*T have had a tream, and must mit der Var- Eagle to der Mohawke!” said Hon Yost, eb “The Great rit has spoken—who else could have told him where Tha en pen enee was goin "| muttered the chief to himself. Then he added aloud, “You shall go! Hasten to cook food. We! sleep not—pause not—till we get to the Mohawk !"’ Niscayuna said nothing; but if the chieftain's heart had seemed very heavy the night before, his heart seemed ten times heavier now, On the contrary, new life seemed to have come back to the spirit of Thayendanegea from the mo- ment that he had formed his determination CHAPTER XLVI. Before the new and elegant wigwam which Thay- endanegea had caused to be built for Kathleen, be- fore he last went upon the war-path, were gathered the Indians whom he had left to guard her with their lives. Upon their faces both grief and eur- rise were visible; for their young queen, as t ad learned to regard her, was nowhere to be fonn She had won upon their respect and love, by dreas- ing as the Indian maidens dressed ; and her new hopes had so improved her looks, that in her new garb she looked wondrously beautiful, and seemed more to them like an angel from the spirit-land than a being of mortal mold. Her eye expressin but a wish, it was accomplished. The choices _ from the rte hers finest fish from the waters, e sweetest birds that beat the air with feathery pinion—all were laid before her. She wished to make a gala sult of clothing for Thayendanegea, to show him on his return that she conld do as Indian maidens did. They taught her how, and bronght her the materials; for Dyagetto, who remained eniierany in her old wigwam, would show her noth- Nute and sorrow-stricken, they stood before the wigwam ; for this was the second day since she had been missed, and far and wide had they sought for her, and found no sign, When they had asked he about her, she laughed scornfully, and “T suppose you slept upon your guard, and stole away from you. The pale-faces are tevacihee. oe noo o not - e nt en !"’ ut these warriors knew how she ] - danegea, and how she trusted in as poe sever Mshraron more sy ae wigwam except when wen er, had! gua me su ggested that she lifted up to the spirit-land ; but all shook - Crete beads and Paalroy : * What w endaneqea say?” While thus standing. a distant and a cheerful cry was heard. Oh, how well they knew that shont}! It was the “ return call” of Thayendanegea. They stood still, looked one at the other, and trembled. And Dyagetto, too, came now, for she eard the far-off cry, and with a singular smile a D oa face, she came to welcome her son to his he came bounding on, as light as a buck. which, when the morning air is free hears the unds afar off, and despisi urns earth beneath his feet. Ina momedt he was at the wigwam door, beside which hung the beautiful dress which she had made for him, His rested apon it a pleased second—he knew it was her work Ghbooks (ECOL (C (0) OO ssn