Malaeska: The Indian Wife of the White Hunter

is on t

boy by

bow and h

ds in he

gentle nurse, attended her with unusual assiduity. There was something evidently at work in the Indian woman's heart. Her lips were pale, her eyes full of pathetic trouble. After a time, when weariness made the old lady sleepy, Malaeska stole to the bedside,

house, so he went into the garden, and began to draw the outlines of a rude fortification from the white pebbles that paved the principal walk. He was interrupted in the work by a

they were attracted by something in the distance, and darted off like a

tous freedom charmed him; he felt chained and caged even in that spacious garden, ful

ay to the woods again-the bright, beautiful woods that can see across

he was talking over his thoughts aloud. But a shadow fell across the

han when he had seen her last. In her hand she held a light bow tufted with yellow and crimson feathers. When she saw his eyes brig

what we learn

ph floated back as one shot ahead of the other. Malaeska lifted her bow with something of her old forest gracefulness-a faint twang of the bowstring-a

s thin nostrils dilated, the savage instinct

this in the woods, Mala

ll you l

e hold here-

s in the woods; come with me, a

nd trembled in all her limbs. What

look so bright and so brown when the nut

iver where it sh

? oh my!-

ud. In a beautif

te sails,

th pad

in the water; once grandfather let

an make

hat isn't a

body learns it

an

es

ome along, I say; I want to shoot and run and live in the woo

ets, and along the gravel walks. No one was in sight. She and her boy were a

eagerly; "I want to go-

to the woods-it is our home. Ther

h her, bounding forward with a laugh when her step was too rapid for him to keep up with it. Thus, in bre

is now broken with wharves and bristling with masts. A clump of old forest-hemlocks ben

eful Indians sometimes sent to market, stood in the stern stored with bread; a tiger skin edged with crimson cloth, according to the In

o a shout when he saw the

leap he sprang into the little craft, and seizing the oars,

d holding the end in her hand,

me a little while; when we can no longer see

way his breath, and he sat down in the bow, laughing as the silver spray rained over him. With her face to the north, and her eyes flashing with the eager joy of escape, Malaeska

ad glided under the shadows of Weehawken, and was skirting the western shore toward the High

ce out of sight of the town, Malaeska had less fear, and smiled securely at the energy with which the little fellow beat the waters. He was indignant if she attempted

their watery path with gloom. This made the boy sad, and he began to feel mournfully weary; but scenes like this were familiar with Malaeska, and

r side, and laying his head on her lap,

the woods. Courage, my chie

hing is crying there-something that

y a whippowil sing

ttle boy, Malaeska? Let us

ld, it is o

d the boy; "how it

cify the boy, who crept upward into her lap and laid his cheek against hers. She felt that he trembled, and that tears

t home he had left. With her at his side, and the beautiful universe around, he thought of the old man who had made her worse than a serf in his household-who h

ace in the woods. You shall have a bed like the pretty flowers. I w

iled in th

, let's go into the woods. Wil

lways when we get into

shions in her arms, and, cautioning the boy to hold on to her dress, began to mount a little elevation where the trees were thin and the grass abundant, as she could te

the flames rise up high and clear, illuminating the beautiful space around, and shooting gleams of gold through the poplar's branches, he grew brave again, and coming down from his eminence, began to gather brushwood that the fire mi

bright beauty of her face was something wonderful to look upon as she watched him by the fi

ss in great green fleeces, brought it to the place she had chosen under the poplar-tree, and heaped a soft couch for the child. Over this she spre

done years ago under the roof of her wigwam. The lad was very weary, and fell asleep while her plaintive

d rock by his side, softly stealing one arm over him and sighing o

she loved, and taking the cold stone for herself. It was her woman's destiny, not the more certain because

ing warmth and pleasant light to the music. William sat up, rubbing his eyes, and wondering at the strange noises. Then he remembered where he was, called aloud for Malaeska. She came from behind a clump of trees, carrying a patridge in her

?" cried the lad, a little anxio

oking around upon the pleasant sky and the forest-turf, enam

rld of golden tulip-blossoms s

said, shaking the dew from his glossy h

the mother, with anxious cheerfulness; "se

and I am

at I have brought

in the rocks, and held it up full of black r

d his hands, l

er all, Malaeska, it is pleasant being in the woods-come, pour the berries on the moss, just here, and get another basketful while I

to distinguish himself among the brushwood, while Malaeska w

ted back a challenge to the birds as its flames rose in the air, sending up wreaths

erced with a wooden skewer; to this she attached a piece of twine, which, b

wild cherries in his tunic, and a bird's nest, with three speckled eggs in it, which he had found under a tuft of fern leaves. A striped squirrel, that ran down a ch

nd green feathers, which rendered her savage dress complete, and made her an object of wondering admi

he had discovered, filled it with crystal water. So, upon the flowering turf, with wild birds serenading them, and the winds floating softly by, the mother and boy took their first regular meal in the forest. William was delighted; every thing was fresh and beautiful to him. He could scarcely contain his eagerness to be in action long enough

h his lips reddened by the juicy fruit, he

rifling through the poplar leaves. How Malaeska loved this practice! how she triumphed in each graceful lift of his arm! how her heart leaped to the rich tumult of his shouts! He wanted to go off alone and try his skill among the squirrels, but Malaeska was afraid, an

eemed so like her home. A sense of profound peace stole over her. These groves were her world, and on the rock near by lay her other life-all that she had on earth to lov

tep grew lighter; she was afraid of rustling a leaf, lest the noise might disturb him. Thus, softly and almost holding her breath, she drew nearer and nearer to the rock. All at once a faint gasping breath bespoke some terrible emotion-she stood motionless, rooted to the earth. A low rattle checked her first, and then she sa

ious eyes fixed on the boy. Malaeska had, even in her frozen state, some thought of saving her boy. With her cold hands she had fitted the arrow and lifted the bow, but as the serpent grew passive, the weapon dropped again; for he lay on the other side of the child, and to kill him she was obliged to shoot over that sleeping form. But the reptile crested himself again, and now with a quiver of horribl

arch, and terrible thrills shot through her frame. A laugh rang up through the trees, and then she saw her boy sitting up on the tiger-skin, his cheeks all rosy wi

ttier than the birds, prettier than the squirrels. Malaeska! Malaeska!

y limb, she staggered toward the rock, and seizing upon the still q

as hurting him. But she could not let him go; it seemed as if the serpent would coil around him the moment her arms we

way the pretty creature which had crept to his bed while he slept, and looked so beautiful. But when she told how da

s head was impaled, and she carried it with trembling exultation to the