Part 1 (1/2)
Ten American Girls From History
by Kate dickinson Sweetser
FOREWORD
The loyalty of Pocahontas, the patriotism of Molly Pitcher and Dorothy Quincy, the devoted service of Clara Barton, the heroism of Ida Lewis, the enthusiasm of Anna dickinson, the fine work of Louisa Alcott--all challenge the eirls of to-day Citizen-soldiers on a field of service as wide as the world, young America has at this hour of national crisis its chance to win recognition for fidelity, for bravery, and for loyal service, with victory for Aolden reward, in a world ” the lives of these ten Airls of to-day has been to inspire thee Second only to that purpose is a desire toAmericans realize as they read these true stories of achieve lines of work, that history isthan fiction, and that if they will turn froraphies from which the facts of these stories have been taken, they will find interesting and absorbing reading
May the book accomplish its twofold object, and so justify its publication at this ti of all true Aust 1, 1917
TEN AMERICAN GIRLS FROM HISTORY
POCAHONTAS: THE INDIAN GIRL OF THE VIRGINIA FOREST
Sunlight glinting between huge forest trees, and blue skies over-arching the Indian village of Werewocohty ”Werowance,” or ruler over thirty tribes, was living
Through Orapakes and Pa line of fierce warriors werea captive white man to Powhatan for inspection and for sentence As the warriors passed into the Indian village, they encountered crowds of dusky braves and tattooed squaws hurrying along the wood trails, and when they halted at the central clearing of the village, the crowd closed in around theet a better view of the captive At the sa as a irls and boys darted forward, jostling their way through the crowd
Their leader was a slender, straight young girl with laughing eyes such as are seldo blown about her cheeks in wild disorder, while her manner was that of a happy hearty forest hter of the Werowance Powhatan, and although he had hters, not one was ruled so despotically as was he hi eyes, for whom his pet name was Pocahontas, or in free translation, ”little ro established theirls and boys stood eagerly staring at the prisoner, for many of them had never seen a white man before, and as Pocahontas watched, she looked like a forest flower in her robe of soft deer-skin, with beaded moccasins on her shapely feet, coral bracelets and anklets vying with the color in her dark cheeks, while a white plu over her disordered hair proclaireat chief In her health and happiness she radiated a char her aze of the captive, whose eyes, looking about for soer little lance showed such interest in the prisoner and such sympathy with him as was to endear her to his race in later years
The long line of braves with their heads and shoulders gaily painted had wound their sloay through forest, field, and reat ”Werowance” a no less ilish Colony at Jamestown by reason of his quick wit and stout heart The settlers having been threatened with a fao on an expedition aes in search of a supply of corn The trip had been full of thrilling adventures for hi taken prisoner by Opechancanough, the brother of Powhatan The news of Sreat Werowance, he coht to him for sentence And that hy the warriors h in the center, with the firearms taken from Captain Smith and his companions carried before hiripped by three stalwart Indians, while six others acted as flank guards to prevent his escape, and as they passed into Werewoco weapons and surging forward to get a better glimpse of the white captive The procession halted for a few , thenarbor-like structure where the great Werowance aiting to receive Captain Sirls followed in the wake of the warriors until the Council Hall was reached, when they all dropped back except their leader Pushi+ng her hair fro with the erectness of a Werowance's daughter, Pocahontas entered the hall and stood near her father where she could not only watch the white captive, who appealed strongly to her fancy, but could also note Powhatan's expression as he passed judgment on the prisoner
With inscrutable reserve and reat ruler bowed as the captive was led before his rustic throne, where he reclined in a gorgeous robe of raccoon-skins On either side of the Council Hall sat rows of dusky men and women, with their heads and shoulders painted red, soarments trimmed with the white down fro chains of white beads about their necks
It was a picturesque sight for English eyes, and fearful though he was of foul play, the Captain could not but appreciate the brilliant ay colors and dark faces As he stood before the Chief, there was a clapping of hands to call an Indian woht water to wash the captive's hands, while another brought a bunch of feathers to dry them on ”What next?”
Captain S made, evidently for a feast, of which he was soon asked to partake
Under the circued to pretend to a relish that he did not feel, and while he was eating his eyes lighted up with pleasure as he saw by her father's side--though he did not know then of the relationshi+p--the little Indian girl whose interest in hie He dared not sered long on the vision of youth and loveliness, and he turned back to his meal with a better appetite
The feast at an end, Powhatan called his councilors to his side, and while they were in earnest debate Captain S in the balance At last a stalwart brave arose and spoke to the asse spirit a the white settlers whose colony was too near the Indians' homes to please them, also in his expedition in search of corn he had killed four Indian warriors with ”mysterious weapons which spoke with the voice of thunder and breathed the lightning,” and he had been spying on their land, trying to find some secret means by which to betray them With hierous menace, therefore he was condeh he did not understand their words, there was no reat stones were rolled into the hall, to the feet of Powhatan, and the Captain was seized roughly, dragged forward and forced to lie down in such a position that his head lay across the stones Life looked sweet to hi for the warriors' clubs to dash out his brains He closed his eyes Powhatan gave the fatal signal--the clubs quivered in the hands of the executioners A piercing shriek rang out, as Pocahontas darted fro between the uplifted clubs of the savages and the prostrate Captain, twining her arht head in such a position that to kill the captive would be to kill the Werowance's dearest daughter
[Illustration: POCAHONTAS SAVES CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH]
With horror at this staying of his royal purpose, and at the sight of his child with her arms around the white man's neck, Powhatan stared as if at a hideous vision, and closed his ears to the sound of her voice as her defiant Indian words rang out:
”No! He shall not die!”
The savages stood with upraised weapons; Powhatan sat rigid in the intensity of his e, Pocahontas, without an to plead with the stern old Chief,--begged, entreated, prayed--until she had her desire