Camp-fire and Wigwam

resent State of Missouri. The settlement bore the name of Martinsville, in honor of the leader of the little party of pioneers who had left

crevices being filled with a species of plaster, made almost entirely from yellow clay. The interiors were generally divided into two apartments, with a broad fireplace and the rude furniture of the border. Colonel Martin himself, with the assis

, Jack, found some relief from the dreadful sorrow that overshadowed her life. Kind neighbors had lent willing hands, and her home was as well made as any in the settlement. Jack and his c

was seated at one side, the silent spinning-wheel just beyond, while her deft fingers were busy with her knitting. Jack was half reclining on a rude bench

blessed with a better teacher, counselor, and friend, than he was. Even now, when we reintroduce him to the reader, he held an old-fashioned spelling-book in his hand. He had tried to give his attention to his lesso

e you, mother?" he asked, abruptly

im; he saved the li

and staring at his parent in open-mouthed

eerfoot t

ther's death and about you, but I thought it was only a natural

. The night was very cold, and snow was flying in the air. Besides that, he had eaten nothing all day, and was anxious to broil a wild turkey he had shot just as it began to grow dark. He started the fire, ate his supper, and was in

ot!" exclaimed t

e carefully arranging to capture him for the purpose of torture. Deerfoot had seen them, and, having also heard the gun, learned what was going on. If your father had stayed where he was five minutes longer, nothing could have saved him. I need not tell you that he did not stay. Under the guidance of D

. Though he has been in any number of dangers, I don't believe he has so much as a scar on his little f

ead, and, looking over her kni

rld; more than likely he will fall

f them have tried it with knife and tomahawk, but they never lived to try it on any one else. But that ain't the most wonderful part of it,

sses any remarkable education," sa

ed, and sinki

t in the light of a poor camp-fire, and read it for an hour at a time. I can't understand where he picked it all up, but he told me about the Pacific Ocean, which is away beyond our country, and he spoke of the land where the Saviour lived when he was on earth. I never felt so ashamed of

ery good

as though unable to do justice to the theme, "he beats anything I ever heard of. If the truth should be written as to what

ways hold him in the highest esteem and gratit

it hadn't been for him. I wonder how Otto is getting alon

k that?" inqui

foot was worr

t unders

he meanest father in the whol

rds," interrupted th

d at Jacob Relstaub's cabin, in this very settlement, some weeks ago, when it was raining harder than now, and ask

n indignantly. "Why did Deerfoot not co

tried to befriend him, and was whipped for it; but Deerfoot

, but you have not told me why you

foot. Knowing his father as well as we do, Deerfoot and I were afraid the poor fellow would be punished because he lost the animal. I haven't had a chanc

Mrs. Carleton, softly; "his father

old s

tto will survive it, as he has many other times, and before many years

dertake it, and Ot

rnly, "you have already allowed y

your feelings for the world; but there is such a contrast

uickly toward the door of the cabin, and his mother, reading the meaning of t

interior seem doubly cheerful by contrast. At times the wind roared among the trees, and some of the pattering drops found their way dow

were ready to retire, was pulled, the latch raised, the door opene

using a moment to close the d

and warmly shook the hand of his friend, bringing him forward and gi

his peaked hat, shook the water from it, and then his broad, good-natured face, gleaming with moistur

better than he did a short time previous, "I have b

ing the water fly; "if you hadn't called to-night I would have dropped in to-morro

harder as I never did, to make up for the time dot I wasted in play,

eir lives than did we, and if it hadn't been for Deerfoot, we never would have

hours, when he went out and cut a stick, and use

r anticipated him. Her voice was slightly tremulous, for, despite he

understood the matter; I w

with a laugh in which there

it again yesterday. I heard her tells him to-night dot I needed more, so I slips out

, "you may stay a week-a m

his pleasant laugh; "but fader, he tells me he wi

is lips, "you won't go back till you

tay away till you recovered th

just vot

per that you sh

ly, neither mother nor son suspected the meaning of the look; but Otto's hard-hearted parents had actually driven him from their home without allowing him to eat a mouthful o

ked Mrs. Carleton, who deeply

un and powder-horn before they can whips

k, springing to his feet; "you'll let me, mother, w

h dismay the prospect of having him venture into the wilderness again; but she felt deeply for poor honest Otto,

ew of the Shawanoes, Hurons, and other actively hostile tribes ever crossed to the western side of the Mi

ngly toward the good woman, who, it is hardly necessary to say, yielded consent, giving with it a large amount of motherly counsel, to which the boys listened respectfully, though candor compels me to say that th