Placing himself and wife thus completely in the power of the Sioux, without any agreement as to treatment, was a tacit reliance on their honour, which won upon them at once, and a loud shout of applause proclaimed that enmity was at an end; and in a few moments more the old Sioux warrior was gazing, with all the pride of a grandfather, upon the offspring of his favourite daughter.  A few hours of rest ensued, during which Ah-kre-nay’s wounds were bound up, after which the whole party went on their way rejoicing, and the Sioux numbered one great warrior more within their bosom.  Thus, by the exertion of remarkable presence of mind, Peritana preserved herself a husband, saved the babe from orphanship, restored a daughter to her father, and added a brave soldier to the forces of her tribe.  Weeping and wailing would have availed her nothing; undaunted courage gave her the victory.  The facts of this tale are current still among the wandering Sioux, who often relate to their wives and young men the famous deeds of the lovely Peritana.

LUCY FENNEL: 

A TALE OF HUMBLE HEROISM.

In a small village near the town of Honiton, in Devonshire, there lived a widow and her son.  The old woman had, till her sight failed her, not only earned a sufficient livelihood, but had saved a little money, by making that kind of lace for the manufacture of which Honiton is so widely famed.  When, from the infirmities of age, she could no longer ply her vocation successfully, it happened fortunately that her son, by his labour as a farm-servant, was able to make up the deficiency.  He was a fine spirited young fellow, who went through his laborious occupations with a good-will and cheerfulness which was so satisfactory to his employer that he determined to advance, whenever opportunities offered, so assiduous a servant and good a son.

Some two years before our story opens, it happened that a young woman, the daughter of a decayed farmer in the southern part of the county, came to superintend the dairy of Luke Damerel’s master.  It was not unnatural that the buxom lass and the young man should form a mutual attachment.  As they were both very well-conducted persons, their love passages were looked upon with a favourable eye both by Dame Damerel and by the farmer’s wife, Mrs Modbury, though neither openly sanctioned it, for prudence’ sake.  Luke and Lucy, however, loved on, as they thought, in secret, determining not to reveal their mutual affection till they should be placed in circumstances to get married.  Things remained thus for more than a year and a half, when Farmer Modbury’s wife died, and other circumstances occurred which induced him to promote Luke to a more lucrative and responsible situation on the farm.  Shortly after the demise of his wife also, he found it expedient to give Lucy, in addition to her dairy duties, the sole charge of the housekeeping.