1
/
of
1
Leila's Books
THE STOLEN BOY, A Story, Founded on Facts
THE STOLEN BOY, A Story, Founded on Facts
Regular price
$1.99 USD
Regular price
Sale price
$1.99 USD
Shipping calculated at checkout.
Quantity
Couldn't load pickup availability
TO THE READER.
The following Story, in its principal incidents, was published in the Juvenile Souvenir for 1828; but being necessarily curtailed so much as to exclude that development of mind in the subject of the tale, and those affecting circumstances which give deep interest to his long and extraordinary escape, it is now offered to the youthful public in a more finished state.
It is perhaps necessary to repeat, that the Story of the Stolen Boy is founded on facts, which were communicated to the writer by Mr. Parker, a gentleman now in this country, but who resided at Nachitoches at the period of the boy's return, where the circumstance created considerable sensation among all classes of the community who became acquainted with the extraordinary escape of the boy.
***
"Dear, father, pray come and look at some of the strangest people that ever were seen, who are sitting opposite to the garden. They are not gipsies, such as we used to see in Spain, but yet they seem to be wanderers like them, and to live out of doors. They all look as grave as judges, and have very comical-looking clothes. Do pray come and see them."
Such was the entreaty addressed to Don Manuel del Perez by his son, a boy between eight and nine years of age, a few days after himself and family had arrived at the town of San Antonio, in the province of Texas, a country which joins Louisiana, on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.
Don Manuel's family consisted of an amiable wife (Donna Seraphina), the son we have already introduced, a daughter two years younger, and a babe of six months old.
Little Manuel was a sensible, active, lively boy, and being newly released from the confinement of a long voyage, beheld the new scene around him with great delight; but never had his dark eyes glistened with so much pleasure as now, or his inquiries on subjects of curiosity been made with so much interest. His kind father, therefore, did not hesitate to go out with him to see the objects of his attraction; and having done so, he replied thus, in answer to his inquiries:—"These people, my dear Manuel, are Indians, the descendants of the original inhabitants of America. Like those of other continents, they are divided into tribes or nations, none of whom are fond of European settlers, though some are friendly in appearance. These people are come to trade with us, and will, I doubt not, conduct themselves with great propriety. I perceive they are of the tribe of Choctaws, who, with another called Cadows, never come hither for any other than peaceable errands."
"And do they all go half naked, father, and paint themselves so strangely, like these poor creatures?"
"They all greatly resemble each other, and term themselves, aptly enough, 'red men,' as you see their skin is copper-colour. They are, as you must perceive, finely-formed athletic men, spare of flesh, in consequence of their temperance, but possessing much muscular strength, which results from their habits of exercise. Their countenances are indicative of deep thought, mingled with an expression of cunning and ferocity."
"As they looked so very grave, I took them to be good people, father, only ignorant. Do you take them to be so?"
"Indeed I do not, Manuel."
The poor boy, looking exceedingly disappointed at this short answer, which by no means accorded with the benevolent wishes of his warm little heart, Don Manuel soothed him by adding—"My dear, though I am not partial to the Indians, many people are, and I dare say there are persons in San Antonio who can give you many instances of their good properties. It is certain they are very hospitable, for they will suffer no stranger to enter their abode, without relieving his wants; and even if he is of a white nation with whom they are at war, they will treat him with kindness, and conduct him in safety beyond their own precincts. And although they consider us (with great justice) as intruders on their land, yet when they sell any portion of it, they rigidly adhere to their bargain, and depart altogether to a proper distance. In their less important concerns, they are not less punctual; and if they agree to bring a certain quantity of skins (which are the principal produce with which they supply us), we may always depend upon them, even if we had paid them beforehand, in the spirits, arms, and blankets, they require from us."
"Then surely they are very honest, good people?" said Manuel, eagerly.
The following Story, in its principal incidents, was published in the Juvenile Souvenir for 1828; but being necessarily curtailed so much as to exclude that development of mind in the subject of the tale, and those affecting circumstances which give deep interest to his long and extraordinary escape, it is now offered to the youthful public in a more finished state.
It is perhaps necessary to repeat, that the Story of the Stolen Boy is founded on facts, which were communicated to the writer by Mr. Parker, a gentleman now in this country, but who resided at Nachitoches at the period of the boy's return, where the circumstance created considerable sensation among all classes of the community who became acquainted with the extraordinary escape of the boy.
***
"Dear, father, pray come and look at some of the strangest people that ever were seen, who are sitting opposite to the garden. They are not gipsies, such as we used to see in Spain, but yet they seem to be wanderers like them, and to live out of doors. They all look as grave as judges, and have very comical-looking clothes. Do pray come and see them."
Such was the entreaty addressed to Don Manuel del Perez by his son, a boy between eight and nine years of age, a few days after himself and family had arrived at the town of San Antonio, in the province of Texas, a country which joins Louisiana, on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.
Don Manuel's family consisted of an amiable wife (Donna Seraphina), the son we have already introduced, a daughter two years younger, and a babe of six months old.
Little Manuel was a sensible, active, lively boy, and being newly released from the confinement of a long voyage, beheld the new scene around him with great delight; but never had his dark eyes glistened with so much pleasure as now, or his inquiries on subjects of curiosity been made with so much interest. His kind father, therefore, did not hesitate to go out with him to see the objects of his attraction; and having done so, he replied thus, in answer to his inquiries:—"These people, my dear Manuel, are Indians, the descendants of the original inhabitants of America. Like those of other continents, they are divided into tribes or nations, none of whom are fond of European settlers, though some are friendly in appearance. These people are come to trade with us, and will, I doubt not, conduct themselves with great propriety. I perceive they are of the tribe of Choctaws, who, with another called Cadows, never come hither for any other than peaceable errands."
"And do they all go half naked, father, and paint themselves so strangely, like these poor creatures?"
"They all greatly resemble each other, and term themselves, aptly enough, 'red men,' as you see their skin is copper-colour. They are, as you must perceive, finely-formed athletic men, spare of flesh, in consequence of their temperance, but possessing much muscular strength, which results from their habits of exercise. Their countenances are indicative of deep thought, mingled with an expression of cunning and ferocity."
"As they looked so very grave, I took them to be good people, father, only ignorant. Do you take them to be so?"
"Indeed I do not, Manuel."
The poor boy, looking exceedingly disappointed at this short answer, which by no means accorded with the benevolent wishes of his warm little heart, Don Manuel soothed him by adding—"My dear, though I am not partial to the Indians, many people are, and I dare say there are persons in San Antonio who can give you many instances of their good properties. It is certain they are very hospitable, for they will suffer no stranger to enter their abode, without relieving his wants; and even if he is of a white nation with whom they are at war, they will treat him with kindness, and conduct him in safety beyond their own precincts. And although they consider us (with great justice) as intruders on their land, yet when they sell any portion of it, they rigidly adhere to their bargain, and depart altogether to a proper distance. In their less important concerns, they are not less punctual; and if they agree to bring a certain quantity of skins (which are the principal produce with which they supply us), we may always depend upon them, even if we had paid them beforehand, in the spirits, arms, and blankets, they require from us."
"Then surely they are very honest, good people?" said Manuel, eagerly.
Share
