Chapter I: Front Matter

MARY DERWENT
A Tale of Wyoming and Mohawk Valleys in 1778

BY
ANN S. STEPHENS

PUBLISHED BY
FOWLER, DICK & WALKER
THE BOSTON STORE BOOK SHOP
WILKES-BARRE, PA.

THE VAIL-BALLOU PRESS
BINGHAMTON AND NEW YORK

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE
I. THE VALLEY OF WYOMING 1
II. THE CRUEL ENLIGHTENMENT 7
III. THE FOREST WALK 15
IV. THE ISLAND COVE 21
V. THE TEMPTER AND THE TEMPEST 33
VI. THE MISSIONARY’S CABIN 46
VII. MY FATHER’S WARD 58
VIII. STRUGGLES AND PENALTIES 69
IX. THE LOST YEAR 79
X. QUEEN ESTHER 92
XI. THE MARRIAGE CONTRACT 102
XII. THE CHERRY-TREE SPRING 124
XIII. THE MERITED LESSON 133
XIV. AUNT POLLY CARTER 148
XV. THE SERPENT BRACELET 164
XVI. THE OLD JOHNSON HOUSE 174
XVII. THE LAKE BY STARLIGHT 207
XVIII. WALTER BUTLER’S CAPTURE 215
XIX. THE WIFE’S STRUGGLE 227
XX. HOUSEHOLD TALK 236
XXI. THE JAIL AT ALBANY 248
XXII. THE GATHERING STORM 258
XXIII. THE FIRST SKIRMISH 273
XXIV. THE CHIEF’S BURIAL 288
XXV. THE WHITE QUEEN’S GIFT 302
XXVI. THE BATTLE-FIELD 315
XXVII. THE WARNING AND FLIGHT 333
XXVIII. THE ISLAND GRAVE 345
XXIX. THE DOUBLE WEDDING 352
XXX. THE FATHER AND DAUGHTER 366
XXXI. THE INHERITANCE 379
XXXII. THE ASHES OF POWER 387

WYOMING

On Susquehanna’s side, fair Wyoming! Although the wild flower on the ruined wall, And roofless homes a sad remembrance bring Of what thy gentle people did befall, Yet thou wert once the loveliest land of all, That see the Atlantic wave their morn restore. Sweet land! May I thy lost delights recall, And paint thy Gertrude in her bowers of yore, Whose Beauty was the love of Pennsylvania’s Shore.

Delightful Wyoming! beneath thy skies, The happy shepherd swains had nought to do, But feed their flocks on green declivities Or skim perchance thy lake with light canoe, From morn till Evening’s sweeter pastime grew, With Timbrel, when beneath the Forest Brown, Thy lovely maidens would the dance renew, And aye those sunny mountains half-way down, Would echo flagelet from some romantic town.

Then, where of Indian Hills the daybreak takes, His leave, how might you the flamingo see Disporting like a meteor on the lakes— And playful squirrel on his nut-grown tree: And every sound of life was full of glee, From merry Mock-bird’s song, or hum of men; While heark’ning, fearing nought their revelry, The wild deer arched his neck from glades and then, Unhunted, sought his woods and wilderness again. _Thomas Campbell._