Standish of Standish: A Story of the PilgrimsAustin, Jane G. (Jane Goodwin)
History
Standish of Standish: A Story of the Pilgrims
Austin, Jane G. (Jane Goodwin)
Massachusetts -- History -- New Plymouth, 1620-1691 -- Fiction
But Saturday passed over quietly, and it was not until Sunday morning
that the Pilgrims coming out of the Common house after the morning
service met Samoset stalking into the village followed by five other
tall fellows, powerful but unarmed, Standish having sternly warned
Samoset that neither he nor his companions must bring any weapon into
the white man's settlement without permission. Much to the relief of the
women who encountered these guests, it was at once seen that Samoset had
understood and communicated the hint involved in lending him a cloak to
wear during his previous visit, for all were fully dressed in deerskin
robes with leggings fastened to the girdle and disappearing at the ankle
within moccasons of a style very familiar to our eyes, although a great
marvel to those of the Pilgrims, who, however soon adopted and enjoyed
them highly. Samoset and another savage, who seemed to be his especial
associate, also carried each a finely dressed wild-cat skin as a sort of
shield upon the left arm, and all were profusely decorated with paint,
feathers, strings of shells, and one man with the tail of a fox
gracefully draped across his forehead. All wore the hair in the cavalier
style, long upon the shoulders and cut square across the brow, and all
were comely and dignified looking warriors.
The governor, elder, captain, with some other of the principal men,
stood still in the open space where the King's Highway crossed The
Street, and greeted, soberly as befitted the day, yet cordially as
befitted charity and hospitality, their guests, who watched with wary
eyes every movement of the hosts whom they hardly trusted, while
Samoset, stepping forward, unrolled a fine mat, or wrapping-rug, in his
arm, and ceremoniously laid two axes and a wedge at the feet of
Standish, saying briefly,--
"The white chief has his own again."
"Our tools. Yes, that is as it should be," replied the captain,
"although we may not use them to-day."
"Six hungry guests to divide the dinner with us!" exclaimed Priscilla in
dismay as she stood at Mistress Brewster's side, her glowing brunette
beauty shining out in contrast with the soft ashen tints of the older
woman's face.
"Ay 't will put us to our trumps to make ready enough hot victual for
all," replied the elder's wife.
"They shall have none of the marchpane thou didst make yestere'en,
Priscilla!" expostulated Desire Minter anxiously. "There is no more than
enow for us that be women."
"That will rest as our dear mother says," replied Priscilla smiling into
Dame Brewster's face.
"Nay, it needs not the marchpane thou madest so toilsomely to entertain
these salvages to whom our ship-biscuit are a treat," and the elder
woman smiled tenderly back into the glowing face so near her own.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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