r, so they see her possessed of what they covet.
"Well," said Winona, "you will drive me to despair. I said I loved not
the man of your choice, the warrior covered with the blood of peaceable
women, and helpless children, and painted to resemble only those
hideous things we see in sleep. I said I could not live with him and
be his wife. I wished to remain a maiden--my father's daughter, and my
brothers' sister--but you will not let me; you wish me to become a
wife. You say you love me; that you are my father, my brothers, my
relations, yet you have driven from my arms, and would now drive from
my heart, the only man with whom I wish to be united--the only man I
ever loved. You have persecuted him with wrongs; you have reviled and
taunted him; you have compelled him to withdraw from the village.
Alone, he now ranges through the gloomy and lonely forests, with no
one to assist him, none to comfort him, none to spread his blanket,
none to build his lodge, none to pound his corn. Yet, he was the man
of my choice, the only beloved of my heart. Often have you taken me on
your knee, and smoothed down my hair, and kissed my cheek, and said
you loved me. Is this your love? But it appears that even this is not
enough; you would have me do more--you would have me rejoice in the
absence of my beautiful hunter. While yet his parting words are in my
ear, the light of his eyes in remembrance beaming on me, and his
tender promises all unforgotten, you wish me to unite with another
man, with one whom I do not love, whose image comes before me but to
make me weep and shudder. Since this is your love, let it be so; but
soon you will have no daughter, sister, or relation, to torment with
your false professions of friendship. I will go to the happy land of
souls, where I shall be free from your threats and reproaches."

As she uttered these words, the canoe touched the shore in the
immediate vicinity of the high precipitous crag of which a description
has been before given. Heedless of her complaints, and wearied out
with what they regarded as a most unreasonable repugnance, her parents
at the moment decreed that Winona should that very day be united to
the warrior. Her resolution was at once taken; it was such a one as
could have been adopted only in a moment of deep love and deep
despair. While all were engaged in busy preparations for the festival,
she wound her way slowly to the top of the hill which overlooked the
scene of their gay an