y at Bradford--'tell me why your village is deserted
this evening, and why no sounds of labor met our ears as we passed
through the silent street? This is not the white men's day of rest; and
the white men do not leave their work to sleep or dance, as the red men
too often do. Why, then, are you and your people--even your squaws and
your little ones--assembled here today, and what caused that joyful
song that died away as we came to the foot hill?'

'We have spent the day in fasting and prayer,' replied the President.
'We know that our Great Father has sent this long drought upon us, to
chasten us for our sins: and we have met to humble ourselves before
Him, and implore Him to send us the fruitful showers from heaven,
before our crops are altogether withered in the ground. He alone can
command the clouds to drop fatness; and when He sees that His
punishment has done its appointed work, He surely will take it away.
Even now, while we were making our prayers and supplications unto Him,
and confessing our sins, He has sent a token that He has heard our cry,
and will grant our request. Look at those clouds that are rising over
the western hills, and gradually spreading like a curtain across the
sky. For six weary weeks those clouds have been withheld, and we have
been humbled; and, at times, our faith has well nigh failed. But the
faithfulness of our God never fails; and now we are confident that, ere
long, His blessing will descend upon us.'

Mooanam made no reply; but he gazed intently on the gathering clouds,
and then looked searchingly into Bradford's fine expressive
countenance, as if to be assured that he had heard and understood
aright. Squanto stood beside him; and his aid had been several times
required by both parties, in order to the carrying out the above
discourse: and now the Sachem drew him aside, and conversed earnestly
with him in a low voice. He was making him repeat, in his own tongue,
the words of the white man; and Bradford heard him say to the
interpreter, as he turned away to rejoin him, 'Now we shall see whether
the Great Spirit really hears the prayers of the white men.'

The President understood this remark, and fervently he lifted up his
own heart to the Lord, and prayed that the hopes of His suffering and
trusting people might now be fulfilled; not only for their own relief,
but also that the minds of the dark heathen might be impressed, and
that they might see and feel the power and the goodne