"Wrathful phial of liquid fire" is a literal translation
of the Chippewa word for ardent spirit.]

Peacefully glided away the life of the Chippewa hunter, happy in his
ignorance, but still happier in his simplicity. Relying fully upon the
superintending care of an overruling Great Spirit, whom he had always
served, no anxious dread of present want, no fears for the future
filled his bosom. His life was as unruffled as the surface of a lake
in the calm of the summer.

One evening, during the winter season, when snow covered the earth,
and ice locked up the waters of the Great Lake, it chanced that this
happy Chippewa hunter remained out much later than usual. His wife
sate lonesome in her tent, and began to be agitated with fears that
some fatal accident had befallen him. Darkness had already veiled the
face of nature, and gathering gloom rested upon the brow of night. She
listened attentively, to catch the sounds of coming footsteps, but
nothing could be heard but the wind whistling around the sides of
their slender lodge, and through the creaking branches of the
surrounding forest of oaks and pines. Time passed away in this state
of suspense; he came not, and every moment augmented her fears, and
added to the loneliness of her heart. With the little pledge of their
mutual love clasped to her bosom, she sat counting every moment as it
flew, with difficulty commanding her tears, and singing them down with
fragments of some of the simple songs which all the sons of the earth
are in the habit of using, to while away hours rendered weary by any
passing occurrence. At length her heart gave way, and she burst into a
deep and fervent passion of tears. Suddenly she heard the sound of
approaching footsteps upon the frozen surface of snow. Not doubting
that it must be her beloved husband, she quickly undid the loop, which
held, by an inner fastening, the door of the lodge, and, throwing it
open, beheld two strange females standing in front of it. She could
not hesitate what course to pursue. She bade them enter and warm
themselves, knowing, from the distance to the nearest cabin, that they
must have walked a long way. When they had entered she invited them to
remain. She soon observed that they were total strangers in that part
of the country, and the more closely she scrutinized their manners,
their dress, and their dignified deportment, the stronger grew her
conviction that they were persons of no ordinary character. No
effo