vel or a romance, and because she had
these feelings and was passing through these hours of disquietude and
conflicting emotions we think none the less of her. Our only regret is
that she had no judicious friend of her own sex to whom in her
perplexity she could have gone for wise and prudent counsel. Happy are
those daughters in civilised lands who have their precious mothers or
other safe counsellors to whom they can go in these critical hours of
their history, when their future weal or woe may turn upon the decisions
then made. And happy are those fair maidens who, instead of impulsively
and recklessly rejecting all counsel and warning from their truest
friends, listen to the voice of experience and parental love, and above
all, seek aid from the infinitely loving One who has said: "If any of
you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally,
and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."

Astumastao unfortunately had no one to whom she could go in her
perplexity. Her feeble aunt had been a purchased wife, bought in the
long ago by her husband whom she had never seen until the day when he
had come from a distant village, and being impressed with her
appearance, for she was then a fine-looking young woman, had quickly
spread out at her father's feet all the gifts he demanded for her. His
first words to her were to inform her that she was his wife, and that
very shortly they would set out for his distant home. Crushed, out of
her heart were some feelings of affection for a handsome young hunter
who had several times met her on the trail, as she was accustomed to go
to the bubbling spring in the shady dell for water for her father's
wigwam. Few indeed had been his words, but his looks had been bright
and full of meaning, and he had let her know that he was gathering up
the gifts that would purchase her from her stern, avaricious father.
But, alas! her dreams and hopes had been blasted, and her heart crushed
by this old pagan custom, and so for long years she had lived the
dreary, monotonous life to which we have referred. Such a woman could
give no advice that would be of much service to such an alert,
thoughtful girl as Astumastao, and so, unaided and undisciplined, she
let her thoughts drift and her heart become the seat of emotions and
feelings most diverse. Sometimes she bitterly upbraided herself for her
coldness and indifference to Oowikapun as she thought of his many noble
qualities.