At such times the face of the
young squaw wore a dreamy apathy of expression, or rather it might with
more propriety have been said, the absence of all expression, almost as
blank as that of an infant of a few weeks old.
How intently did Catharine study that face, and strive to read what was
passing within her mind! how did the lively intelligent Canadian girl, the
offspring of a more intellectual race, long to instruct her Indian friend,
to enlarge her mind by pointing out such things to her attention as she
herself took interest in! She would then repeat the name of the object that
she showed her several times over, and by degrees the young squaw learned
the names of all the familiar household articles about the shanty, and
could repeat them in her own soft plaintive tone; and when she had learned
a new word, and could pronounce it distinctly, she would laugh, and a gleam
of innocent joy and pleasure would lighten up her fine dark eyes, generally
so fixed and sad-looking.
It was Catharine's delight to teach her pupil to speak a language familiar
to her own ears; she would lead her out among the trees, and name to her
all the natural objects that presented themselves to view.
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