The heart of Oriana was touched; and with a beautiful child-like simplicity, she received all the blessed truths that her 'white brother' taught her. Her affections were strongly drawn towards the character of Jesus the Merciful, as she always called the Savior; and she became sensitively alive to the guilt of every sin, as showing ingratitude to the Benefactor who had laid down His life for His creatures. Oriana was, in fact, a Christian--a young and a weak one, it is true: but she possessed that faith which alone can constitute any one 'a branch in the true vine; and Henrich now felt that lie had found a sister indeed.
As the young Indian grew in grace, she grew also in sweetness of manner and refinement of taste and behavior. She was no longer a savage, either in mind or in conduct; and Henrich often looked at her in wonder and admiration, when she had made her simple toilette by the side of a clear stream, and had decked her glossy raven hair with one of the magnificent water lilies that be had gathered for her on its brink: and he wished that his mother and his fair young sister could behold his little Indian beauty, for he knew that they would love her, and would forget that she had a dusky skin, and was born of a savage and heathen race.
'We saw thee, O stranger, and wept! We looked for the youth of the sunny glance, Whose step was the fleetest in chase or dance! The light of his eye was a joy to see; The path of his arrows a storm to flee! But there came a voice from a distant shore; He was call'dhe his found 'midst his tribe no more! He is not in his place when the night fire, burn; But we look for him still--he will yet return! His brother sat with a drooping brow, In the gloom of the shadowing cypress bough. We roused him--we bade him no longer pine; For we heard a step--but that step was thine.' HEMANS.
'What was that cry of joy, Oriana?' exclaimed Henrich, as one evening during their journey, he and his companion had strayed a little from their party, who were seeking a resting-place for the night. 'What was that cry of joy: and who is this Indian youth who has sprung from the ground so eagerly, and is now hurrying towards us from that group of overhanging trees? Is he a friend of yours?'