Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1833-07-25

and surrounding villages.
Days, weeks, months, and years,
rolled on. Time had subdued the an.
guish of the parents into holy calm;
but the lost first-born was not forgot.
. ten, although no trace Of his fate had
} been discovered. The general belief
was that he had persisted in the break
: ing up of the snow; and the few in
! whose remembrance he still lived,
; merely spoke of his death as "very
! extraordinary circumstance, remark
ing, that che was a wild, venturesome
sort o. lad"
! Christmas had succeeded Christmas,
and Peter Elliot still kept it in CON-
J memoration of the birthday of him
who was not. For the first few years
after the loss of their son, sadness and
silence characterized the party who
sat down to dinner at Marchlaw, and
still at Peters right hand was placed
the vacant chair. But as the younger
branches of the family advanced in
years, the remembrance Of their bro
Their became less poignant. Christmas
was with all around them day of re-
Iiolcing, and they began to make merry
with their friends; while their parents
lpartook in their enjoyment with smile
half of approval and half of sorrow.
i Twelve years had passed away;
Christmas had again come; it was the
counterpart Of its fatal predecessor
The hills had not yet cast off their
summer verdurc, the sun, although
shorn of its heat, had lost none of its
brightness or glory, and looked down
upon the earth as though participating
| in its gladness; and the clear, blue sky,
was tranquil as the sea sleeping be-
meath the moon. Many visitors had
again assembled at Marchlaw. The
sons Of Mr.. Elliot and the young men
of the party, were assembled upon
/, level green near the house, amusing
themselves with throwing tho hammer
and other Border games, while himself
and the elder guests stood by as spec
tators, recounting the deeds of their
youth. Johnson, the sheep. farmer,
whom we have already mentioned, now
a brawny and gigantic fellow of two-
and thirty, bore away in every game
the palm from all competitors. More
than once, as Peter beheld his sons de-
feated, he felt the spirit of youth glow.
ing in his veins; and, "Oh!' muttered
he, in bitterness, ''had my Thomas been
spared to me, he would have thrown |
his hearts blood after the hammer be- |
fore he would have been beat by ever |
Johnson in the country!"
While he thus solloquized, and with |
difficulty restrained an impulse to CON-
pete with the victor himself, dark,
foreign looking, strong built seaman,
unceremoniously approached, and, with
his arms folded, cast look of contempt |
upon the Boosting conqueror. Every |
eye was turned, with scrutinizing
glance, upon the stranger. In height |
| he could not extend five feet nine, but
his whole frame was the model Of mus
cular strength; his features were open
and manly, but deeply sunburnt and
weather-beaten; bis long, glossy, black
hair, curled into ringlets, by the breeze
and the billow, fell thickly over his |
temple and forehead; and whiskers of I
similar hue, more conspicuous for size
than elegance, gave character of
Ifierceness to a countenanee otherwise |
possessing striking impress of manly |
beauty. Without asking permission; /
I he slept forward, lifted the hammer, |
and, swinging ii around his head, hurl-
ed it upwards of five yards beyond
Johnson's most successful throw
"Well done!" shouted the astonished
spectators. The heart of Peter Elliot
warmed within him, and he was hurry
ing forward to grasp the stranger by
the hand, when the words groaned in
his throat, at was just such q throw as
my Thomas would have madel---my !
own!--lost Thomas" The tear burst .
into his eyes, and without speaking, he |
turned back, and hurried towards the |
house to conceal his emotion.
| Successfully at every game the
stranger had defeated all who ventured
10 oppose him; when messenger an
lnounced that dinner waited their arri-
val. Some of the guests were already
seated, others entering, and, as hereto
fore, placed beside Mrs. Elliot was Eli.
zabeth Bell, still in the noontide of her
beauty; but sorrow bad passed over
Iher features like veil before the coun-
ltenance of an angel. Johnson, crest !
fallen and out Of huinor at the defeat,
seated himself by her side. In early |
life, he had regarded Thomas Elliot az |
a rival for her affections; and stimula-.
tied by the knowledge that Adam Bell
would be able to bestow several thou. /