Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1844-02-14
NANCY'S HILL.


now celebrated by the painter and the
poet, in the bosom of the valley through
which the Saco winds, rises little emf
nence. which was pointed out to me as
Nancy's Hill. Nash was celebrated
hunter; the storms of winter, terrible a.
they were amid the desert of mountains
which was his home, aud the tenpesis Of
the sultry summer, equally terrible anc
more appalling, were alike indifferent to
him. In one of his numerous excursions
he did more for the benefit Of the country
than all 'he philosophers before or since
his iIme-ior he frs! explored the won
derluI passage, which opened an easy in
Intercourse between the inhabitants east
aud west of the Gap. Yet he wrote no
book on the subject, and never claimed
the honor of the discovery. Many peo-
pie thought he loved hunting merely for
the hardships he encountered; for he new
er grew rich, and often gave away what
he had gained by weeks Of toll : but he
had only himself to provide for, and with
out wife or children, and with no object
of peculiar interest 10 engage his attention.
he cared hHle whether he spen. the night
on the highest peak of Mount Washing
ton, or in one Of the valleys, seven or
eight thousand feet below it.. There was
nobody 10 be anxious about him, or to
count The live long hours while he was
away. and he often boasted that his home
was eresy where.
But this could not last always--for
Nash was yet but STRIPPING, and i, was
cot surprising that among his wanderings
he should fluid a girl pretty enough to
think it were well for hunter to hare a
home. He told sira nge stories to Nancy,
Uor that was her nancy of what dread
full precipices he had scaled, what chasms
he had leaped, what fierce and blood
thirsty animals he had encountered, and
she listened, ill, like Desdemona, she lost
her heart.
She was the gentlest of human beings,
and though only domestic, had heat
as tender, and complexion as fair, as
any born gentlewoman. 1t almost over
whelmed her to think of the hardships
poor Nash endured, while she enjoyed
the comforts Of an old fashioned kitchen
corner, with forest of logs blazing in
the chimney. and the privilege of sitting
at the table with the conscientious Puri-
tan family, who would have thought it
sin to make difference on earth, when
the Supreme Being made none in heaven.
1t is not wonderful that when Nash pro-
posed marrying Nancy, and promised to
run no more "hair breath 'scapes," she
should listen to him and consent to become
his lawful wife. But it was necessary
that he should make another hunting ex.
cursion before they we're married-he
said he must go once more through his
favorite gap of the mountains, and bring
back subsistence for the winter. 1t was
in vain that Nancy assured him she would
want nothing. Nash knew better. and
after many a kind embrace set of. PROM
Using to be back in a very short time
Nancy's idea oftime and his did not agree
weeks passed away, and the winter
came on with its usual threatening aspect
at length she heard accidentally. that
the hunter was about forty miles distant.
The strange idea entered her head to 90
to hint was wonderful that such a tim.
id, gentle being should have thought of
such thing-but she knew that next TO
herself, Nash loved the chase, and she
feared that perhaps he mi ht content him.
self with hunting bears and wolves all
winter. The family tried hard 10 dis
suade her from the wild scheme, but sine
determined to go-and as poor Nancy
TO nobody, nobody had right
to control her. She wrapped herself in
her cloak, and set off to follow her lover
through the gap.
The snow was already deep, and there
was not house for many long mile.
Storm after storm came on--the family
with which she had lived became anxious