The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1846-10-02

w HOW " llho i''N''' 49,
smiling village of Fall River, Massa-
chusetts, must have been struck
with the beauty of the Wahtahpec
Ponds, lying about two miles south
cast of the town. They stretch A
way north and south, several miles
in extent, exhibiting the appearance
of twin lakes in the bosom of rich
and highly cultivated region. Near
the centre the shores contract on
either side, so as to 9 i've the sheet
of water the appearance of an elon-
gated hour-glass. The channel at
this narrow point, over which now
runs substantial stone cauScway,
| is so contracted as to create, at first,
the impression that there are two
distinct ponds and such am idea is
conveyed by the Indian name which
/ they bcar-Wahtahpee being the
plural of Wahtah, meaning canoes,
or place for canocs-wordS still IN
use among the Dahcota tribe Of In
dams, having precisely the same sig
MITIGATION.
There is curious scrap OF hi>to-
ry connected with this region, witch
/ tradition has preserved and clothed
in its own mellow hueS. 1t is said
that an emigrant from the mother
country, more than a hundred and
seventy years ago, arrived in this
region, and took up his residence on
! the borders of the Wahtahpec Ponds,
not far from the part where the pre-
sent cauScway touches the eastern
shore. The house itself, in a diIap-
/ idated condition, stood till within
the recollection of many now living.
The spot at present is marked by
the cellar over which the building
was erected, at the right, on a sandy
rise of ground, Immediately after
passing the causcway. The emf
grant announced himself an English
man, and gave his name as Charles
Augustus Walpolc. But from what
part of England-how long since
from there-why and wherefore he
! left--and the thousand little Incl
dents usually disclosed for the pun
pose Of securing friendship or crca-
ting confidence, were studlorSIy
concealed within his own breast.
Not that lie was moroSc, unsocial or
retiring on the contrary, lie was
cheerful and communicative on top
les and events, past or prcselt, not
bearing on lis own history. At the
time of his arrival, he was apparent
" abont fifty years old, small in
frame, though well proportincd, and
Of a graceful and easy carriage
His features were large and strong
ly marked, particularly his mouth
and forehead, both of which indica-
ted great frmness and decision.
His circumstances were easy even
aillucnt, and from appearances
had been his condition from birth.
Walpolc came attended only by a
single individual-his daughter,
Julia Caroline WalpoIc, beautiful
girl, just then blooming into woman
hood.
Mystery is the mother of curiosity;
at least it was so in this case. The
obscurity which hung over the pre-
viouS life of W alpolc soon became a
fruitful source Of conjecture and
speculation among his neighbors
and as usual in such cases, the mys-
terry was referred to crime, and al
once Charles Augustus Walpolo
came to be regarded as the perpe-
traitor of some dark deed, from the
disgrace and punishment of which
he had fled to the new world. Thi,
, was not at first openly charged upor
him. Ills ncighbcrs were too eau
= tious, if not too kind-hearted, fo
that. 1t was, nevertheless, a FIRE
quent topic of side and corner talk
, and perhaps not one, of all who knew
= him, were entirely guiltless of havinl
,, contributed something to its genera
circulation. Walpole, if he knew
their though s, never needed them
lie cultivated the civilities Of goot
neighborhood; paid promptly AM
. literally for whatever he had, and D,
u his cheerluncSs and good nature
i. disarmcd their gossip, in Srea
measure, of its intended injury.
Julia Caroline, from the first, wa
an object Of universal admiration
/. Transcendcntly beautiful was thi
y daughter of mystery. She was no
' tall, but so just was her proportions
SO rich yet delicate her complexion
= and so stately her carriage, that sh
seemed to stand apart and tower a
), bove all others. These, however
were her least attractions. She wa
n one of those frank, open hcarte
girls whom Providence occasional
throws across our path, as Tito sho'
us the last earthly link in the chat
which connects us with angelic be
- ing. Her accomplishments wcr
such as those only attain whose cN