Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1849-03-30
JAMES oW n.

| Ii was gala day in Jamestown. The labor
er among his plantations forsook his plough.
! The woodman in the pine forest and the cy-
press swamp threw down his axe. The pale
deliver after precious metals laid aside his mat
took with a sigh Of relief. The fisherman his
nets. and the builder the adze aud trowel. Even
ancient Master pinchbcck, the achemisl, who
had come hiherward alured BY the hopes Of
the Philosophers stone, raked out the ember5
OF his furnace, reyerendy removed his retorl,
and drawing a beuermost black silk cap over
his scan,y grey hairs, and lhrusting his long bo-
ny arms into thin gabardine Of dark stuff,
took up his staff and walked forth 10 make one
among the crowd.
And such a crowd as throngod the town that
day! Not great indeed in numbers; but so Va.
rlous in condition, habit. talents and education.
that II was an epitome Of ancient London itself.
Here in seedy, but nea, apparel, moved with
slow steps, their melancholy faces somewhat
frightened by the occasion, goodly number OF
decayed gentleman, who had sought refuge from
the ills of the old world, aIlured by the spocious
hope Of being bettcred in the new.
A little further on rolled ont from between
the chequered door.posts Of the Tayera, or
Guest House, a noisy set Of slarveling gallangs
with their hats awry-their once gay habd.
'ments of silk and tafTety, now sadly soiled and
tamshed.-.Thcr mouths were filled with
strange oalhs, and their faces flushed with their
accustomed polalions.
lntermixad with these-some the associates
of one, and some Of the olher-were to be seen
poor younger sons Of younger brothers, for the
most part dissolute and idle race, hurried off
to the new Colony 10 avoid a worse fate at home
or to relieve their kindred from the resposibiIi.
~ Of their mainlanance. A few, indeed, la
bored diligently in their new vocalions, who
would have been ashamed in their own country.
10 have been seen working al all.
Gay roysterers too were there; youths Of
blood and fortune, some Of whom had venured
to spy out the riches of the land, aud others to
mend their broken health, or in search of new
sensations.
Osters and tapstors, gamblers and debtors,
from the purlicus of Alsala,-lhese too formed
pau Of the lhrong.
While, contrasting with the white faces. and
civilized garb Of the Cnons,s, were the dark,
1.-The, manly forms Of their savage neighbors-
Il considerable number Of whom formed the
wild following Of the Princess Pocahonlas.
The men were tall and muscular and glided
hither and thther with a look of superb ndffer.
enco; seeming to see nothing, yet observant oI
all things that were worthy of comment or tc
be remembered hereafter.
The women, straight, graceful creatures, with
great black wondering eyes shining through
pensie masses of long dark hair. For their
dress-even tasIidious galIants avowed that The
light thin deerskin robe aud buskns of the
same, when decorated with scollops of shells.
Iporcupine's quilts Of various coIors, firing d
with gay feathers and musical with hawks bells,
and other tiny tinkling ornamenls-were dain-
ty coverings and devices, corresponding well
with the easy, unresraihed motions, and (antas-
JIG nurture Of the wtarer.
But if these formed the staple of the crowd
there were yet elhers Of worhier sort 10 be
met with on that eventlu day.
Cavaliers, gentlemen of means, talent, ant
education; who inspired by the success of the
Spanlard. sought TO distinguish themselves hon
oraby; and with less brutal and murderou:
hands 10 add another star 10 the already brgh
galaxy Of the English crown.
Soldiers. stoul.hearted men, some of whom
, had been the companions of the redoub,abIt
John Smith in his foreign wars were captive.
! with him among The Turks; shared in his sue
cesses and glories in Tarlary; and daringly ex
, p|ored with him for the first lime the green isle
: aud low lying shores of The beautiful Chesa
peake.
Bearded and swarthy men were they; habltet
in jack plate and morton Of shining steel, amp
irowsers ooped al the knee and close fitting hos
below. Well skilled in their profession, the,
could handle with equal facility the pike ant
the snaphaunce, or manouvre the light arler,
called Gemlculverin, saker and lalconet.
A few planters also were TO be seen amon
: the better class; men Of industry and energy
who had built themselves block houses for dc
fence, and seted down to The improvement q
their lands in right good earnest. But of thes
there were not many; for as yet most of th
: Colonisls, when they labored at all, did so 70
the benefit Of the common veal. and to the pro
speclve advantage Of the adventurers 10 Eng
, land, by whose means they had been sent ou
and were yet sustained.
And besides these, there were four or five 9th
- ers, of class so different that, for the honor
n the honor Of the country we do not fail to not
their presence. These were mild featured me
20 oil grave aspects, clad in plain beavers and JERK
ins of subdued coors. A luIe pale, perhaps
. these men, from undue asceliciSm; yet neilhe
% priests nor bigots, but simple God-fearlng per
i pie, who, being moved to compassion by the IT
/. ports of The idolalry Of the land, had left the
Il pleasant homes and comfortable fire-sides,
aid in the conversion of the heather.
!. Of the appearance OF the city itself little nee
i. be said.
1t was palisadoed TO the height of fifteen fee
e. and il had its chain of forts commanding bo
n. sides Of the river, and mounting lhrty.fv p
ls ces. These, with the Governors house, al
r. the church and the public Store, were the mo
ce notable pieces of archeclure-and even thes
as though strong, douId boast of but little beauty
For the rest, the houses were plain styuctur
to built with some ule regard 10 order, clap boa
" ded with pine, and thatched with rushes, but Il