Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1849-04-12
SELECTED TALE.
A WEDDING IN THE GATE OF THE
ROCKY MOUNTAINS.

The incidents Of the following striking story were
toldto the writer BY Of the persons present-and
are, therefore, true They give b vivid picture Of
the dangers which the hardy pioneers OF the Pa
cihc exposed their painful journey to their
new home. We copy from the Democratic Rcricw
for February:
On the evening Of the Ith Of July, 1914,
two families Of emigrants might be seen tent
cd for the night at the EPaciic SPRING. on
the main trail from Missouri to Oregon and
Upper California They had left Independ.
ence, the common point of departure, and
then Que thousand miles behind them, in
company with much more numerous band
But discussions had occurred, as must al
ways happen in the absence Of government,
or executive physical force, and the volunta-
~ organization split into fragments, which
latter, however, continued to roll upwards,
like the broken pieces Of flying ball, uuder
the impetus of their original projection
These two families, Disguised with the OBJ
stinacy and riotous spirit of their comrades,
determined to advance alone; and being pro-
vided with excellent teams, and many loose
mules and oxen, so as to rest their animals
by frequent changes in the wearing service
of their journey, they had been enabled to
reach the first fountain which mingles its
waters with the western ocean, and hence
called .the Pacific Spring, some ten days
sooner than the remainder Of the band
Thus they were in no Danger of being sur
prised in the Sierra Nevada by the prema-
,tGre fall of an autumnal snow, most dread
full contingency, which pioneers are most anx-
ious to avoid
But the forward movement of so diminu-
tive party was hazardous in the extreme.
In all, they mum bered only dozen persons,
four Of these were small children, and the
rest adults of opposite sexes in equal pro-
portions Their energy, prudence and per-
severance, in spite Of the hostile and thievish
sayages that lowered around their way, had
carried then safely thus far, half the dis
lance of their route Of two thousand miles,
and would probably have borne. them to the
settlements Of the Sacramento, had not ca
sualty intervened, as unexpected as it was
impossible to foresee or resist
In the meantime, the little band, not con-
scious of the impending danger, appeared to
be in the bappiest mood, cooked %Ieir frugal
supper over fire of buffalo chips amidst
jokes, laughter and scraps Of forest songs,
and INDUCED the while in the brightest an
ticiPations as TO '.the promised land before
them.
About sunset, youth aud maiden strolled
from their camp and assembled one Of those
tall elevations, which overlook and command
the,celebrated @South Pass The view O.
pened into Undesirable grandeur and So
lemn desolation. Immense plains and inca.
sureless mountains extended vide as The cir
cumference Of sight, and the whole glittered
in the rcd rays of evening, as if sprinkled
with baptism Of burning gold But the &,
nest point in the glorious perspective was
the noble pass itself-that great gate in the
mountain wall so easy Of ascent, that rail
way might be run without excavation, to the
very key of its gentle arch, and so exceeding
ly broad that all the armies on yhe globe
might deploy within its area, ana neither
wing Of their mighty line would touch the
edge Of its enormous gap.
The lovers, flor such they werc.) looked
till they were lost in emotions Of snblimity,
and in blended ecstacy and devout ave press
cd Involuntary closer 10 each other Then
their two hearts throbbed together as one,
and the musical beats Of their warm life pulls
es became chime and choral anthem, for
they saw the name Of natures Grid sculp-
tured on the mute marble Of ten thousand
rocks What mattered it, that both were IN
digenous products Of the far frontier, and
clothed in smoke tinted leather ana< coarse
threaded home-spun, That did not bar
them from love and worship, any more than
from due and sunshine. He was brsyeabove
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