The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1850-10-09
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MARY ROCK.
BY PERCY B. ST. JOHN.

The Rock family had emigrntcd 10
the verge Of wild Indian life. when the
recent war between the United States
and Mexico burst out, nn event which
while awakening prospects Of fierce
struggles between the rival republics.
aroused also the hopes and passions Of
the swnrihy Indian tribes that people
the frontiers Of the conlending powers.
Certain predatory and wandering hnb-
its already alluded to (in previous slory)
as characteristic Of this family, had
driven Captain Rock from The easy
51,eighborhood Of Dickenson's Bayou,
sdn1 frsHss,g' others, one after another,
nnIil at-tasl ht found himself far nearer
s,han was genssaily considered safe to
SpaiIisf, l,ssts md IFS Troublesome tribes
Of Redskins.
This lime The old man, his wife, son
neutrality-suspicious. other having re.
manned with her hushnnd-had to
build house, instead Of taking pos.
session Of one abandoned by former
'proprictors. They chose the mouth Of
II deep gully, and The verge OF a dense
forest. Their hn, was rs usual, blocks
Of wood rudcly put together; and their
energies had at this time gone 30 far ns
to induce the cultivation of small field
ofmnzc. This excepted, their whole cx.
is,cnce depended on hunting and fishing.
Mary, who, it seems, had become more
slim ,hnn when knew her, was the
more interchangeable in her pursui, Of the
game afforded bv The fertile and happy
plains Of Upper Texas. She and her
brother were ccasclcss in their cndcav.
ors 10 track deer, wi'l turkey, and par
t.ihgcs; and supported their ta'niIy cn
,ireiy. The old couple did absolutely
nothing bU, eat, drink, sleep and smoNr,
utterly f,rgc,ful oflhcir former position
in society.
A lille while before the outbreak Of
the late wnr, the Rocks became aware
Of The presence Of nciShbor. y tall
young Ken,uckinn, paS<ionnle!y fond of
wild life, suddenly located himself
within mile oflh abode, with Il SUR
dy assistant from his own ianl, four ne.
gro slaves. dozen horses, herd Of
cattle, and wagon. lie erected a sol.
id frame house, called his place Snow
ville--his name being given out as Cap
tain Snow. With peace and tranquility,
his farm would probably soon have
been the centre Of nci.hborhood, and
ultimately the site Of town. But n
great pes'lcncc, more destructive than
cholera or plague, was coming: Texas
wnS hn fn,,.n IF ,..rr,i,ln ,v,.
As soon MS Captain Snow ind settled
himself, bull, his house. aud set his
fields going, he thought il but right 10
pay visit to the Rocks, despite the pi.
ra,ical character which nc had heard
of them round about Galveston. The
chicflhingS, however, which struck him
on tho occasion Of his visit were The
wrc,chedncss OF their abo le, the willful
dotagc Of the parents, the industry Of the
children and The maturcd beauty of Ma.
ry. Ofn frank and social dispositions he
made friends with young Rock; & vely
soon became the invuriablc companion
Of the brother and sister in their hunl-
ings and wanderings. The consequence
was natural. tlud she not teen tho on.
is iennc within hundred miles, Ma.
ry would have won the heart Of any
youth not already enchaned by her
simplicity, truth, md sincerity. Cap.
tain Snow, in month, was over bead
and ears IN love, and in two was the nc.
ccptrd lover Of Miss Rock. It was
agreed on all sides, that Immediately
after the maize harvest they should
freight boat withgthcir various goods,
and going down 10 the settlements, be
married..
Tho interval was chiefly spent in
hunting, fis,ing, boating, and riding,
when tin various parties concerned
wcrs norSrngngrd in necessary avoca-
,inns. Cnplnin Snow heard with II
hnnnAing heart Of the war, but his m'ir.
dcrous propcnsilics were wholly qncll.