Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1850-05-10
TKaE YHIaLAGE PTsTZE.
A TALE or wAsHINoToN,

universal consent, to be the lovliest maid
en- in all the country round. The veteran,
IN his youth, had beer athletic, and mus
cular above all his fellows; and his breast,
where he always wore them, could show
the adornment of three medals, received
for his victories in gymnastic feats when a
young man. His daughter was now
eighteen, and had been sought in marriage
by many suitors. One brought wealth.
another a fine person--aHother this, and
another that But they were all refused
by the old man, who became at last by
word for his obstinacy among the young
men of the village and neighborhood
AT length the nineteenth birthday of
Annette, his charming daughter, who was
as amiable and modest as she was beauti-
full, arrived. The morning of that day,
her father invited all the youth o. be
country to a hay making frolic. Seven
teen handsome and industrious young
men assembled. They came not only to
make hay, but also to make love to the
fair Annette. In three hours they had
filled the fathers barns with the newly
dried grass, and their own hearts with
lore. Annette, by her fathers command,
had brought the malt liquor of her own
brewing, which she pre- iented to each en-
amored swain with her own hands.
"Now, my boys" said the old keeper
of the jewel they all coveted, as leaning
on their pitchfolks they assembled round
the door in the cool of the evening-"Now
my lads, you have nearly all of you made
proposals for my annette. Now, you see
/ don't care anything about money or tall
ents, book larning nor soldier larning-I
can do as well by my gal as any man in
the country. But want her to marry
man of my own grit. Now, you know, or
ought to know, when | was a youngste ri
could bea anything in all Virginny in the
way O leaping. got my old woman by
beating the smartest man on the Eastern
Shore, and have took the oath and sworn
it, that no man shall marry my daughter
without jumping for it. You understand
me, boys. There's the green, and here's
Annette. he added, taking his daughter
who stood timidly behind him, by the
hand. 'tNow the one that jumps the fur
therest on dead level shall marry An
nctte this very night"
This unique address was received by
the young men with applause. And ma
ny youth, as he bounded gaily forward
to the arena of trial, cast glance of an
ticipated victory back upon the lovely OBJ
ject of village chiyalry. The maidens
left their looms and quilting frames, the
children their noisy sports, the slaves their
labors, and the old men their arm-chairs
and long pipes, to witness and triumph in
the success of the victor. All prophesied
and many wished that it would be young
Carroll. He was the handsomest and best
humored youth in the country, and all
knew chat strong mutual attachment ex-
isted between him and the fair Annette
Carroll had won the reputation of being
the 'sbest ieaper," and in g country where
such athletic achievements were the sine
qua mon of mans cleverness, this was no
ordinary honor. Ina contest like the pre-
sent he had therefore every advantantage
over his fellow-athiete.
The arena allotted for this hymeneal
contest was level space in front of the
village inn, and near the centre of grass
plat, reserved in the midst of the village,
dcnominated the '.green." The verdure
was quite worn off at this place by previ
Gus exercises OF similar kind, and hard
surface of sand, more befitting for the pur
pose to which it was to be used, supplied
its place.
The father of the lovely, blushing, and
withal happy prize (for she well knew
who would VIM with three other patriar-
chai villagers were the judges appointed
to decide upon the claims of the several
competitors The last time Carroll tried
his skill in this exercise, he cleared" to
use the leapers phraseology-twenty .one
feet and one inch.
The signal was given, and by lot the
young men stepped into the arena
edward Grayson, seventeen feet,
cried one Of the judges. The youth had
done his utmost. He was pale intellec-
tual student. But what had intellect to
do in such an arena? Without look at the
maiden he left the ground.
"Dick Boulder, nineteen feet" Dick
with laugh turned away, and replaced
his coat
tHary Preston, nineteen feet and three
inches" Well done, Harry Pfeston,"
shouted the spectators. uvdu have tried