Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1851-05-24

| lett, and striking the foot of the far hills,
was lot behind the profile of the mountain
| before us. In the centre of the vale was
the village, with its white houses and airy
| church-steeple, smiling over the scene.-
Far away on the horizon stretched line
Of hills, their dark blue submits half hid
by the clouds which wrapped them in a
vale of gauze. No sound came from the
valley. Occasionally the twtter of bird
would be heard through the surrounding
trees, while the low twinkle OF a tiny wa
terlall on the left, kept monotonously
sounding on our ears. The morning ravS
of a summers son poured down upon the
landscape, and every thing around was
bright and gay, and beautiful. I was still
lost in admiration at the loreliness of the
scene, when the old man signified his rea-
dinesS to commence the tale.
at is now fifty years ago." be began,
"SinCe | came to this country a young
frontier man, with hardy constitution,
love Of adventure, and the reputation of
being the best shot on the border; the
place was at that time settled principally
by families from Connecticut, and even
then bore marks Of its present luxurant
cultivation. Many of the families were in
good circumstances, others had seen better
days, and altogether the society was more
refined than was usual on the frontier.-
Among all the families, however in the
valley, none pleased me so much as that of
Mr.. Beverly-and OF his freside circle his
second daughter, Kate was, in my eyes,
the gem. How shall l describe her beau
ty Lovely, without being beautiful, with
a sylph-like iorta, laugh as Joyous as the
caro-! of bird, a step lighter than that Of
a young iawn in sportve play, DISPOSE
ton SO amiable as to win irreSis,ibly, the
love Of all who met her; Kate Beverly
was scarcely seventeen, before she had a
host Of admirers, and might have won any
youth in the valley. Why i: was that she
preferred ne over all the rest. / cannot
say ; perhaps it was the consciousness Of
some mysterious sympathy linking us to-
gether, or perhaps il was that we both
came from the sam" place in Connecticut,
and had been SchoolmateS in childhood-So
it was, however. 1t soon began 10 be
known throughout the valley that before
another season should elapse, Kate Beverly
would become my wife.
"Oh how happy were those days-too
happy indeed, to last. ] will not dwell
upon them, for they fill my soul with ago
ny. Suffice it to say, that while dreaming
of bliss such as mortal never before eXpe-
rienced, the war Of the revolution broke
out-and, after hard struggle between
my passion and my duty, the latter con-
quered, and l joined the army. Kate did
not attempt to dSsuade me from the act
she rather loved me the more for it.
Though her womau's nature caused her to
shed tears at my departure, her reason told
her | was right, and she bid me God speed.
"Heaven bless YOU Harry" she said,
sand bring this war to a speedy conclu-
sion. ! cannot bid you stay, but l pray
that the necessity of your absence may
soon cease"
"Time rolled by-the American cause
was still doubtful, and the war bid fair to
be protracted into years. ! had become a
captain in the--regiment, when ! re-
| ceived information that the tories and In
dans intended making a descent on the
valley Of Wyoming, knew the unpro-
tected situation OF my adopted district. ard
tremtled for the life OF those | held most
! dear. At first | dscredited the rumor-
chance, however, threw in my way an OPP
portunty of ascertaining the reality of the
! reported descent, and ! became convinced
! that moment was not to be lost, if
would save the lives OF those loved at
! lu a Of 20
ken-I solicited for leave of abSence-it
was refused then resigned my commis-
sion, and set iolth 10 Wyoming.
81 never shall forget my emotions when
drew near near that il-lated place; it
was on the very day Of the maSsacre-and
the first ntmation | had Of the calamity
was the mangled body ct one Of the G-
habtants, whom ] had known, floating
down the stream. A cold shiver ran
through every vein as l gazed on the ter
rible sight, and thousend fears agitatcd
my bosom but my worst surmises fell far
short of the truth. When, hours after,
met some of the lugitives, and they re-
hearsed to me that tale of horror, | stood
for a moment thunder-struck, refusing to
ueIleNe lldL UPlugS III nuihdu lOTIH COulu
perpetrate such deeds-but it was all too
true.
"Almoa my first inquiry was for Kate
no one knew, alas what had become Of
/ her One Of those who had escaped the
! fight told me that her father had been kill
/ ed at the beginning of the coniiict--and
that deprived OF protector, she had pro-
badly failed Il victim 10 the inluriated saya-
ges, while the other inhabitants were sew
orally engaged in protecting themselves.
How ! cursed them for this selGshness =
And yet could expect ought else Of hu-
man nature, than that each should protect
those dearest TO them, even 10 the descrtion
OF others?
"But my mind was soon made up. l
resolved, come what might to ascertain
clearly the fate Of Kate--so that if dead, !
might revenge her, and if living / might
rescue her. Bidding farewell to the fly
ing group, / shouldered my rife, and
struck out boldly into the forest, trusting to
the guidance OF that God who never de-