Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1851-05-15
A TALE OF WYOMING VALLEY.

"f the mountain road, and look ed down in.
10 the Wyoming beneath us. "Well, that
spot, calm and beautiful rs il now is, was
once the scene of massacre. God help me
the "g"nies Of tha, day almost w.iag my
heart I" think Of them, even after the lapse
oi fifty years"
Il have heard It was fearful time, and
you have often promised t"tell me the tale
M yonr own connrXiun with it. Yet il
the nijrct Is so painful To you ! dare
scarcely make the request"
mo boy, no, said the old man sadly; II
will tell it, f"r the pro,ni> is Of long stand.
ing, and ! feel To-day, as il could arra,e
that tragedy with less emotion than usual.
Sit down on this rock and give me mo.
ment 10 rest; l will then commence my
story"
While the old man wiped the perspi-
ra'ien from his brow, and sat tanning him
self with his broad-rimed summer bat. |
took the place pointed out BY him, near his
side, and >pe", the moments that elapsed
be'"re he begun his narration in gazing
on the landscape be.are me. Sitting on a
huge builder, ON the head Of mountain,
just where the hill began to slope down
into the valley, we commanded! view OF
one Of the most unrivaled landscapes in
the worll. TO cur left rose up the noun.
tain, bold, rugged, and barren, like the
>ky-bnt on the right inierposed TO pre-
vent the view; whose loveliness so far ex-
ceed-d my expectations, that for some
minutes gaz-d upon the scene in mute
admiration. Beneath me stretched the val
ley, diversified with gently sloping eleva-
tions, and sprinkled with fields of golden
graft; while here and there a patch Of
woodland, With its dark green hue, lay
slumbering OH the landscape the surface
Of the forest ever and anon varying to
lighter tilt rs the wind xwel, over the
iree-iops. Righ, ,hrough the centre Of the
valley meandered the river, now rolling
betwixt blnff-banks, and now stealing
gently among The rich meadow. lands in
the distance, until at length it turned to
thr left, and striking the foot of the far
hills, was lost behind the profile of the
mountain hefore us. In the centre Of the
vale was the village, with its white houses
and airy church >t-eple, smiling over the
scene. Far away OH the horizon stretch.
ed a line OF hills. their dark blue SUBMITS
hall hid by the clouds which wrapped them
a> in veil Of gauzr. No sound came
from the valley. Occasionally the tw liter
Of a bird woul,; be heard through the sur
rounding trees. while the low twinkle Of
tiny waterfall on the left, kept monotnn-
ou>ly sounding on our ears. The morn
ing rays Of summers sun poured down
upon the landscape. and every thing
around was bright and gay, and beautiful.
! was still lost in admiration at the lowell
ness ot the scene, when the old man siyni.
fled his readiness to Commence the tale.
III is now fifty years ago." he began.
">ince came 10 this country = Young
frontier man, with hardy constitution, a
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. ani even then
b're marks Of its present luxnriant cnlti-
walton. Many Of the families were in
good circum> STANCES. ..o.her< had seen better
days. and altogether the society WIS NOR e
refined th,n wns usual on the frontier
Among all the families, however. in the
| valley. nnne pleased me so much az that
Of Mr. Beverly and Of his fir-sile circle
his second daughter Kate. was in nv eyes,
the gem. How shall describe her beam
ty? Lovely. without hpinc beautiful,
with sylph like form. = laugh a> ioyon.
as The carol Of a bird. a step lighter than
that Of a young fawn in sportive play. q
disposition as amiahle as to win. irre.isti-
bly,, the love Of all who me, her; Kate
Beverly was scarcely seventeen. hef,re
she had host of admirers. and might
have won any youth in the valley. Why
il was she preferred me- over all the re.f,
| cannot say !; perhaps it wa. the con-
scionsness Of some mysterious sympathy
linking u. together, or perhap. i, wa. that
we hoth came from the same place in Con-
nec'icut. and had been schoolmatrs in
chiilhood-so i, was. however. 1t coon
began 10 be known throughout the valley
that before another season should rlapse,
Kate Beverly would become nv wife.
"Oh! how happy were those days-,oo
happy indeed. to last. will moi dwell
upon them for they fill my soul with agony.
Suffice il 10 say, that while dreaming Of
bliss such "a mortal never brf"re -x-
periencetl. the war Of the revolution broke
out land. after hard sirucgl" between
my passion and my duty. the latter con-
qnere,l, and joined the army. Kate did
not attempt 10 dissuade me from the act
she rather loved me the more for it,
Though her woman's n.tnre caused her 10
shed tears at my departure. her reason
told her was right, and she bid me God
speed.
Heaven bless you, Harry she said,
and bring this war to a speedy conclusion
| cannot bid yon stay. Lu, pray that the
necessity of your ahserce may soon cease.
"Time rolled blythe American cause
was still doubtful, and the war bid f.ir 10 b.
protrac,ed into years. had to be captain
in the regiment, when received in
formation that the tories and Indians in
tended TO making descent on the valley o
Wyoming. knew the unprotected stu
alton Of my adopted district. and tremble'
for the lie Of ihose l held most dear. A
first l di,credited the rumor chance
however, threw in my way an opportuni
IL Of ascertsining the reality Of the report
ed descent, and became convinced that no
,rn,,,.,t a, - /, n H.. Inst if "a o,,h sare III,