Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-05-29
MISCELLANEOUS
The Village Prize, or Lcaping for
a Wife.
STORY OF THE EARLY DAYS OF WASHING


TON.
In one Of the loveliest villages of Old
Virginia, there lived, in the year 175-, an
odd old man, whose daug ghter was de-
clared, by universal consent, TO be the love.
hest maiden In all the country round
The veteran, in his youth, had been athletic
and muscular above all his fellows; and his
breast, where he always wore them, could
show the adornment Of three medals, re-
celved for his victories in gymnastic feats
when ayong man. Hisdaughter was now
eighteen, and had been sought in marriage
by many suitors. One brought wealth.
another, fine person; another, industry;
another, military talents; another this, and
another that. But they were all refused
by the old man, who became, at last, bye
word for his obstinacy among the young
men of the village and neighborhood. At
length the nineteenth birth day of the fair
Annettee, his charming daughter, who was
as amiable and modestas beautiful, arrived.
The morning Of that day the father invited
all her youths of the country to hay-ma-
king irolic. Seventeen handsome and in
| dustlious 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. Annette, by her
fathers command, had brought the malt
liquor other own brewing, which she pre-
sented to each enamored swain with her
own fair hands.
"Now, my boys" said the old keeper OF
the jewel they all coveted, as leaning on
their pitchforks they assembled round his
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, talents,
nor book farming; can do as well by my
gal as any man in the country. But l want
her to marry man ofmy own grit. Now,
you know, or ought to know. when | was
youngster, | could beat anything in all
Virginia in the way O. leaping. ] got my
old woman by beating the smartest man
on the Eastern Shore, and / have vowed
that no man shall marry my daughter with
out jumping for it. You understand me,
boys. There's the green, and here's An
nette," he added, taking his daughter, who
stood timidly behind him, by the hand,
"Now the one that jumps the furthest
on the dead level' shall marry Annette
this very night"
This unique address was received by
the men with applause. And many youth
as he bounded forward to the arena oftrial,
cast glance of anticipated victory back
upon the lovely object of village chivalry.
| 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 Carol. He was the handsomest
and the best humored youth in the coun-
try and mutual attachment existed between
him and the fair Annette. Carroll had
won the reputation of being the "best leap
er," and in country where such athletic
achievements were the sine gna non OF
mans clcverncss, this was no ordinary hon.
or. In contest like the present, he had,
therefore, every advantage over his fellow
Athlete.
The arena allotted for this hymenial con-
test, was level spacein front of village
Inn, and near the centre of grass plat, re-
served in the village denominatcd the
green The verdure was quite worn of
at this place by previous exercises Of a
similar kind, and hard surface of sand
more befttingly for the purpose to which
it was to be used. supplied its place.
The father of the lovely, blushing and
withal happy prize, (for she knew who
would win,) with three other patriarchal
villagers, were hejudges appointed to de-
eide upon the claims Of the several COM
petitors. The last time Carroll tried his
skill in this exercise, he cleared" to use
the leaper's phraseology twcnty-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 intellectual stu.
dent. But what had intellect to do in such
an arenal Withouta look at the maiden he
left the ground
"Dick Moulden, nineteen feet" Dick
with laugh turned away, and replaced his
coat.
Harry Preston, nineteen feet and three
inches" "Well done, Harry Preston, u
shouted the spectators, "you have tried
hard for the acres and homesteads."
Harry also laughed, and said he only
Jumped for the fun of the thing" Harry
was a rattle-brained fellow, but never
thought of matrimony. He loved to walk
and talk, and romp with Annette, but sober
marriage never came into his head. He on.
ly Jumped for the fun of the thing"
Charley Simms, fifteen feet and half.
"Hurrah for Charley! Charley'll win!''
cried the crowd good humoredly. Charley
Simms was the clevcrest fellew in the
world. His mother had advised him to
stay at home, and told him ifhe ever won
a wife, she would fall in love withhis good
temper, rather than his legs. Charley,
however, made trial of the lat;er's capa-
bihties and lost. Many refused to enter
the lists altogether. Others made the trial
and only one had as yet cleared ,wecnty
feet