Hillsdale Whig standard. (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1846-1851, 1851-07-22
A Tale of Wyoming Valley.

DO you see that landscape said the old
man To me, as we paused upon the edge o
the mountain road; and looked down into the
Wyoming beneath us. well. that spot
calm and beautiful as it now is, was once the
scene OF massacre. God help mel the ago
MES OF that day almost wiring my heart 10
think oflhem. even at the lapse offity years.
81 have heard it was fearful time, and you
have often promised TO tell me the tale oI
your connection with il. Yet if the subject
be so painful TO you, | dare scarcely make
the request
mo, boy, no. said the old man sadly, Il
will tell it, for the promise IS of long stand
ing, and feel to-day as If | could nauate
that tragedy with less emotion than usual
Sit down on this rock and give me a mo-
ment to rest; | will then commence my
story
When the old man wiped the perspration
from his brow. aud sat tanning himself with
his broad trimmed summer hat, took the
place pointed out by him, near his side, and
spent the moments that elapsed before his
narration in gazing on the landscape before
me. Sitting on huge boulder, on the side
Of mountain, just " here the bill began TO
slope into the valley, we commanded view
of one Of the most unryaed landscapes in
bold, rugged, and barren, like the back Of
some vast monster reared against the sky
but on the right interposed to prevent the
view, whose logeliness so far exceeded my
antcipations. that loT sometime | gazed up
on the scene in mute admiration, beneath me
stretched the valley, diversified by gently
sloping elevations, aud sprink led with fields
OF golden gYaiO; while here and there a patch
OF woodland, with its dark green hue. lay
slu nberiDg on the andscape-the surface
OF the forest ever and anon varying 10 lich-
ter tint as the wind swept over the tree tops.
Right thro' the centre Of the valley mean
dered the river, now rolling betwixt bluff
banks, and now stealing gently among the
rich meadow lands in the distance. until at
leDgth ii turned to the LETT. aud striking the
foot Of the far hills, was lost behind the pro.
file Of the mountain before us. In the cen
tire Of the vale was the village, with its white
houses and airy church steeple smiling over
The scene. Far away on the horizon stretch
cd a line of hills, their dark blue summils
half hi by the clouds which wrapped them
as IN veil OF gauze. No sound came lom
the valley. Occasionally the twiuer OF
bind would be heard through Il he surround
ing trees, while the low tnkle Of a tiny wa
teflaI on the left, kept mouotonnusly soun-
summers sun poured down upon the land
scape, and everything around was bright and
gay, and beautiful. was still lost in ad-
mira,on at the loyciness OF the scene, when
the old man signGed his readiness TO COM
mence the tale.
1T is now fifty years ago. Inc began, since
| came TO tlps country young honter man.
with hardy constitution, love Of adven-
ture, and the reputation Of being the best
shot on the border; the place vas settled
principally by families from Connecticut,
aud even then bore marks of its present lux
urious 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 al, the families, however, in the val
ley, none pleased me so much as that Of Nh.
Beyerly-and Of lis fireslde circle his second
daughter. Kate, was, in my eyes, the gem.
How shall describe her beauty! Lovely,
without being beautiful, with sylph-like
form, laugh as joyous as the carol sl
bird, step lighter than that OF a young
fawn n sporlive play disposition TO WIN
irresistably, the love Of all who met heG
Kate Beverly was scarcely seventeen, before
she had host OF admirers, and might have
won any youth 10 the valley. Why 1t was
that she preferred me over al, the rest, |
cannot say; perhaps il was the consciousness
Of some mysterious sympathy linking US to-
eether. or perhaps il was that we both came
from the same place in Connecticut, and
had been school. mates in chidhood-so II
was, however. 1t soon began To be known
throughout the valley that before another
season should ella pse, Kate Beverly should
become my wife.
OH how happy were those days-ioo
happy indeed TO last. | will not dwell upon
them. for they fill my soul with agony. Suf-
flee it 10 say, that while dreaming Of bliss
such as mortal never before experienced,
the war Of the revolution broke out--and
after hard struggle between my passion and
my duty, the later conquered. and joined
the army. Kate did not attempt to dissuadc
me from the act-she rather loved me the
more for it. Though her woman's nature
caused her to shed tears at my departure,
her reason told her j was right, and she bid
me God speed
Heaven bless you, Harry she said, 'and
bring the war to a speedy csnclusion. Il
cannot bid you stay, but pray that the ne
cessity ofyour absence may soon cease
Time rolled blythe American cause was
still doubtful, and the war bid iair to be pro-
tracted Into years. had risen to be a cap
tain 10 the--regiment when received IN. .
formation that the tribes aud Indians iuten-
ded TO make a descent on the valley OF Wy
oming. knew the unprotected situation Of
my adopted district, and rembled for the
life Of those held most dear. AT first dis
credited the Yumor-chance, however threw
10 my way an opportunity Of asceuainlng tho
reality Of the proposed descent, and became
convinced that not moment was not to be
lost, il would save the lives Of those loved
at home. Ny determination was at once ia.
hen. solicited for leave OF absence--it was
refused; then resigned my commission, sod
set forth to Wyoming.
i never shalt forget my emotions when
drew near that ill-fstod place; and 1t was on