The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1852-11-10

where the strength Of your virtue was
never tTied!"
For the following facts am indebted
mo matter to whom. The reader NAV
take them for what they are worth; be-
lleVe or disbelicve, as he chooses. | pub
ilsh them in justice to the memory of a
man who had many faults, who had few
friends, who lived unloved, and died unla-
mented; but who might have lived and
died under other auspices, had not the
streams of his sympathies aud impulses
been poisoned at the fountain whence they
emanated.
"Blaylock" was the assumed name of
Everard Blakeslev, the son of farmer
IN one of the Eastern States. At the
time of which write, his father was
dead, and he resided with his widowed
mother. They were in comfortable cir
cumstances, but not rich; small farm, as
siduously cultivated, afforded them i've
lihood. The little house on the hill side
where they dwelt, was the admiration Of
the whole neighborhood, and the traveller
who passed that unfrequcntcd way paused
long to contemplate its beauty. Not that
1t was a model of architecture, not that
wealth had been lavished in its contruc-
ton, but because the hand of taste had
taught the vines to climb by the windows.
and had planted the lilac and honcvsucLlc
by the door. There the locust spread its
shade, there the rose exhaled its fragrance
and there the birds sang sweetly through
the long summer day.
Within sight of the dwelling of the
Blakesleys lived their nearest neiphbors.
Old Joseph jackson and Thomas Winstar.
They were both Weather than the Widow
Blakeslcy, but all three of the families
had lived on those intimate and friendly
terms so generally existent among the
farming class Of our people.
Evcrard Blakesly and David Jackson.
the son of old Joseph, were both about
twenty two years of age. They had been
on intimate terms; not because of con-
genlality of disposition, but because in the
absence Of other male companions they
were, in manner, compelled to associate
with each other. David was an apreea-
bic companion when he was in the mood:
he could sing song and tell story with
unrvallcd success and applause. Hepos-
seSsed in an eminent degree those accom-
Plishmcnts which captivatc the superficial
multitude. At every. gathering of the
young folks of the neighborhood he was
sure to be present, and wherever he was,
there seemed TO be the point Of attraction.
For hours he would entertain the crowd
with anecdotes admirably told, or char u
them with his sparkling, though unculti-
vatcd repartee. lie was consequently n
tavorlte, smiled upon and caressed. But
wiser dlsccners of human character would
have placed different estimate on David
Jackson; he would have marked the alb
scncc of moral principle, without which
man, whatever may be hisshining accom-
plishments, should be Stunned and avoid
ed. For one SO far removed from the
great school OF the world, he WAS deeply
'ersed in the dangerous art Of dissimula-
ton: he possessed the faculty of conceal
ing the most bitter hatred, and had a
heart capable Of devising and hand dar
ing enosgh to execute the darkest scheme
Of revenge.
Everard, on the other hand, was frank
and open as the day, and possessed of a
remarkably quiet and amiabe east of mind.
VI delicate organization, and of shrink
ing sensibilities, he very rarely mingled
with the crowd. He loved rather the re-
tirenent Of the fireside, and the compan.
lonshIp OF books. Such means as the
country afforded he improved, and he
consequently possessed far more intclli-
gence than his companion.
The family Of Thomas Winstar consist
ed Of himself, his wife and an only daugh-
ter. Effie Winstar was a bIue-eycd, fair
hard girl, now at the earning stage Of
life when the form assumes the shape Of
woman, while yet the heart retains the
simplicity Of the child. All unconscious
was shoot the admiration she excited, but
the rustic youth for many mile around,
felt n strange thrill in the bosom when
they heard pronounced the name of Effie
-Winstar.
What wonder that Eyerard Blakesley
and David Jackson were rivals for her af-
fectiont What wonder that when they
met at the quilting party, or the "apple-
pairing" they strove which should have
the bliss of holding her little arm, Of
walking in the quiet moonlight by her
side, of listening to the melody Of her
sweet voice? .......
For months this rivaling had continued;
and vain were the many attempts of the
gossips Of the neighborhood to predict the
result.
The neighbor boys became estranged;
David and Everard were never seen in each
others company, unless when they met at
some OF the country gatherings.
| .F CHATTER II. e
One bright September evening, while
Everard sat with his mother in their vine
| ambowePod homo on tba hill ssJo H. -.