Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1854-03-16
OTTUMWA, IOWA, THURSDAY, MARCH is, 1854.

fusion by felgnlng an Indignation which
she did no, feel.
But before he could answer. Tilford,
having dispatched the deer. threw his
rifle into the hollow OF his arm. and cui
their conference short.
From your looks" said he, III should
suppose Thornton's communication must
have been serious one."
"More serious than agreeable" Ellen
replied; and with one earnest look OF
sorrow and re eproach, Thornton resumed
his gun and walked rapidly away.
For once jealousy had pointed to the
truth.
John Lowden, Elleh's father, and Ba.
sill Thornton, having been reduced in cir.
cumstances by the pressure Of 1916,
had set out together from the Old Do
minion, in search OF new home; and
for two years after their settlemen. in
Illinois, had continued, as they had been
in Virginia, near neighbors and warm
friends. A, the end of that time. how
ever. disappointment, hard labor, and
the diseases incident to a new country,
brought the latter to the grave. and his
burdens devolved upon the un,ried shoul-
ders of his only son, TO whom the read
er has been introduced.
Between him and Louden's daughter
Nellie, as she was called, the intima-
cy Of childhood had gradually ripened
into strong and deep attachment
Their union had been delayed. first by
the death of the elder Thornton, and
subsequently, by some i'll ll-feeling, which
grew up between him and her father. on
the formers refusal to join company
of Regulators" of which Lowden was
captain. Thornton had grown to man.
hood in community where law and or
der were supreme. and was, in princi-
pie. ihorougly opposed to the highland.
ed measures which distinguished the
proceedings Of these self constituted Of.
ticers of justice. Lowden was arbilra-
ry and rascible; and this refusal to en-
dorse his action exasperated hi,a the
more. because it came from source SO
wholly unsuspeced. sort OF peace
had, however. been patched up; Thorn.
ton still visited Lowden's house, and
was generally viewed as the accepted
suitor of "presty Nelly;" though those
who knew her father well, perceived a
smouldering dislike, on his part, to ths
arrangement.
Things were in this position, when
about two months before the opening of
our story-Charles Tilford. wealthy
young Virginian, and distant relative
Of Louden's, arrived in the coun,ry. and
at once took up his residence a, the
farm. Handsome, well educated, bold,
and free-a perfect master of all athletic
and graceful exercises sand, above all,
entertaining and witty in conversation,
and polished and agreeable in manners
he very soon excited Thorn,on's jeal-
ousy.. The flame was famed; perhaps,
by consciousness OF inferiority, in
those accomplishments which attract wo.
men; for, although eminently handsome.
was ditfident almos. to bashfulness.
A gradual es,rangement had grown up
between the lovers, and Tilford. though
at first constant. and apparently inter-
es,ed visitor of Thornton's sister Lucy,
was now never long absent from Nellie's
side. Week after week had gone by.
and at last it was whispered that she was
soon TO become Tiford's wife. This
rumor had reached Thornton, and he
was on his way to ascertain its truth or
falsehood, when the adventure we have
related interrupted and defeated his OBJ
jeci.
We have seen the result of the inte.-
view.