Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1854-03-16


his bosom--and kiss upon her forehead
sealed the iacit compact.
On her return TO the house, Tilfore
lost no time inseeking Nellie's father, ant
asking his confirmation of the contract
According to his expectations, Lowder
received the announcement with grea
pleasure, and swore hearty oath ,ha
the wedding should take place the fol
lowing Suntar.
ave shall acarcely be able. said Til
ford, "io get Nellie's consent TO SO early
day.
"Well, WELL" Louden answered, sha.
king him by the hand for the third time
in the exuberance OF his joy, "she has
been good girl in giving up her chick
en-hearted dangler, and she shall be graf.
tied By choosing her own time.
After some further conversation, in
which Louden again and again evinced
the depth of his satisfaction. he set ou'
in search of his daughter. with the view
of urging her early compliance with his
and Tilford's wish. He found her in
her private chamber, on her knees beside
the bed, with her face buried in the clo-
ihes, sobblng as if her heart was burst
ing! His entrance had not been observ.
ed, thou gh he had rushed with the usual
brusquerie of his manner, without warn.
ing, into the sanctuary of what seemed
uncomfortable sorrow. He stood rooted
to the floor. and gazed at her convulsed
form in utter amazement. After pause,
he advanced ,imidly towards her, and, i,
resolu.e whether to apprise her of his
presence, lifted carefully in his hand the
disordered tresses of her ligh. brown hair,
which had been pushed wildly back from
her face, and lay in masses upon her
shoulders.
But Louden was one of these men,
who would much rather escape from a
scene Of emotion, than attempt, to soothe
the soffw even of his own child. He
allowed the disheveled locks gradually
to slip through his fingers, and turning
with noisless tread, left her alone with
her grief, aud walked ,hough.fully
away"
"She didn', de,ain you long" said
Tillord. meeting him as he passed out of
The house.
..l'll speak to her another ,ime," he
replied hastily -" now, must gel ready
to receive the company" And without
awaiting further question, he walked on
toward the stable.
The company of Regulators, Of which
Lowden was captain had appointed this
day TO assemble at his house, and devise
measures to protect the "settlement,"
against the increasing depre6a,ions of
thieves aud other lawless men. About
noon they began, singly and in pairs, TO
appear along the roads and through the
timber; and by three o'clock, all, TO the
number of twenty-five, had arrived. A
repasi, more remarkable for profusion
than elegance, was set before them. and
bolied without ceremony. A large room
was then prepared for their reception,
and their deliberations commenced.
During the day Lowden and bis wife
had repeatedly visited Nellie's chamber,
and endeavored to persuade her to come
forth. She had regained her composure,
to some extent, but the swollen eyes and
flushed face too plainly indicated that she
had wept long and bitterly. Even Til
ford. who, however, did no, feel at liber-
ty TO enter. failed. after repeated knock
ing a, her door, even TO elicit an answer.
As he turned away, Lowden took his arm
and led him out TO the detached build
ing in which the Regulators were only
waiting their appearance to open the
council.
On leaving home, Thornton, as we sta
ted before, had, almost unconciously, ta-
ken the road which led him pas, Lowd-
ems door. But recovering himself as he
approached the familure Enclosures. he
TUNED sharply TO the lef,; and crossing
the little streams below the point where
he had shot the deer, in the morning,
struck into the path which led TO the west,
in the rear, but out Of view of the house.
He had walked on for half mile or more,
regardless OF the direction. but lowering
without purpose round the point to which
his feelings tended. when he was start
led by hail from the very depths Of the
wood.
"Halooa. stranger!" shouted voice,
whose accents a, once betray ed the New
England nativity of the speaker, show
in the name of Moses, is man to get
outof this!''
"Walk out-or, il you have horse,
ride out" Thornton, answered grufiiy,
and was walking on.
"Couldn't you help fellow little,
don't you think" asked the traveller, in
a tone oddly combining the supplica.ion
appropriate to his present embarrass-
ment. with the impudence belonging to
his character.
sway what's the ma,ier!' asked
Thornton, pushing his way through the
thicket toward the supplicant.
"Can't you see what's the matter?"
said the other. and he pointed TO one of
those nondescript vehicles know wn as ped
dlers' wagons" which was jammed in
among grove Of paw.paw saplings. SO
as to be utterly precluded from going eli
ther forward or back. The two lean bu,
hardy looking horses who had brought, i,
there. quite unconcious Of the awkward
preGicament. were quietly nipping the
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