Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-10-26
T8e storp GelItr,
From McConnell's Western Character.
THE ST RATAG E M.

L Il IA - II n n " "a Iva
Robert Elwood emgrated from Kentucky
to Illinois the year in which the latter was
erected into State, and passing to the north
west of the region occupied by the French
and Virginia, pitched his tent on the very
verge of the frontier. He was man of vio-
lent passions, impatient of the restraints of the
iaw-aFrogant, overbearing, and inclined to
the use of 'the strong hand His removal
had been caused by difficulty with one of
his neighbors, in which he had attempted to
right himself without an appeal to the legal
tribunals. In this attempt he had not only
been thwarted, but also made to pay rather
roundly for his temerity, and vexed and soured,
he had at once abandoned his home, and
marched off across the prairies, seeking
country in which, as he said, "a man need not
meet cursed constable every time he left his
own door. His family consisted of three sons
and one daughter, the latter being, at the time
of his emigration, about sixteen years of age.
In iourneying towards the north, he halted
one day, at noon, within point of timber,
which extended mile into the prairie, and
was surrounded by as beautiful piece Of roll
ing meadow land as one wished to see. He
was already half days journey beyond the
thicker settlements and, induging reason
able hope that he would not speedily be an
noyed by neighbors, he at once determined to
here erect his dwelling, and open new farm.
With this view he marked off a tract Of about
800 acres, including the point Of timber in
which he was encamped, and before the heat
of the summer came on, he had cabin ready
for his reception, and considerable amount
of grain planted.
About mile TO the south, there was sim
liar strip of timber, surrounded, like that of
which he took possession, by rich tract of
rolling prairie, and this he at once resolved
to include in his farm. But, rejecting that it
must probably be some years before any one
else would enter the neighborhood to take it
up-and having only the assistance of his sons,
but two of whom had reached manhood-he
turned his attention, first, TO the tract upon
which he lived. This was large enough to
engross his efforts for the present and for
two years he neglected to do anything towards
establishing his claim TO the land he coveted.
1t is true that he told several of his neighbors,
who had now begun to settle around him, that
he claimed that piece, and thus prevented their
enclosing it; but he neither 'blazed' nor
marked the trees, nor 'staked off the prairie.
Tn tho roaap+in,o irrratiop bad ooroo ~ -
much more rapidly than he expected, that he
found himself the centre of populous neigh
bolhood; and among other signs Of advancing
civilization, a company Of regulators had
been organized for the protection Of person and
property OF this band Elwood, always ac-
tive and forward, had been chosen leader, ard
the vigor and severity with which he had ev-
ercised his functions, had giFen a degree Of
quiet TO the settlements not usually enjoyed by
these frontier communities. One example
had, at the period Of the opening Of our story,
but recently been made and its extreme rig !
or had frightened away from the neighbor- |
hood those who had hitherto disturbed its |
peace. This was all the citizens desired |
and having accomplished their ends, safety
and tranquility, those whose conservative
character had prevented the regulator system
from running into excesses, withdrew from
the ranks-but took no measures to have it
broken up. 1t was thus left with recognized
authority, in the hands of Elwood and others
of his violent and unscrupulous character.
Things were in this position when, on his
return from expedition of some length, Ell |
wood bcthought himself Of the handsome tract
of land upon which he had SO long ago set his
heart. What was his surprise and rage on
learning fact which the absorbing nature
of his regulator duties had prevented his know
ing sooner-that it was already in possess
sion of another And his modification was
immeasurably increased when he was told
that the man who had thus lntruded upon what
he considered his own proper demense, was
none other than young Grayson, the son of his
old Kentucky enemy Coming into the
neighborhood in the absence of EIwood, the
young man, finding so desirable tract va
cant, had at once taken possession and by
the return ofthe regulator, had almost finished
neat and 'roomy' cabin. He had 'blazed'
the trees, too, and 'staked Off the prairie
taking all those steps then deemed necessary
on the frontier, to complete appropriation.
Elwood's first step was to order him pc
remptorily to desist, and give up his sim
Provement- Threatening him at the same time
with certain and uncertain pains and penal
ties It he refused to obey But Grayson only
laughed at his threats, and went on stoutly
with his work. When the young men whom
ne had hired to assist him in building his
house, gave him friendly warning that Ell
wood was the leader OF a band of regulators
and had power to make good his menaces. he
only replied that 'he knew how to protect
himself, and when the time come, he should
not be found wanting
Elwood retired from the contest discomftted,
but breathing vengeance while Grayson fin
ished his house and commenced operations on
his farm. But those who knew the headlong
violence OF Elwood's character predicted that
L.