The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-03-23
From tie Baltimore Lttrary Gazette.
The Indian Lever
BY GEORGE SCOTT.

many years ago, Nutu VIC PtOpIe bc-
gan gradually to move onward from the
crowded cities, to bring into cultivation
some of the untouched forests, and to full
fill their destiny in the commencement of
cultivating this vast continent, band of
hardy pioneers settled themselves down
in one of the fertile spots of Western Viz
ginia. To the location of their infant set
tlement they gave the name Of Fishers
Hollow, evidently suggested by the ap-
pcarance Of the place. 1t lay in small
valley, surrounded on every side by un-
dulating hills, upon which already might
be seen the clearing which the axe Of the
settlers had begun to make, and the smoke
of the cottage curling above the dark
green trees. A swift brook, descending
rapidly from its mountain source, gurgled
and splashed over its stony bed, and the
dark SUBMITS of the Cumberland noun
tains in the distance, added all that was
wanting to make the scene romantic and
picturesque.
The band Of hardy nen, who had made
this place their home, were, perhaps; for
the most part, insensiblo to the beauties
which would have thrown many senti-
mental tourist into ccstacies of pleasure;
they had other things of far greater i'm
portance to them to occupy their atten-
ton. Surrounded by tribes of sayages,
who looked upon the encroachments of
the whites with dislike, and whose friend
ship could not be counted upon for a mo-
ment at time; and moreover cut off by
distance and want of good roads from
| frequent intercourse with large towns, they
had to be by turns manufacturers, farm
erS, hunters, and, if any fighting was to
be done, they had to be soldiers too.--
Such state Of things is not very favora-
bic to the gentlcr and more intellectual
tendencies of our nature; but still the nat
ural beauties of Fishers Hollow were not
without an influence upon the rugged
men who resided there; and among them
we're to be seen forms, who, while in their
physical developments they had no superb
ors, yet in their tempers and dispositions
were mild, brave and generous to fault.
Such character was Robert Effincer.
To the cultivation of few acres of land,
he added the trade Of Blacksmith, and
had small house with a workshop ad-
joining, situated upon the banks of the
brook. 1t was here the villagers had
their most popular place of resort when
! they felt an inclination to have little
gossiping relaxation, and to hear any for
eign news, for the place was fortunate in
having no tavern at this period of its his
tory.
1t was on fine morning in the month
of May, when the trees began to show
their lively green, and the wild flowers to
spring up among the thick and tangled
underwood, that young man, in the
homespun dress of the backwood hunter,
stood at the smithy. Finding he was un-
noticed, be rested his hands upon the bar
rel of his long rifle, with a good natured
admiration of the young workman with
in. And we'll he might, for, as if excited
with his task, and rejoicingin his strength,
the smith threw his brawny arms about;
and made the sparks fly from the heated
iron with every stroke of his ponderous
hammer, and seemed the very personiGca
ton of athletic yigor and many strength.
In the course of his evolutions, however,
he noticed the intruder, and smiling at
the ntentness Of his observation, he stop
ped his work, and addressed him, good
! humoredly -
! $50, SO, Bill, at your old tricks as usual;
of to the woods to waste your time, and
! do nothing but shoot little game: when
are you going to settle down, and become
a peaceable citizen like myself"
"Ha, ha," laughed the hunter, "settle
down indeed. Ha, ha, love the free
woods too much for that; it gives me the
same pleasure to roam there and to ex-
erciso my limbs, as it evidently gives you
to throw your brawny arms about with
that great ugly hammer, and as for being
peaceable, you are just as ready for q
brush as the best of u.s."
DWELL, well, you are about right, I
must confess; but what Go you say to COM
ing and lending me helping hand some
time? In little while. | think | could
make a good smith of you, and there is
more work than the pair of US could do
"That's not a bad idea,' said Charley
Bush the hunter; 'but," he continued,
looking up the road, what is the matter
now?'
Robert, with the heavy hammer still in
his haud, came quickly to the door and
then the cause OF his companions remark
was soon apparent, for a young girl, in
the first bloom of womanhood, was run
ming rapidly towards the place where they
were standing. In her hands she held a
string of flowers, bound together for the
purpose of forming a wreath, but her hair
was flowing loosely and in disorder down
her back, and her whole appearance bore
the marks of some strange and sudden
fright. When she came up to them, at
first she was too much furried to speak;
but after a little while, gaining breath, she
told them that, enticed by the beauty Of
the morning, she had been out into the
woods to gather some of the early flowers,
apd uLila thus oDvared hand hnaO sta rt