Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1854-03-16
R. H. WARDEN, Proprietor.
From Graham's Magazine.
THE
Regulators Daughter;
Or, Che Eau of tie Strong 6a,,b.
A STORY OF ILLINOIS IN 1S2O
~->-~~>~~~~-~>>-~---~~~~~--
BY >. l.. MCCONNELL.
And liberty plucks justice BY the nose.
Measure for Measure.
CHAPTER /.



CHAPTER /.
A FRONTIER HOME AND PRAIRIE FLOWER.
A s,reamlet, with bright yellow sand,
fleckcd by red and blush pebbles, in its
bsd-with dropping tufts Of grass tina,
dipped their blades within its wa,ers-
here and there bunch OF willows, wa.
wing and bowling to corresponding clus.
,ers oppos,,e--ran sparkling along the
outskirts Of heavy wood. Sometimes
i. hid itself, for hundred yards or more,
within the fringe of thicket, and wound
around the roots of great old ,rees--anon.
it ,enlured out. for a greater space, into
the broad expanse Of prairie on the east;
and then. like timid navigator, as if j.
had gone too far upon the grassy ocean,
by sudden turn, il sought again the
shelter of the groves. A, intervals, j.
passed through .poin,s' Of timber. shaded
by ancient pairiafc chs, that stood far out
in the plain, like the advanced posts of
an army. meandered lovingly among The
groups Of plumb and hazel, and then re-
Iuc.antly flowed out once more upon the
open ground.
Within one Of its bends, and between
two points Of temporary oblivion in the
,hickels, few acres of green prairie
sloped gracefully from the fores. TO its
grassy edge; and, just within the shel,e.
Of the aged oaks and hickories, was bnilt
long, irregular log house. 1t was what
the early pioneers called "double that
is, two separate houses, in fact, standing
some ten feet aaars, and joined by roof
over the space Between them. Several
additions had been made to il; not by at.
taching the accumulation to the original
edifce. but by posting little square cab
ins here and there about the inclosure
and in the vicinity OF the "house" prop
er. as suited the convenience. or answer
ed the whim Of the proprietor. The
stables and out.houses, OF the same prlm.
tive order of architecture, occupied the
wooded slope beyond the residence,
while high, substantial fences, of heavy
white oak rails. protected each inclosure
from the others. Within these were
ample stores Of grain, aud stacks of hay,
with cattle and horses TO consume them
and over the whole place reigned an
nir of rural plen,y.
The main building was large and com
modious--being divided into several
rooins, and furnished with that luxury.
then SO rare, glazed windows. From
its front entrance could be seen several
hundred acres OF rich farming land, fenc.
ed and cultivated: while, beyond, the
prairie stretched away without limit,
save The meeting of the sky and the sur
face oi the green expanse. About two
miles further down the stream. seated
like this, within the shelter Of the wood,
was another farm, whose serried fences
covered almost an equal portion OF the
rich soil. No other habita.ion was in
sight; though half-marked road, which
wound along the outskirts Of the wood.
evinced ,ha. many others had been at
trac.ed BY The fertile soil and heavy tim
Der.
Along this road. upon a pleasant sum-
mer morning in 1920, young man.
dressed in the frontier costume. and
bearing a light rifle on his shoulder.
walked toward the place fret described.
with that buoyant step and open car
riage which distinguished, in those days,
the dwel;ers on the prairie. His sun
Drowned face was far more handsome,
though much less grave and s.ern than
iha, cast Of countenance usually observ-
ed among the frontier people. He was
rather lightly built, too, aud very little
above the medium height-not athletic,
or. apparently, capable Of much endur-
ance. but active. graceful, and "trim" as
an Arabian courser. A well-cl. mouth,
snd thin, expanded nostrils, with q deep
blue eye, barely redeemed his aspect
from the charge of efeminacy, which
might otherwise have attached to the
light brow. delicate cheek, and rounded
chin, that gave so much TO the beauty.
but so little 10 the strength, Of It's ex-
preston. Light auburn hair, which
gathered in curling masses about q rather
feminine neck, and email hands which
even hard labor had not roughen-
ed or embrowned, completed the exterior
of figure. far less the model Of pio-
neer Than Of The deiica.ely nursured ten
ant Of city.
Near the point where the.road crossed
the little stream stood thicket Of plum
and thorn buahes. and at the edge OF this
two or three rails had been placed across
the deeper current, for the convenience
Of foot-passengers. As Thornton di-
verged from the road to reach this, a girl,
with fair hair, bright blue eye, and an
active step. glided away from the lit.le
path, and hastily concealed herself Ia
The thick brush. evidently to avoid the
pedestrian. Her attempt. so far. was
successful. for he passed on until he had
nearly placed HE foot upon the bridge,
(so called.) when he was startled by thai
peculiar snort, which fnll-grown buck
sends forth, on suddenly catching the
scent Of his himan enemy.
The animal sprang from little copst
bu, few yards beyond the rivules, and
crossing that u bound, dashed among
the hazel and alder bushes which skirt
ed tho little grove. Thornton drew hi
gun hastily to his shoulder. and. as th'
Il G. ~