Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1855-12-01

society was more refined than was usual
on the frontier. Among all the families,
however, in the valley, none pleased me
so much as that of Mr. Beverly and Of
his leside circle his second daughter,
Kate. was in my eyes the gem. How
shall describe her beauty. Lovely with
out being beautiful. with a sylph-ike form,
a laugh as Joyous as the carol Of bird, a
a step lighter than that of young fawn in
sportive play, and disposition SO amia-
bic as to win, irresislibly, the love of all
who met her. Kate Beverly was scarce
Iy seventeen before she had host of ad-
mirers, and might have won any youth in
the valley. Why was it that she prefer
red me 10 all The rest, / cannot say; per-
haps it was The consciousness Of some
mysterious sympathy linking US together,
or perhaps it was that we both came from
The same town in Connecticut and has
been schoolmates in childhood, so ii was,
however. 1t soon began TO be known
throughout the valley that before another
season should elapse, Kate Beverly would
become my wife.
"Oh I! how happy we were those days
too happy indeed to last. | will not
dwell upon them, for they fiIl my soul
with agony. Suffice it to say, that
dreaming of bliss such as mortal never be-
fore experienced, the war of the revolu-
ton broke out, and after hard struggle
between my passion and my duty, Se
latter conquered, and joined the army.
Kate did not attempt to disspade me from
tie act she rather loved me the more for
1T. Though her woman nature caused
her 10 shed tears al my departure, her rea-
son told her that was right, and she bid
me God speed.
Heaven bless you, Harry" she said,
'and bring this unnatuIa al war to a conclu-
. sion. cannot bid you stay, but pray
that the necessity for your absence may
soon cease"
Time rolled blythe American cause
e was sill doubtful, and the war bid fair to
e be prolracled into years. had risen TO
n be captain in lhe-reglment, when | re-
ccived Information that lhe Tories and In
/ dians intended making descent on the
q. valley OF Wyoming. | knew the unpro-
: lected situation OF my adopted district, and
, | /. embed for the lives of those held
most dear. At first | discredited the ru-
NOR, chance, however, threw in my way
z on opportunity Of asceriaining the reality
!. of the descent, AID | became convinced
| that not momeA! was 10 be lost if |
would save The lives Of those | loved al
| home. Nv determination was al once Ia
: ken | solicited for leave of absence II
e was refused then resigned my COM
+. mission. and Sc, forth for Wyoming.
a shall never forget my emotions when
y II draw near that ilI-(aled place: it was on
The verv dav Of the massacre; and The first
: inimaion | had of the calamity was the
: mangled body Of one OF the Inhabitants,
e who n had known, floating down stream.
A cold shver ran Though every vein as
: oazed on the ter ible sight. and thousa I'd
| fears agtated NV bosom; but nv worst
surmises fell short of the ttuih. When
? hours after met some of the fugit'ves'
. and they rehearsed 10 me the tale OF hor'
: ror. | stood for a moment thunder-siruck,
refusing to believe that beings IN human
r forms could coolly perpelrate such deeus;
bu, it was all loo true.
r Almost my first inquiry was for hate.
I No one knew, alas what had become OF
her. One of those who had escaped the
: fight, told me that her father had been
! killed in the conflict, and that deprived OF
protector, she had probably fallen VIC
tim 10 the infuraied savages, wh'le Inc
l other inhabitants were seyeraily engaged
2 in protecting themselves. How l cursed
5 them for this sel6shness, and yet how
could expect aughl else of human ma
r ure IMAM that each one should pro'ec'
: those dearest 10 them even TO the deser-
ton Of others. :,
But nv mind was soon made up. l
resolved, come what might, TO ascertain
clearly ,he late of K.ie; SO that II de.d
might revenge her. and if living m'Sn'
rescue her. Bidding farewell TO the ny
ling group shouldered my rifle and struck
boldly into the forest, trusting IN me gul-
dance OF that God who never deserts us IN
our eytremltles.
Twill no, lire you with protracied
narrative :; will only say that after nu-
merous inquiries from the lugiiives | met.
| learned that Kate had been seen last in
The hands of party of savases; tbs was
sufficient for clue waited unlil night
fall, when | sought The spot which had
been described 10 me as the one where
Kate had been last seen; and never shall
forget my feelings of almost raPtnrous
pleasure, when | found, in the neighbor-
ing forest, par, of her dress sticking to a
hnch. H.. L 4 :. l. 1 l. IL lonr