The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1855-10-18
KATE BEVERLY.
A Story of Wyoming Valley.
BY PERCY H SMITH.

"Do you see that landscape! said the
old man to me. as We paused on the edg,
: of the mountain road, and looked dowr
into the valley of Wyoming beneath us
"Well, that spot, calm and beautiful a
it is, was once the scene of massacre
God help mel the agonies of that day al
most wiring my heart to think of them
even after the lapse of fifty years."
al have heard it was fearful time
and you have often promised to tell me
the tale of your own connection with it.
Yet if the subject be so painful to you,
/ dare scarcely make the request"
"No, boy" said the old man sadly, ~
will tell it, for the promise is of long
standing, and feel to-day as if could
relate that tragedy with less emotion than
usual. Sit down on this rock and give
me moment to rest. | will then COM
mence my story"
While the old man wiped the perspira-
ton from his brow, and sat tanning HIM
self with his broad-rimmed hat, I took
the place pointed out by him near hi
side, and spent the moments that elapsed
before he began his narration, in gazing
at the landscape before me.
Sitting on huge boulder, at the edge
of the mountain, just where the hill be-
gan to slope down in the valley, we COM
manded view of one of the most unri-
vailed landscapes in the world. To our
left rose up the mountain, both rugged
and barren, like the back of some vast
monster reared against the sky; but on
the right nothing interposed to destroy
the view; whose loVeliness so far exceed
ed even my expectations, that for some
minutes l gazed on the scene in mute ad.
miration. Beneath me stretched the val
ley, diversified with gently sloping eleva-
tions, and sprinkled with fields of waving
golden grain; while here and there patch
of woodland, with its dark green hue, lay
slumbering on the iandscape-the surface
of the forest ever and anon varying to a
lighter tint as the wind swept over the
tree tops. Right through the centre of
the valley meandercd the river, now roll
ling betwixt bluff banks, and now steal
ing gently among the rich meadow lands
in the distance, until at length it turned
to the left, and skirting the foot of the far
off hills, was lost behind the profile of the
mountain before us. In the centre of the
vale was the village, with its white houses
and airy church steeple smiling over the
scene. Far away on the horizon stretch
ed a line of hills, their dark blue SUBMITS
half hid by clouds, which wrapped them
in veil of gauze. No sound came up from
the valley. Occasionally the twitter of
bird would be heard from the surround
ing hills, while the low tinkle of a tiny
waterfall on our left kept menotonously
sounding in our ears. The morning rays
of a summers sun poured down upon the
landscape, and every thing around was
bright and gay and beautiful. l was still
lost in admiration of the scene, when the
old man signi6ed his readiness to COM
mence his story:
at is now fifty years ago since came
to this valley, young frontier man, with
hardy constitution, love of adventure,
and the reputation of being the best shot
on the border; the place at that time set
tied principally by families from Connec-
ticut, and even then bore traces of its
present luxuriant cultivation. Many of
the families were in good circumst stances,
others had seen better days, and altogeth-
er,the society was more refined than was
usual on the frontier. Among all the fam
lilies, however, in the valley, none pleased
me SO much as that of Mr.. Beverly; and
of his fre-side circle, his second daugh-
ter, Kate was in my eyes the gem. How
shall | describe her beauty Lovely
without being beautiful, with sylph like
form, laugh as joyous as the carol of a
bird, a step lighter than that of young
fawn in sportive play, and a disposition
so amiable as to win, irresistibly, the love
of all who met her, Kate Beverly was
scarcely seventeen before she had host
of admirers, and might have won any
youth in the valley. Why was it that she
preferred me over all the rest, cannot say.
Perhaps 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
had been schoolmates in childhood. So
it was, however; and it soon began to be
known throughout the valley that before
another season should elapse, Kate Bev-
erly would become my wife.
Oh how happy we were in those days
too happy, indeed, to last. I will not
dwell upon them, for they fill my soul
with agony. Suffice it to say, that dream
ing of bliss such as mortal never before
experienced, the war of the revolution
broke out; and after had struggle be-
tween my passion and my duty, the lat
ter conquered, and joined the army
Kate did not attempt to dissuade me from
the act; she rather loved me the more for
it. Though her woman nature caused
her to shed tears at my departure, her
reason told her that was right, and she
bid me God speed.
"Heaven bless you, Harry" she said,
"and bring this unnatural war to con-
clusion. ] cannot bid you stay, but pray
that the necessity for your absence may
soon cease"