The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1856-01-24

From Pusasas MoasAly.
tConeladsd from lest week
Bessie, with oil her acknowledged faults, ha,
been iavorite, and when her fathers fine ol,
house was sold under the hammer, the home
less girl would have been welcome guest be
meath many . roof 10 the village. But sh,
could not be dependant where she had almost
reigned queen and after few weeks o
restless fitting from place to place, she accept
ed situation as teacher in distant city, aut
iet Pleasant Valley, as she then thought. for
ever
But young lady can change her mint
many times in the course Of two years snt
two years brought her back She had gon,
sorrow. She came back more like the bright
bewitching Bessie OF her earlier days; and i
soon came to be whispered around that ther,
was good cause for her renewed spirits
she was going TO make an excellent match
These rumors were soon reduced to certain
~; for one Saturday afternoon, a sprucely
dressed gentleman was seen ri the door OF III,
tavern, and the next morning that same spruce
ly dressed gentleman walked into the villag,
with Bessie on his arm. Oddly enough II hap
pened, that Sam Saunders had ridden ovei
that morning to hear an old schooliellow
preach. The comparison between the tive
lovers, as TO the outward man, was decidedly
in the new eomer's favor. Grim old bachelor,
hood had settled down prematurcly on Sam
and stamped its mark on bis careless attire
and his bushy hair ; and hard work, In hard
profession, had not improved face which new.
er was handsome. The stranger, on the con.
trary, was eninently handsome man, and NO
little Of dandy. His face wore perennial
smile, and when he smiled he showed set ol
beautiful teeth, that you could not help motto.
ing. They seemed to be sort ofwhte paling
set up for the express purpose Of preventing
you from looking any deeper, to see whether
70 beautiful smile really came from the heart
or not.
During the week that followed, Bessie was
the gayest Of the gay Innumerable were the
parties OF pleasure executed or projected for
the amusement of her lover and herself II
speedily became known, through the hali-dozen
confidential friends. TO whom she had whis-
pered the secret, that she weuld not return to
the city till Mr. Nickerly could make the ar.
raugenents for their union. Mr.. Nickerly was
0 prosperous merchant, and Of course must pre-.
pare fine house for his intended BRIDE
How Mr.. Nicherly and Lawyer Saunders be
came acquainted, l cannot say but one after
noon, in the latter part Of the week, they were
seen walking down the street together in earn
est conversation. Stopping at Squire Littleton's
once, (where Tom. his nephew still clung to a
remnant OF the old mans business) they were n
long while closeted there. When Mr.. Nicherly
walked away, it was . very quick and nervous
tread, as Of a man who had Just escaped great
calamity and when Tom Littlcton came in, he
found Sam In brown study, his fingers resting
ON an open book. II was the first volume Of
Blackstone, opened at the 443d page.
Bessie Lttleton's fine match was broken OIL
Mr.. Nicherly left the village in great haste,
after writing her an elaborate and neatly folded
letter.
These facts were speedily known, and care
fully discussed throughout Pleasant Valley
some people said II was just what she deserved,
while the more kindly hearted grievcd at what
they thought must be her disappointment.
But II they exported to see that disappoint-
ment shown outwardly, they were mistaken.
There might have been tone sharper in Bessie
voice after that, and q less frequent smile upon
her face; but then Bessie would never sec four.
andtwenty again. and such changes were natu.
raj beside, she had now sought home at her
cousins, and Mrs. Tom Littletons temper i,
was whispered, was none Of the sweetest.
So Bessie was generally allowed to have come
out Of this. AZ out Of some other broken IN.
gagcments, heart-whole and though younger
girls, who when | knew Pleasant Valley were
running about in pantalets now disputed her
belleion, yet Bessie was a dangerous rival Tor
the youngest and prettiest Of them still Still
she was the one indispensable participant In
every project Of gayety, and II you peeped in
upon q ball or picnic, you were sure TO find the
beaux clustering thickest wherever Bessie was,
Thus far her success was complete; but be-
You'd that there seemed 10 be an invisible bar.
rier, which none of her admirers could or would
pass. One by one her younger friends dropped
from the circle 10 become wives, and little girls
whom she had held in her lap came to fill their
places and once or twice, when she dropped a
careless remark about forward chits, she start
ed to hear "old maid" whispered as a repartec.
These matters, Of course, were all duly talked
over at the tavern, and in the grocery and vari.
ETY. store. The opinion, at first doubtfnlly wbis-
pered, at length spread wide, that Sam Saunders
must be in some way connected with this. Old
Uncle Ben, the man oi all work at the tavern,
claimpd TO have been the first who had made the
discovery. lie had said all along that there
was some witchery about that Judgment for
his part he didn't know much about law, but
he knowed there was something about all such
matters which the lawyers kept mighty Close TO
themselves, and folks might dprnd that was at
the bottom Of it,
Thee surmisss, uttered with profound head
shaking, soon invested the case of sanndsrs w.
Lttletoa with mysterious Importance among the
less enlightened of Old Uncle BeD's hesrers.--
Vague rumors cnpt about, that, whenever any
Of Bewie's admirers became marked in their 1T.
tentiops, sam Saunders was sure TO he sscn rad
ing to him out Of very old book, aftcr which,
ss the story went, the spell Was upon him, and
he approached the lady no more.
The landlord. like the stnsekeper and the
other vilinge magnates. 5or long while tratesi
thesr rumors with great contempt but oue
day, when Tom Lttieton happenrt 10 b. in the
barfoom alone with him. the ho~i yenturcd
aher much preliminary cosvratiou. 10 express
his wsnder that Mis- Lttleton had never mar
red Tom turned with the gravesf possible
face, and in an impressive ,ooe said:
That, sir, Is in consequence Of the common
law Of England -
Aftsr this, the landlords incresiuIity yanisbed
sBd he and his cronies listenrd with woodsr and
attention 10 Uncb Bensy's expisnaiimss q HI,
theory of the spell The coossssenc vns. tina,
Squire Saunders began TO BE- looked upon il
a6rhat region With grca; respect, A. a man d
tremrndeos and mysterious powers and as b.
possessed q wonderful hrulty of shaking Nj.
Rod and looking wlse, Hhsneyu any question