Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-12-25
CHAPTER |.



A. the setting sun of the Goth of August, 1872,
threw II broad sheet of Furnished gold over the west
heavens, from the horison almost TO the zenith II
horseman, in green hunting rock, with rife rest
ing upon the pommcl of his saddle. and tightly
gratprd with hand, while the other held the
reins of his painting and fonnl-c beast dashed
through the great dark, gloomy forest which then
stretched over vast tract OF country in the north
W. stern portion of the State OF Ohio. Guiding his
gallant sleed over tina moist level ground through
dcnsc growth OF ash elm oak beech cotton wood
mad poplar trees whose thicky matted branches
malo twilight of MONDAY and darkness of twilight
he soon reached the banks of a dark deep river
known es lhc Maumce, or Miami Of the Lakes
Here he refined his ravel-worn beast to halt threw
himself from hi, back and ran mp and down the bank
tor the space of three hundred wards in eager search
Tor the ford which he did not find Then lac looked
up and down the dark stream, over which the shnd-
oWq Of night were fast settling, and remounting his
horse rode hirn INTO the water and swan him across
To the opposite shore On reaching the RIGHT bank
al the river he agal urged his weary beast forward
through gloomy wood-wherc night had already
sprcad her Pmtonan pail and "A solemn nwtul 81
lcace broodcd disturbed only by the dismal howl of
the proving wolf or the hileous scrcech of the ON
nous owl-and in fifteen minutes more he gained an
opening and drew rein II, the door of an humble
og-hut, through whose crcvices a faint light rm-
mercd. Throwing the reins upon the neck Of his
dropping beast and tightly grasping his rifle he dis
mounted quickly aud tapped lightly ON the slab
door
eNho's THEREOF demanded n voice from, within
with the ntonation peeuliar TO tho natives of Nov
England
@Edcn Sianforth was the reply of the horscmcn
Almost Instantly the door was thrown omen and
EXPLANATIONS of Measure broke from two of the four
persons present
These four persons consisted of n tall large
stroug hnr,l- featured muscular man of middle noe
IA small pale sharp featured thiu-lippcd woman
of torty--n long lank awkward youth of twenty
with pocked face haxen hair light blue eyes and
lreckled skin--nnd Il plump fair brown haired ha
| 2cl-cyed comely maiden of nineteen
stWhy Eden Stanforth be YOU back already
Who on earth thought of seeing YOU here tonight 2?
| said the elderly female who had opened the door
which she still held with one hand while with the
| other she took the hand of the Young horsemap
| For Young he was and handsome possessing fine
manly form in the full flush and yiqor of early man
| hood with nm omen frank honest intelligent conn
tcnance an eve clear bright and expressyc and with
waving locks rolling back from broad high smooth
forehead and clustering around heathv-hued checks
! md TEMPLES
! ~ honed TO surprise Won aunt" he said quickly,
as he shed in and closed the door for had failed
| in doing So | fear YOU would soon have received
surprise of a more terrible natore"
.Mercy on usl what's happencd?" cried the nunt in
alarm while the others held their breath to listen
| Ia thc rcnly
First said Eden Stnnforth .'do YOU know that
! Crco, Britnin
moi" exclaimed the uncle of the Young messcn-