Mariposa Democrat., 1857-04-08
BEN's STORY.
WRITTEN roR rnE DENocRAr.l

A cheerful fire was blazing in the wide
chimney place in a log cabin on the banks of
the Yuba, and merry laugh was bidding US
a glceful welcome when we entered the rickety
door Some three or four hardy miners were
seated on benches or stools around the hearth,
induging in the quiet case which miners
camp affords, and making merry by relating
the causes which induced each individual to
leave his native home on the Atlantic coast
Being all personally known to us, we felt an
interest in every narration that was delivered
by each narrator in his turn, but when it came
to Ben F--s set, we were strangely moved
by curiosity, for he was certainly bred gen
tleman, and was distinguished by the ease and
elegance Of his manners, which forcibly con
trasted in his favor with those Of his less for
tunate companions. The tobacco in the pipes
were renewed, the fire supplied with fuel
when Ben thus began his narrative:
"You will perceive" said he, "from my
brown skin and black hair and eyee, that am
Southerner Being an only son was reared
with great care, and when ] left college was
considered young gentleman Of great prom
Use, and was educated to the law in which
soon became proficient Possessing much
ambition and great vanity, soon eclipsed al
my old collcgc-matcs in their legal efforts, and
was fast acquiring position envied by all tn,
younger aspirants for literary fame, when by
mishap became strangely infatuated with 4
young lady of great beauty and rare accom-
plishments. Deserving the musty volumes o
Coke and Blackstone, took to novel reading
and soon was paying my supplications at Tho
altar of Venus. Being respectfully connected
with fortune in perspective, ! had no diff
Guilty in urging my suit to completion, Which
gave great satisfaction to the old folks of boti
parties.
"That was wild and reckless will moi
deny, but there was nothing vicious in my pro
pensites, and my excesses in sociability wer1
viewed with little alarm by my intended mo
therin-law. All was elegant and costly in my
fathers mansion, and having charming and
captivating sister Of some seventeen summers
old it afforded me every opportunity of famil'
arizing myself with the forms and graces oI
fashionable society. During the summer and
fall months It Ia usual for the residents OF the
large Southern cities to visit the watering pia
ccs along the sea coast, but the city of New
Orleans being located near the Lake Ponchar.
train, most of its citizens seek recreation on
the borders Of the Lake at different watering
places along the shore, or visit their country
seats in the pine woods, which are rendered
comfortable by large expenditure of money
in contrvances to ward off the summer heat.
"Wcll," continued Ben, after he had thrown
more wood upon the fire. "To avoid Yellow
Jack that had already begun to slay some Of
the oldest residents, left the city of New Or
leans intending to pass the season at my
fathers country seat in the pine woods. Here
spent the first two weeks of my sojourn in
delightful intercourse with many agreeable la
dies, among the number of whom was my
adorcd Eleanor Her parents were very strict
in the performance of all religious duties, and
her own character had been formed in the
most rigid course Of the poral and religious