Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1857-03-26
Jay MORNING, MARCH 90, 1857.

ulated in accents frozen into gaspins
whispers by excess of terror.
He started as one awaking from some
dreadful dream. The wild lustrc left his
eyes, and the tears came back again a,
he cried:
Forgive me, adorable creature; / for
got that you are too beautiful for death
Live and be forever blest; as for me,
| will face the. grim destiny alone!"
He imprinted on her white lips a bricl
kiss, and descended rapidly the bank Of
the river. His feet were already in the
shallow water, when she shrieked-g g
Stay, Wade, | will be yours-I will
fly as your wish"
He bounded back to her exclaiming:
Now | too, will believe there is a
God ofmercy. I know there is Heaven,
for l find it here!"
And the lovers melted together in tears
and caresse5 Of ineffable fondness.
After few months, such as crush ages
of rapture into instants, the youth said:
" Come my hearts own bride, let us
away; we must be miles down the river
before sunrise, unless we may chance to
fall in with boat"
AS he spoke, the familiar horse snort
ing Of high pressure steamer became
audible. The young man uttered a cry
of JOY, while the woman, already relent-
ing, faltered
" We must defer our fight until some
other time; how can | leave without my
clothing?"
At that moment an angry curse, min
gled with peal as Of Internal. laughter
sounded Immediately behind them. The
woman fairly screamed. for she knew the
fearful imprecation as the voice of an un
reenting father. They turned, and the
ferce-eyed old man stood before them moi
alone, but accompanied by a proud, sheer
ing bro Their, and former sutton of the
daughter-onc abhorred and rejected, We
stilAperseyerine,z je spite IF ~. version
The picture was extraordinary, e II
for the backwoods. The impetuons father
a giant of strength and fury IN his youth
and still more powerful than any man il
Arkansas-his face writing his tongue
inarticuate with rage, his cane uplifted
yet forbearing to strike, for old Colone
Jack Thorn. though Satan in wrath anC
revenge had a keen sense Of the Westerr
principle Of honor, and therefore scrupleG
to assault an unframed or unresistine
foe. His son John, tall, dark visageo
person, with cruel, thin lips, lourished 6
cowAide, but hesitated to anticipate the
purpose Of his father, who could ill-brook
any interference with the course of hi;
own Quarrels. Captain Davis, the reject
ed sutton, a huge red haired monster the
most murderous duelist of the frontier
with one hand smoothed an immense
beard. and with the other fonded the sill
vermouated butt of his pistol, with dia-
bolical grin curled his course, lurid lips,
and lis small yellowish eyes flashed rud
dy jets of flame.
I" Do not strike me-" said young Thomp
son folding his breast, and looking stead
lily but mournfully in the face of Thalia's
father, Do not strike me, for l cannot
strike back"
And why not, coward wretch, son OF
the devil?" roared the colonel.
The youth glanced at his beloved, and
anu was silent.
" Do you think daughter ofmine shall
ever wed Il beggarly poltroon? Sooner
would cut her up with my bowie-kinfe
as meat for the hounds"
" | am not coward" replied the boy
in thrilling whisper, and large blue
vein swelled up like a cord in his left
temple as if about to burst.
Then fight me!'' Numbered the colo
mel; 8 fight me and you shall have her; he
added with an oath frightful enough, one
might have imagined 10 apla t e de.
mons that inspired him.
A quick arrow Of lightning darted from
the blue eyes Of the youth, to be succeed
ed by streams Of tears as he, gasped:-
T" Oh! God, it is impossible!' But wheth-
er he alluded to the proposed combat, or
the exhaustation Of his own powers Of en-
durance, the hearers could not well con
lecture. 6f
The duelist, Captain Davis, interposed:
1.-The liiy-lyered boy who is afraid of
lead and steel, is not fit to marry.
g You lie!'' retorted young Thompson
in accents Kissing like the death warning
Of a serpent
" Poor child, it needs the switchl'' said
the desperate, with mocking burst Of
hellish merimeat; and he snatched the
cowhide from the hand of John Thorn,
and sprung, at his boyish rival,
A terrible struggle ensued, and the
youth might perhaps have achieved an &C
tual victory, when John Thorn interfered
by knocking him down with the butt of
his pistol. Davis instantly seized him by
his long flowing hair, and completed the
chastisement without pity or shame
At length, Colonel Thorn ordered.
!" Let go, Captain; that is more than.
enough, and the thing has not been done
very fairly, any way"
Released, the boy fixed his eyes pierre
ing as daggers on the yisage ofhis enemy,
and said in a hoarse whisper; e | demand
and | will have satisfaction?h 81
" Does the baby want any more of the,
same sortl" sneered the duelist.
The steamboat, previously alluded to