The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1857-01-07

WITHOUT cuoTt, lEe Dualu lGal Was 10 uc !
eide the happiness or misery OF Henry and
Aunc'tc.
"Ywcniy-t,eo feet und un iRch q" shout
ed tho Judges. Inc anuouuccluep, va
repeated with surprise by the spectators,
who crowded around the victor, tiiiuS the
Air with congratulations, no. unminglcd,
however with LOUD murn.urs from those
''ho Were more neariy interested in the
happiness Of the lovers.
The old man approached, and graspiug |
his hand eHu'tinsiy, called HIM his son,
and said Ii" felt prouler Of him than The ,
WAS pr;ncc. Physical activity and !
strength were the old Leaper's true pat
ents of nobility.
k"sumIug his coat, the victor sought
with his eye the fair lTlze lie had although
, nameIcs, and anknowu, SO iairl Won. =
She leaned upon her fathers arm pale and
distressed.
Her lover stood sioof, gloomy and NOR
tilted, admiriug the superiority of the
! stranger IN an exercise in which he ptiLcd
! himsef rs uurva'.ed, While he hated him
! ;or liz success.
A"ncttr, my pretty ir,zc said the VIC
I tor taking her passive hand 4 have Won
! you fairly Aunclle's cheek became pa
/ Ter than MAJ Ulc; she ticmb.ed ike an Us
! pen .eat, and c,uug closer to her father,
| While the droopIug eye sought the form
Of her lover. HIS brow grew dark at the
strangers language.
:" have won You my pretty i!owcr, 20
make You a bride .--trcmb!v not 50 vio
entity mean not myself, however proud
| mtgul hr," he added with gallanry, ITO
wear 30 fair - gcm next my heart
"PcrhAps,' aud h. cast his eyes inquir.
iugiy, whIc the current OF !lfe IcapeI JOY
trlty 10 her brow, aud "A murnUr Of sur.
prise ran through the crowd, perhaps
there Is some favored youth among the
competitors who has = higher claim TO
this jewel. Young sir he continued,
turning 10 the surprised Henry, "me
thinks YOU were victor in the list before
me--l s,roHe not for the ma den, though
one could no; wei, strive Tor tsircr-but
from love to the manly sport IN which
SAW YOU engaged. You are the victor
a-d as such, with the permission Uf his
worthy assembly, you receive from my
hand Inc prize taa, yow have 80 we.! AID
so A,HogaUiy GoA.
Ihe Youth spranE forward and grdsped
his han! wjIa graii,u lr, and tie next Ia.
ment Annette Was weeping from pure 10,
upon his shoulders. The Wckln rar.
wEh The aaciam0iiUns of the de'ighlcd
villagers, a"d amid the temporary excite
melt produced 10y this act tue stranger
. Withdrew from tho crowd, mounted his
larse AID spurgcI al 4 brisk trot through
the village.
Taac nigh, Henry and Annette were
married, nNl the nca'lh Of The mysterious
a"I noble hearted stranger WAS drank III
! olertlowIng bumpeIs q rustic beverage.
In process of time, there were born un.
to the married pair sons and daughters,
and Henry Carroi. hal become Co. Hem
~ Corro,l Of tie revolutionary army.
One evening, having just returned home
after hard campaign, he WAS sitting
with bis family on the gallery os lis hand.
some country house, when an advance
courier rode up and announced tie ap.
proach of General Washington and suite,
informing him that ne should crave his
hospitality for the night. The necessary
direct IONS were given in reference 10 the
household preparation, and Col. Carroll,
ordering Ii, horse, rode forward 20 meet
and escort to his house the distinguished
guest, whom he had never vet seen, al
though serving in the same widely cNtcn
deh army.
That evening, at the table, Annette,
now Become the diguited nraironIy, AMI
still handsome Mrs. Carroll, could not
keep her eyes from the face other illustri.
Gus visitor. Every moment or Two ste
would seal a glance at his commanding
features, AMI half doubtingIy, hsIfassured.
! ly, shake her head and look again to be
still more puzzled. Her absence OF mind
and embarrassment at length became evil
dent to her husband, who inquired afiec-
uonately II she were sick
81 suspect, colonel" said the general,
who b al been some time, with a quiet,
meaning smile, and observing the Iady's
curious and puzzled survey of his features
--"that Mrs Carroll thinks she recognizes
in me an old acquaintance" And he
smiled with a mysterious air, as he gazed
upon both alternately.
The colonel started, and faint memo
ry of the past seemed to be revived rs he
gazed, while the lady rose impulsivey from
her chair. and bending eagerly forward
over the tea Urn with clasped hands and
an eye Of intense, eager, inquiry, fixed full
upon hm, stood for moment with her
lips parted as il she would speak.
Pardon me, my dear madam-pardou
me, colonel must put AL end to this
scene. have become 10y dint Of camp,
fare. and hard usage, too uuwieIdly to leap
again twenty-t~o feet and an inch, even
for so fair BRIDE as | wot Of"
The recognition, with the surprise, de-
light and happiness that followed are lef,
to the imagination Of the reader
General Washington was indeed the
handsome "leaper." whose mys.erions ap.
pearanco in the native village Of the low.