Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-05-21
IRAsBURGH, VERMONT, FRIDAY, MAY q, 1858

other to his destruction and so be eau
tious, vigilant, brave and true, and may
the good God keep you all from harm!'
As he finished speaking, Blanche pro-
ceed to take an afectionate leave of all, |
receiving many a tender message for her
parents from those who held them in love
and veneration; and the boat swung out,
and began to float down with the current,
now fairly entered upon the most dan
gerous portion of a long and perilous
journey.
The father of Blanche, Colonel Philip
Bertrand, was native of Virginia, and
a descendant of one Of the Huguenot
refugees, who fed from their native land
after the revocation of the edict of
Nantz in 1865. He had been an officer
of some note during the Revolution-a
warm political and personal friend of the
author of the Declaration of Independ-
ence-and gentleman who had always
stood high in the esteem of his associates
and cotemporaries.
Though at one time man of wealth,
Colonel Bertrand had lost much, and
suffered much, through British invasion;
and when, shortly after the close of the
war, he had met with few more serious
reverses, he had been fain to accept a
grant of land, near the Falls of the
Ohio, now Louisville, rendered him by
Virginia, which then held jurisdiction
over the entire territory now constituting
the State of Kentucky.
The grant had decided the Colonel
upon seeking his new possessions and
building up new home in the then Fa1
West, and as his wife had insisted upon
accompanying him on his first tour, he
had assented to her desire, on condition
that Blanche should be left among he
friends till such time as place could b.
prepared which might in some degre'
be considered fit abode for one so care
fully and tenderly reared.
Blanche would gladly have gone will
her parents but on this point her fathe
had been MISUNDERSTANDING that sh
} would have to remain at the East till h
= should see proper TO senu Ior ner; ali
as he was a man of positive character
and rigid disciplinarian, the matter ha
r been settled without argument.
r When Colonel Bertrand removed t
d the West, Eugene Fairfax, as we hav
Il seen, accompanied him; and coming {
age shortly after, he had accepted th
S liberal offer of his noble benefactor, I
e remain with him in the capacity of pr
e vate secretary and confidential agent
On taking possession of his grant, tt
t, Colonel had almost Immediately erecte
If fort, and offered such inducements
le settlers as to speedily collect arour
rs him quite little community-of whic
y as matter of course, he became ii
id head chief; and to supply the wants
his own family and others, and increa
1t his gains in legimate way, he had ope
IN ed store, and filed it with goods fro
al the Eastern marts, which goods we
l transported by land over the mountai
ht to the Kanawha, ard thence by water
I'd the Falls of the Ohio, whence their I
moval to Fort Bertrand became an ca
IL matter. To purchase and ship the
: =; goods, and deliver a package of lette
e. to friends in the East, Eugene had be
Il. thrice dispatched-his third commissi
at also extending to the escorting of t
r. beautiful heiress, with her servants,
e. her new home. This last commissi
hit had been so far executed at the til
ly chosen for the opening of our story,
NJ to bring the different parties to the mot
er, of the great Kanawha, whence the re;
Ter er has seen them slowly floating off up
the still, CLASSY bosom of the belle
ct rivers"
re- The day, which was an auspicious {
passed without anything occurring W
M thy of note, until near four o'clock, wi
on as Blanche was standing on the fore p
ou of the deck gazing at the lovely SC,
he which surrounded her, she saw see
ng ingly flying body suddenly leave Ii
ou of gigantic tree, (whose mighty br
est ches extended far over the river,
yes near which the boat was then swayed
ais the action of the current), and alight v
t a crash upon the deck of the boat,
the more than eight feet from her.
re- glance sufficed to show her what the
ap- iect was, and to freeze the blood in
for veins. The glowing eyes of huge +
Gus ther met ner gaze. The suddennes
urn the shock which this discovery gave
of was overpowering. With a deafer
ad- shrek she fell upon her knees and eli
uch ed her hands before her breast.
=