Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-09-02
MORNING, SEPTEMBER 2. 1858.

He started as one awaking from som
dreadful dream. The wild lustre of hi
eyes, and the tears came back again a
he cried =
Forgive me, adorable creature
forgot that you are too beautiful fo
death. Dive and be forever blest a
for me | will face the grim des tin,
alonew
He imprinted on her white lips a brie
kiss, and descended rapidly to the bail
OF the river. His feet were already il
the shallow water, when she shrieked-
Stay Wade, | will be yours-I viii
fly as you wish !"
He bounded back to her, exclaiming:
Now, | will too, believe there is a
God of mercy. | know there is a Heav
en-, for | find it here p
And the lovers melted together in tears
and caresses Of inefable fondness.
After a few moments, susAs4ss crust
ages OF rapture, into instants, the youth
said:
Conc, my own hearts bride. let u;
away we must be miles down the river
before shutdown, unless we chance to fall
in with a boat
AS he spoke, the hoarse ~snorting of q
high pressure steamer became audible
The young man uttered a cry of 10y
while the girl already relenting, faltered,
We must defer our flight until som
other time ; how l can | leave without
my clothing ?"
At that moment an angry curse, min.
gled with a peal as of Internal laughter
sounded Immediately behind them. The
woman fairly screamed, for she knew the
fearful im~precation as the voice Of the
unrelenting father. They turned. and
the fierce eyed old man stood before
them, not alone, but accompanied by a
proud, sneering brother, and q geemer
sultor o. the aap pg6ts477ag IL fe SPITE " her
aversion.
The picture was extraordinary, even
for the backwoods. The impetuous faith
er, a giant in strength and fury il his
youth, and still more powerful than any
man in Arkansas-his face writing, his
tongue inarticulate with rag the cane
uplifted, yet forbearing to strike, for old
Colonel Jack Thorn, though a Satan in
wrath and revenge) had a keen sense OF
the Western principles Of honor, and
therefore scrupled to assault an unarmed
or unresisting foe. His son John, a tall
dark visaged person, with cruel, thin lips
fourished a cowhide, but hesitated, to an
ticipate the purpose Of his father, who
could ill-brook any interference with the
course of his own quarrels. Captain Da.
Wis, the rejected sutton, a huge red haired
monster, the most murderous duelist OF
the frontier, with one hard smoothed an
immense beard, and with the other fon-
died the silver mounted butt Of his pistol
while a diabolical grin curled his coarse
lurid lips, and his small, yellowish eyes
flashed rudy jets Of fame.
Do not strike me-" said young Thorn.
son, folding his arms on his breast, and
looking steadily but mournfully in the
face of Thalia's father. Do not strike
me, for | cannot strike back"
And why not, coward. wretch, son OF
the devil ?" roared the colonel.
The youth glanced at his beloved, and
was silent.
DO you think a daughter OF mine
shall ever wed a cowardly poltroon? p
Sooner would | cut her up with my bowie
knife, as meat for the hounds"
. I'm not a coward replied the boy
in a thrilling whisper and a large blue
vein swelled up like a cord in his left
temple as if about to burst.
"Then fight me" Numbered the colo
mel fight me and you shall have her
be added with an oath frightfuE enough,
one might have imagined, to appal the
demons that inspired me.
A quick arrow of lightning darted
from the blue eyes of the youth, to be
succeeded BY streams of tears, and he
gasped Oh God, it is impossible p
But whether he alluded to the proposed
combat, or the exhaustion of his own
powers OF endurance, the hearers could
not at all conjecture.
The duelist, Captain Davis, ~interposed:
The lily-livered boy who is afraid OF
lead and steel, is not fit to marry
You lieW returned young Thomp-
son, IN accents Kissing like the death
warning Of the serpent.
Poor child, it needs the switch p
said the desperate, with a hooking burst
Of hellish merriment and he snatched
the cow-hide from the hand of John
Thorn, and sprang at his boyish rival.
A terrible struggle snsued, and the
youth might, perhaps, have achieved an
actual victory, when John Thorn inter
fered knocking him down with the but
end of his pistol. Davis instantly seized
him by his long, flowing hair, and com
pleted the chastiselnent 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 ipiercing
eyes as dagger on the visage of his enemy
and said ina hoarse whisper " | demand
that | will have satisfaction"
Does the baby want any more Of thu
same sort :" sneered the duelist.