The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1858-05-20


Ohio, now Louisville, rendered him by
Virginia, which then held jurisdiction
over the entire territory now consisting
the State Of Kentucky. .r
The grant had decided the Colonel up
on seeking his new possessions and build
ing up new home in the then Far West
and as his wife had insisted upon accom-
panying him on his first tour, he had as
sented to her desire, on condition that
Blanche should be left among her friends
till such time as a place could be prepar-
ed which might in some degree be conSld-
cred fit abode for one so carefully and
tcnderly reared
Blanche would gladly have gone with
her parents; but on this point her father
had been MISUNDERSTANDING that
she would have to remain at the East till
he should see proper to send for her; and
as he was a man Of positive character, and
rigid disciplinarian, the matter had
been settled without argument.
When Colonel Bertrand removed to
the West, Eugene Fairfax, as we have
seen, accompanied him; and coming Of
age shortly after, he had accepted the lib
eral offer of his noble benefactor, to re-
main with him in the capacity of private
secretary and confidential agent On ta-
King possession Of his grant, the Colonel
had almost Immediately erected fort,
and offered such inducements to settlers
as to speedily collect around him quite a
little community-ofwhich, as matter
of course, he became the head and chief;
and to supply the wants ofhis own tami-
ly and others, and increase his gains in a
legitimate way, he had opened a store,and
filled it with goods from the Eastern
marts, which goods were transported by
land over the mountains to Kanawha,
and thence by water to the Falls Of the
Ohio, whence their removal to Fort Ber-
trand became an easy matter. Topur
chase and ship these goods, and deliver
a package of letters to friends in the
East, Eugene had been thrice dispatched
his third commission also extending to
the escorting of the beautiful hciress,
with her servants, to her new home, This
last commission had been so far executed
at the time chosen fer the opening of our
story, as to bring the different parties to
the mouth of the great Kanawha, whence
the reader has seen them slowly floating
off upon the still, CLASSY bosom Of "the
belle of rivers"
The day, which was an auspicious one,
passed without anything occurring wor-
thy of note, until nearfour o'clock, when,
as Blanche was standing on the fOrepart
of the deck gazing at the lovely scene
which surrounded her, she saw a seem
ingly flying body suddenly leave limb
of a gigantic tree, (whose mighty branch
es extended far over the river, and near
which the boat was then swayed by the
action of the currenD, and alight with a
crash upon the deck of the boat, not
more than eight feet from her. One
glance suniccd to show her what the OBJ
ject was, and to freeze the blood in her
veins. The glowing eyes of huge pan
ther met her gaze. The suddenness Of
the shock which this discovery gave her
was overpowering. With a deafening
shrek she fell upon her knees and
clasped her hands before her breast. The
panther crouched for his deadly leap, but
ere he sprang, the hunting knife or Eu-
gene Fairfax (who, with the steersman,
was the only person ON deck besides
Blanche), was buried to the hilt in his
side, inficting a severe but not fatal
wound. The injured beast at once turn
ed upon Eugene, and deadly struggle
ensued. But it was a short one. The
polished blade of the knife played back
md forth like lightning flashes, and at
every plunge it was buried to.the hilt in
The panther's body, who soon fell to the
deck, dragging the dauntless Eugene
with him. On seeing her protector fall,
Blanche uttered another shrek andrush-
ID to his aid; but assistance from stouter
arms was at hand. The boatmen gather
ed around, and the savage monster was
literally hacked in pieces with their
knives and hatchets, and Eugene, cover
ID with blood, was dragged from under
his carcass. Supposing him to be dead
Or mortally wounded, Blanche threw her
rrms around his neck and gave way to
| passionate burst Of grief But he was
not dead-he was not even hurt, with
.hc exception of a few slight scratches.
The blood with which he was covered was
he panther's, not hisown. But Blanche S
embrace was his--a priceless treasure
IN index of her hearts emotions and af-
cctions. 1t was to color his whole fu-
.ure life, as will be seen in the progress
If our story.
Slowly and silently, save the occasion
i croak, dip, and splash of the steamers
)ar, the boat Of our voyagers was borne
llong upon the bosom of the current, on
,he third night Of the voyage The hour
was waxing late, and Eugene, the only
one astir except the watch, was suddenly |
startled, by a rough hand being 1,2a1 scoy2SiIS
pp6n his shoulder, accompanie9Bnd, 81
words, in the gruffyoice of the boasa hg y
. 81 say, Cqpn, here's trouble =
uWhat is, it, piGk2l;A
asnstaEting ta