Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-05-13
rha Parils Of the Border.

WIN ffcSt, d SlOiO tlAlO buDSOHuChb ~ |
the Revolution. in which a highly accom-
young lady, the daughter of a dis
tinguished officer Of the American Army,
played an important part. The story being
of a most thrilling nature, and exhibiting in
a striking manner the s'Perils Of the Border"
we have concluded to give an extract from
it, as originally published, as follows
The angle on the right bank of the Great
Kanawha, formed by its junction with the
Ohio, is called Point Pleasant, and is a place
of historical note. Here. on the 10th of De-
tober 1774, during what is known as Lord
Dunmore's war, was fought one Of the ferc
est. and most desperate battles that ever took
place between the Virginians and their forest
foes.
After the battle in question, in which the
Indians were defeated with great loss, a fort
was here erected by the yictors, which be-
came a posi- OF great Importance throughout
the sanguinary scenes of strife which almost
Immediately followed, and which in this sec
ton of the country were confined for many
years after that establishment of peace which
acknowledged the United Colonies of Amer
lea a free and independent nation.
At the landing of the fort, on the day cur
story opens, was fastened a fiat boat of the
kind used by the early ~nayigators Of the
Western rivers.
Upon the deck of this boat, at the moment
we present the scene to the reader, stood five
individuals, alike engaged in watching a
group of persons, mostly females, who We're
slowly approaching the landing. Of these
five, one was a stout, sleek negro, in partial
livery, and evidently a house or body SER
want three were boatmen and borderers, as
indicated by their rough, bronzed visages
and coarse attire but the fifth was a young
man, some two and twenty years of age, of
fine commanding person, and a clear, open,
intelligent countenance; and in the lofty car
rage of his head-in tie CLEAN of his large,
bright, hazel eye-there was something
which denoted one of superior mind but as
we shall have occasion in the coursaaof our
narrative to fully set forth who and what
Eugene Fairfax was, we will leave him for
the present, and turn to the approaching
group, whom he seemed to be regarding with
lively interest.
Of this group, composed Of a middle aged
man and four females, with a black female
servant following some five or six PAGES in
the rear, there was one whom the most casual
eye would have singled out and rested upon
with pleasure The lady in question, was
apparently about twenty years Of age, Of a
slender make and graceful figure, and of that
peculiar cast of feature, which, besides being
beautiful in every lineament, rarely fails to
| affectthe behoIderwith somethingflike acharm
| u i 4no&-a1;o = . g. .u-. L.I:L
high in the neck, buttoned closely over the
bosom and coming down to her small pretty
feet, without trailing on the ground-was
both neat and becoming and with her riding
cap and its waving ostrich plume, set gaily
| above her flowing eurls, her appearance con
trasted forcibly with the rough, unpublished
looks of those of her sex beside her, with
their linsey bed gowns, scarlet flannel petit
coats, and bleaohed linen caps.
"Oh, Blanche" said one of the more ven
cradle OF her female companions, pursuing a
/ cUnyersatsou WHfulI had ueen lnIaIntdr1eu
since quitting the open fort behind them, Il
cannot bear to let you 90; for it just seems
to me as if something were going to happen
to you, and when l feel that way, something
generally does happen"
"Well, aunt" returned Blanche, with g
light laugh, 81 do not doubt in the least that
something will happen-for l expect one of
these days co reach my dear father and bless
ed mother, and give them such an embrace as
is due from a dutiful daughter to her parents
and that will be something that has not
happened for two long years at least"
"But | don't mean that, Blanche return
ID the other, somewhat petulantly sand
you just laugh like a gay and ~thoughtless
girl, when you ought to be serious. Because
you have come safe thus far, through a par
TALLY settled country, you think, perhaps,
your W pretty face will ward off danger in
the most ~perilous wilderness-but [ warn
you that a fearful journey is before you =
Scarcely a boat descends the Ohio, that doe
not encounter more or less peril from the
sayages that prowl along either shore and
some of them that go down freighted with
human life are heard of no more, and none
ever return to tell the tale"
But why repeat this to me, dear aunt
returned Blanche, with a more serious air,
" when you know it is my destiny, either good
or bad, to attempt the voyage? My parents
have sent to me to join them in their new
home, and it is my duty to go to them, be the
peril what it may"
=" You never did know what it was to tearl'
pursued the good woman, rather proudly
No. she repeated, turning to the others,
I" Blanche Bertrand never did know what it
was to fear, [ believe y
"Just like her father p Joined in the hus-
band of the matron, the brother of Blanche's
mother, the commander of the station, and
tho ,ni16Io a raJ ,~oa4loa,oa .1-A:a -
of the party ; "a true daughter of a true
soldier. Her father, Col. Philip Bertrand,
God bless him for a true heartl never did
seem to know what it was to fear-and
Blanche IS just like him"
By this time the parties had reached the
beat and the young man already described
Eugene Fairfax, the secretary of Blenche's
father-at once stepped forward, and in a
polite and deferential manner, offered his
hand to the different females, to assist them
on board. The hand Of Blanche was the last
to touch his-and then but slightly, as she
sprung quickly and lightly to the deck-but
a close observer might have detected the
slight flush which mantled his noble. ex-
presssye features, as his eye for a single in
slant met hers. She might herself have seen
it-perhaps she did-but there was no cor
responding glow on her own bright, pretty
face, as she inquired, in the calm, dignied
tone of one having the right to put the ques-
ton, and who might also have been aware of
the inequality Of position between, herself
and him she addressed:
Eugene, is everything prepared for our
departure 1t will not do for our boat to
spring aleak again, as it did coming down the
kanaMha-fnr it will not he saEo Cor -