Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1858-05-22


lself have seen it-perhaps she did-b Ut
there was no corresponding glow on her
own bright, pretty face, as she inquired, in
the calm, dignifed tc,te of one havin Z the
| RIGHT to put the question, and who might
\ also have been aware Of the inequality Of
position between herself and him she ad-
dressed.
Eugene, is everything prepared for our
departure? It will not do for our boat to
spring leak again, as it did coming down
the Kanawha-for il will not be safe for us,
I am told, to touch on either shore between
the different forts and trading posts on our
route, this side Of our destination, the
Falls Of the Ohio
! "No, indeed Y rcjoined her aunt quick
|ly; ut will be as much as your lives are
worth 70 venture foot from the main cur
rent Of the Ohio--for news reached us on
| " the other day, that many boats had been
attacked this spring, and several lost, with
all on board"
I ''No one feels more concerned aboDt the
safe passage Of Miss Bertrand than myself
replied Eugene, in defercntial tone and
since our arrival here, I have left nothing
undone that I thought might possibly add
to her security and comfort
THAT lis true, to my personal krfonl-
edge" Joined in the uncle Of Blanche "and
thank you, Mr.. Fairfax, in behalf Of my
fair kinswoman There will, perhaps, be
pursued, ''be no great danger, SO long as
you keep in the current; but your watch
must not be neglected for single moment,
either night or day and Do not, ! most
solemnly charge and warn you, under any
circumstances, or on any pretence whatso-
ever, suffer yourselves to be dccoyed to
either shore 2
! II hope we understand CTR duty better,
Colonel" said one If the mon, respectfully.
II doubt it not" replied the commander
of the Point; II believe you are all faith
full and true men, or you would not have
been selected by Colonel Bertrand, for tax
ing down more precious freight than you
ever carried before; bit still, the wisest
and the best Of men have lost their lives By
giving ear to the most earnest appeals OF
humanity. You understand what mean g.
White men, apparently IN tie greatest dis
tress. will hail your boat, represent them
selves as having just escaped from the In
dams, and beg Of you, for the lore Of God,
III the most piteous tones, to come to their
relief; but turn d deaf e5r to theln-to each
and all of theln-eren should you know the
pleaders to be Of your own kin; Tor in such
a case your own brother might deceive you
NOT wilfully and voluntarily, perhaps
but because Of being soaded on by the saw
ages themselves concealed. Yes, such
things have been known az one friend be-
ing thus used to lure another to his des-
truction; and SO be cautiouss vigilant,
brave and true, and may the good God
keep you all from harm -
As he finished speaking; Blanche pro-
ceeded to tale an afcctionate leave Of all,
; receiving many tender message for her
parents from those who held them in love
and vencration; and The boat swung out,
and began to float down with the current,
now fairly entered upon the most danger
Gus portion Of long and periloli5 Journey.
The father of Blanche; Colonel Philip
Bertrand, was q native Of Virginia, and a
descendant of one Of the Huguenot tefu-
gees, who fed from their native land after
the revocation Of the edict Of Nantz in
] 1868. He had been an officer Of some
note during the Revolutions warm polit-
ical and personal friend Of the author Of the
Declaration Of In ependence-an a gentle
man who had always stood high in the es-
teen Of his associates and coJelHpcr&ries.
Though at one time man OF wealth,
Colonel Bertrand had lost much, and suffer-
ed much, through British Invasion; aud
when, shortly after the close of the war,
he had met with few moro serious rover-
| ses, he had been fain to accept grant Of
land, near the Falls of che Ohio, now Lou
isvile, rendered him by Virginia, which
then held jurisdiction over the entire ter
ritory now constituting the State Of Ken
lucky.
| The grant had decided the Colonel, upon
seeking his new possessions and building
UP new home in the then Far West, and
as his wife had insisted upon accompanying
him on his first tour, he had asserted to
her desire, on condition that Blanche should
be left among her friends, till such time as
place could be prepared which might in
some degree be considered a fit abode for
one so carefully and tenderly reared.
| Blanche would gladly have gone with
her parents; but on this point her father
had beer memorable declaring 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 short
II after, he had accepted The liberal offer
Of his noble benefaotor to remain with him
in tie capacity Of private secretary and con-
fdential agent. On taking possession Of
his grant, the Colonel had almost immed-
ately erected fort, and offered such in
iducemcnts to settlers as to speedily collect
around him quite little community -of
which, as matter Of course, he became the
head and chief; and TO supply the wants Of
his own family and others, and increase his
gains in legitimate way, he had opened
store, and filled it with goods from the Eas-
tern lnarts, which goods were transported
by land over the mountains to the Kanaw-
ha, and thence by water to the Fails of the
Ohio, whence their removal to Fort Ber-
trand became an easy matter 70 purchase
land ship these goods, and deliver package
i Of letters to friends in the East, Eugene
had been thrice dispatched Ibis third COM
mission also extending to the escorting of
| the beautiful heiress, with her servants, to