The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-05-15
The Peril, O, the Bord er.

! Oi tlriilinI event when occuTfcC III III
"WIld West" short time subsequent t
the Revolution, in which highly accom-
/ pIished young lady, the daughter of dis
tincuished officer of the American Army
played an important part. The story bein;
of a most thrilling nature, and exhibiting II
a striking manner the /" Perils of the BOr
der" we have concluded to give an extrac
from it, as originally published, as follows
The angle on the right bank OF the Grea
kanawha, formed by its junction with the
Ohio, is called Point Pleasant, and is a place
historical note. Here, on the 10th Cf Octo
ber, 1874, during what is known as Lore
Dunm0re's War. was fought one Of the
fercest and most desperate battles that evei
took place between the Nirginians and theii
forest foes.
After the battle in question, in which the
Indians were defeated with great loss, a foi
was here erected by the yictoTS, which be-
came Il post of great Importance throughout
the sanguiI sry scenes OF strife which almost
Immediately followed, and which in this sec
ton O. the cOuEtry were coat.uUeI for many
years after that establishment OF peace
which Acknowledged the Iitet Colonies Of
America free and independent G.at.oa.
\ the landing OF the iort, oa the day our
story opens, was fastened tist-hoat OF the
kind used by the early nayagatOgs Of the
Western rivers.
Upon the dee. Of this boat, a. the n, IN ut
we present the scene to the reader, stood
five individuals. alike tHE.gcd in watching
a group # persons, mostly females who were
slowly approaching the landing. OF these
live, one was a stout, sleek negro, in partial
livery, and cyiGelup a house or body sery-
IHI. three ~ere pygturn and bordeTer~, as
indicated by their IaI-H. br0aZed wages
and course attire; but the Iii,h was yOaHg
man, some tTo-aEi-tweUty years Of az, of
ane cCmmauIIug person, and a clear, open,
Intelligent cOuutenaucc; aud IN the lofty
carriage N Lis Lcgt-iu the gieam of his
large, bright. hazel cyc-tbcrc was sDme-
thing which denoted one IF superior mind /;
but dS we shall have occasion in the course
Of our narrative @ fully set forth who and
what Eugene Fairfax was, We shall leave
L5m for tie present, and turn TO the ap-
preaeA.u. group, w.om Ac seemed - be
regarding with lively interest
Gl til, group, composed Of a miIli.-a yed
man and four females, with ac,i e male
seTy@a, following some i've or six PAGES in
the rear, lcre Wt~ one whom the most cas-
ual eye would have rested upon with plea
sure. IAe lady in question, wa apparently
about twenty y-n-S Of age, OF a slender and
graceful figure. and OF tnal peculiar cast Of
...tur., which, besides being beautiful in
.yyrv Hleam.ut, rarely la > 90 a:iect the
b-ao..e- win something liae a charm.
ii-r travelling costume fine brown
la,it, high 80 the neck, 5gt,8U.d closely
e 3D. t..Y
-a..a pretty feet. w.tayut trai.ir. on The
zrouna-was DO % U-at and becoming; and
,iih her ril.ug cap and H. waving ostrich
plume, 81; s-Ly ah,Te her flowing curiS, her
appearance coatrasird forcibiy with the
s.Sf5II Itr, with t:.-i- ls-.--. bot -,
scarlet fluael pett.c0l.s. aad b.cachcd .iaen
caps
.Oh, Blanche" laid one G: ;he more ven
cradle 0f her female companions, pursuing
= conversation whieh had maintained since
quitting the open fort behind them, can
lot bear tu let YOU 90. Tor i just seems 70
,na as u something were going - happen %
you. and when | fee! that way, something
generally does happea.'
e" VII, aunt. returned Blanche, with a
,i.ht au-h. Il - not doubt in the ieas,
th.t something wi.l Aappeu-ior ! except
AMI blessed mother, and give thcm such an
euJ.acz - IS due from 4 Gu,.f4. daughter
70 her parcnts--aHI that Will be Something
that 4as .9- happens. .Jf i"o long years at
least.
Bat | 20 u't man that, BaacAc," re-
turnc! the o,hcr, somew what pctuiauuy,;
g. aul ycl Just laugh Ike gag and thought
rs, .i.t. when Won ought 70 De serious
B-rag~c YOU have coI.!. ale thus far, tnrOu-h
partially settled country, you think, per
harS, your own pretty face w.. ward oil
danger In the m9;c psr.i0uS wilderness
bg, VAN ypu that = icariu. journey Is be-
fire YOU. Scarcely BOAT Ge>c-uds the
Oria. that does not encounter more o. less
peril from the sava-es that proTl along
either shore: and some OF then. that 60
down lreigh,ed with human life, are heard
Of no more, and nOa. ever return 10 tell the
tlle.'
But why repeat tAS to me. dear aunt,
returned Blanche, with a more Scriots air,
when YOU know il is my destiny, either
good or bad, to atteinpt the voyage? My
parents have sent f5r me TO join them in
their new home, and il is my duty to go 10
them. be the peril what It may"
You never did know Wha. 1t was to
fear" pursued the good woman, rats cr
proudly. Ne she repeated, turning to
the Others. blanche Bertrand never did
know what It was to fcar,l teiievei
Just like her father" joined in the huS-
band Of tie matron the brother of Blanche ;
mother. the com nandcr of the station, and
the midllc-aged gentleman mentioned a.
one Of the party; "a true daughter OF
,rue soldier. Her father, Colonel Philip
Bertrand. God BLISS him 70; a true heart
never diG seem to know what it was to ieai
and Blan. he is just Ike him"
BY this time the parties had reached the
boat; and the young man already descrioee
/ Eugene Fairfax, the secretary OF Blanche'
father-at once topped forward, and, IN :
po,ite and deferental manner, offered his
hand 10 the different females, TO assist then
on board. The hand of Blanche was th'
last to touch his. and then but slightly, a
She sprung quickly and lightly to the decl
but a close observer might have detected
the Slight flash which mantlcd his noble
expressive features as his eye for singl
instant intt hers She mi Int herself hav
seen it-ncrhaps she did-~aut there was n
corresponding glow on her own bright
nrettv face, as she enqured, in the calm
dignificd tone OF one having right to pu
the question, and who might also have bee
aware of the inequality Of position betwee
herself and him she addressed
"Eu ,cuc is everything prepared for on
departure. 1t will not do for our boat t
, spring. a leak again, as it did coming dew
the Kcnawha-for it will not be safe for u
am told, to touch either shore between II
different forts and trading posts on OF
route, this side of our destination, the taI
; Of the Ohio"
"No, indeed" rejoined her aunt, quickly
/. "it will be as much as your lives are wort
70 venture a foot from the main cuarent
= the Ohio-for news reached US only Il
other day, that many boats had been
tack ed this spring, and several lost, with
on board