The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1858-05-20
THE PBR11s OF THE BORDER.

were remlnueQ OF a bnllllluB event WnlCn i
occurred in the "Wild West, q short
time subsequent to the Revolution, in
which a highly accomplished young la
dy, the daughter Of o distinguished off
Ger of the American army played an
important part. The story being of al
most thrilling nature, and exhibiting in
striking manner the "Perils Of the
Border" we have concluded 10 give an
extract from it, as originally published,
as follows
The angle on the right bank of the
Great Kanawha, formedby its junction
with the Ohio, is called Point Pleasant
and is a place Of historical note. Hero
on the 10th of October, IVA, during
what is known as Lord Dunmore's War,
was fought one of the feroest 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, fort was here erected by the vic
tors, which became a post of great i'm
portance throughout the sanguinary
scenes of strife which almost immedi-
ately followed, and which in this section
Of the country were continued for many
years after that establishment of peace
which acknowledged the United Colo
nies of America free and Independent
nation.
At the landing of the fort, on the day
our story opens, was fastened a hat-boat
Of the kind used by the early nayiga-
tors Of the Western waters.
! Upon the deck of this boat, at the
moment we present the scenet to the read
er, stood five individuals, alike engaged
in watching a group of persons, mostly
females, who were slowly approaching
the landing OF these five, one was a
stout, sleek negro, in partial livery, and
Ievidently house or body servant; three
were boatmen and borderers, as indioa-
ted 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 carriage Of his head-in the
CLEAN of his large, bright, hazel eye
there was something which denoted one
Of superior mind; but as we shall have
occasion in the course of our narrative
to fully set forth who and what Eugene
Fairfax was, we will leave him for tho
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
B The most casual eye would have singled
out and rested upon with pleasure. The
lady in question, was apparently abou
twenty years Of age, Of slender anC
graceful figure, and Of that peculiar cast
= of feature, which, besides being beauti
full in every lineament, rarely fails tt
affect the beholder with something lik,
charm.
Her travelling costume fine brown
= habit, high in the neck. buttoned closol,
over the bosom and coming down to he
small pretty feet, without trailing on th
ground was both neat and becoming
and with her riding-cap and its wavini
ostrich plume set gaily above her flow
J. ing curls, her appearance contrastet
foroibly with the rough, unpublished look
. of those of her sex beside her, with thoi
linsey bed gowns, scarlet flannel petit
{ coats, and bleached linen caps.
"Oh, Blanche" said one of the NOR
= venerable Of her female companions
pursuing a conversation which had beel
! maintained since quitting the open for
= behind them, 81 cannot bear to let yor
go; for it just seems to me as if some
thing we're going TO happen to you, an
IS when I feel that way, something gener
'' ally does happen"
O "Well, aunt" returned Blanche, wit
a light laugh, "I do not doubt in tn
a least that something will happen-for
Z expect one Of these days to reach m
l. dear father and blessed mother, and Civ
y them such an embrace as is due from
o dutiful daughter to her parents-an
)t that will be something that has not hap
B. pened for two long years at least
l. "But / don't mean that, Blanche" re
10 turned the other, somewhat petulantly
'and you just laugh like gay an
thoughtless girl, when you ought to b
# serious. Because you have come sal
ls thus far, through a partially settle
RS country, you think, perhaps, your ow
y pretty face will ward off danger in tn
b. more perilous wilderness-but I war
you that a fearful journey is before yol
Scarcely a boat descends the Ohio, th'
n- does not encounter more or less per
at from the sayages that proWl along eithC
at shore; and some Of them that go dow
at freighted with human life, are heard O
ID no more, and none ever return to te
A. the tale
"But why repeat this to me, doi
aunt" returned Blanche, with a MOI
le serious air, "when you know it is IN
~ destiny, either good or bad, to attaml
f. the voyago2 My parents have sent f,
r. me to Join them in their new home, an
IA. it is my duty to go them, be tho per
ly what it may"
ID "You never did know what it was
as fear" pursued the good woman, rath'
proudly. "No, she repeated turniu
TO the others, "Blanohe Bertrand new
IN did know what it was TO fear, l b
/, lieve"
a "Just Ike her fatherw joined in q
husband of the matron, the brother {