Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1860-03-31

she evidently Thought much inferior to her
self She had plenty of company, such rs
suited her taste, and no lack Of agreeable en-
ployment, Notwithstanding her persistence in
a habit which shocked still more the prejudi-
ccs Of her worthy neighbors. Of leaving her
household labor to a servant She made ac-
Quaintancas with all who rclShcd her lively
conversation, and took much pleasure in ex-
citing, by her eccentric manners, the aston
iShmcnt of her long queued admirers. She
was always atfable, and not only invited those
she liked to visit her Without ceremony, but
called upon them for any extra service she re-
quired.
1t was on one Of the brightest days in Oc-
tober that Mrs. Winton WAS riding with her
son along path leading through the forest up
the Delaware. The road wound at the base
Of n mountain, bordering the river closely, and
was tlankcd in some places by precpit0us
rocks, OvergrOwn with shrubs and shaded by
over hanging trees. The wealttF0f foliage ap'-
pcarcd to greater advantage, touched with the
rich tintS Of autumn
-"W witt, h,ies more gay------------.-
Than when the flow rctS blnomcd. the trees drcst
How gorgeous are their drapcries green aud gold,
Scarlet and crimson like the ghttrring vest
Of lSraels priesthood, glorious to behold!
"Sce Wonder towering hill. with forests clad,
49, IIuw bright its mantle Of thousand dyes
Edged with silver band The stream; that glad,
Du' S''e"'' "'"us u'rounu IT'S o"se'
1t can hardly be known il the romantic
beauty Of the scene, which presented itself by
glimpScs through the foliage, the bright, calm
river, the wooded hills and slopes beyond, and
the village living in the lap Of the savage for
cstS, called forth as much admiration from
ii - :.
attuncd to vivid sense of the loveninesS of
nature The Sudden flight of a bird from the
bushes started the horse, and ,lashing quickly
to one side, he stood on the sheer edge of the
prccipicc overlooking the water. The next
plunge might have been fatal one, but the
bride was instantly seized by the strong arm
of n man who sprang from the conccalmrnt Of
the trees. Checking the frightened animal,
he assisted the dame aud her son to dismount,
and then led the horse for them to less dan.
gcrous ground In the friendly conversation
that followed, the English woman put forth all
her powers of pleasing; for the man was
known already to her for one of the most res
pcctable of the settlers, though he had never
vet sought her society. His little service was
rewarded by cordial invitation, which was
soon followed by visit to her house.
had passed before this ncighbor was an almost
daily visitor; and, to the surprise and concern
of the whole village, his example was in time
followed by many others of those who might
have been called the gentry Of Easton. 1t be-
came evident that the handsome stranger was
n coouctte of the most unscrupulous sort: that
she was paSSionatelv fond of the admiration of
the other sex, and was determined to exact the
hor oho.,,,c c,ou. A. .o,,,, .
the wilderness. She tirted desperately with
one after another, contriving to impress each
with the idea that he was the happy individual
especially favored bv her smiles. IIer manners
and conversation showed less and less regard
for the opnion of others. or the rules of pro-
priety. The effect of such n course of conduct
in community SO simple and ld.(ashioncd in
their customs, SO utterly unused to any such
broad defiance of censure, may be more easily
imagined than described. How the men were
flattercd and intoxicated in their admiration
for the beautiful siren, and their lessons in an
art so new to them as gallantrv; how the wo
men were amazed out of their propricty can
be conceived without the aid of philosophy,
- Things were bad enough as they were but
when the time came for Mr.. WintOn to depart
and take his place Mt the Assembly, the change
was for the worse His handsome wife was
left, with her only son, in EaSton for the win
ter. Her behavior was now more Scandalons
than ever, and soon total avoidance of her
by every other female in the place attested
their indignation. The coouette evidently
held them in great scorn, while she continued
to receive, in a still more marked and offensive
manner, the attentions Of the husbands, whom
she boaSted, she had taught they had hearts
under their lnSev wOoscy coats. Long walks
and rides through the woods, attended always
by some one who had owned the power of her
beauty, set public opinion wholly Mt defiance ;
and the company at her frcSdc evening after
evening, was well known to be not such as
became a wife and mother
Should this history of plain, unvarniShcd
facts chance to meet the eve of any fair triicr,
who has been tempted to invite or welcome
such homage, let her pause and remember that
the wrath Of the injured wives of EaSton was
but such as nature must rouse in the bosom of
the virtuouS in all ages and countricS and that
tragedies as deep as that to which it led have
grown from the like cause, and they still do so
at any period Of civilization.
The winter months passed, and spring came
to set loose the streams and fill the woods with
tender bloom and verdurc. But the anger Of
the Justly irritated danes of EastOn had gath.
cred strength with time Scarce one among
the most conspicuous of the ncighborhOod but
had particular reason to hate their common
enemy, for the alicnated affections and monopo.
lizcd time of her husband, so faithful to his du
, ties before this fatal cnchantmcnt. Complaints