The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-12-19
RAVENNA, WEDNESDAY,. DECEMBER 19, 1860.


to his daughter; but, meeting with indifTer.
ence and denial, he resolved to select from
among the large circle Of the hardy and
athletic young ssqep, the enc whose feats
were the greatestiSEd compel her 10 receive
him rs her lord.
At lest the day came for the allotted trial,
and to the spot marked out for rendezvous
many an eager uepirant came. Among
these was q newly arrived settler, who he'd
often made the sinewy and bold look pollid
with envy at his success.
The first trial was that of leaping. One
by one the competitors joined in until per.
ect Ajax in limb reached seventeen feet
This settled the questions: still, notwith.
standing this proof of his prowess, the old
hunter seemed dissatisfied at the idea of
marrying hs daughter to such siraneer.--
He resolved TO become better acquainted
with his strength and skill, and, suddenly
turning to his rivals, be said
Come. boys, let's have little rifle prac-
tice-two shots apiece, remember"
pGinted nail was partly driven into o
tree. The heroes of the other exercises
made trial. but were wide from the nails
head. The stranger rubbed his hands, and
seixing rifle, took rapid aim. The nail
was driven into the tree.
The unknown marksman once more fred;
the Nails head was bent double. This was
more than the rival, who was no other than
young Wilson could bear, and he walked off
A II congratulations were offered the lucky
victor. Old Gabriel Heath placed the hant
Of the reluctant Helena in his; but she, still
reasuring the memory Of him whom she
had so admired, and who had opened her
mind to the world of intellectual beauty, re.
monstrated against Der fathers choice to no
purpose. .f.
| For some time the victor visited the abode
of the hunter, chatted with him, and walked
with his daughter. They talked long and
fervently together, and he spoke in glowing
terms OF his love for her. She started al
THE, Tor the image of her lost lover seemeG
TO rise and rebuke her.
"Y love OUother, then :" he said. IRE
m7mbe: thht won you by my prowes,."
These words iu some tones might have
made hgr indignant, but now they onl{
tended to Gissipate her reserve as she re
Piled:
"What you have said is true. owe the
richest and deepest debt to another, who
translated for me the mysterious teachings
Of nature. ought to love him. and though
he is forever lost to me-. yet while exist,
Twill live yfoF NO so1heF Snt him. ''ss--
While she was thus speaking, the hunte
was regarding her with the same curious ex
preston, which hardly became a rejecte
lover. She was turning from him, when hi
detained her, and said:
This was tie young lawyer, Clifford, wa,
it not =
"lt was" she replied, looking in his face
where the smile had settled into anxiety.
"Biesaing on you for that word - he cried
Il am the long lost onc-tho rescued aDi
the redeemed -
1t was indeed young Clifford, who, through
an unseen and mysterious Providence, hat
not been drowned, but was saved from ;
watery grave by a fishermen, whose knt
care had restored him to life ard strength.
He told her how he hqd returned 10 the
vIlDge just in time to bear off the wager:
of prowess for her hand; and. confident tha
he ehonld be brought to her again, he die
sembed himself aud ganed the victory.
1t is needless to say that the joy of meet
ing him Of whom he supposed himself tn,
murderer, was so great, that Wilson though
but little of the refusal that he ultimately
received from Helens. He could hardly
believe his eyes until the generous GilFort
took his hand and faithfully promised neve
to reveal the circumstance of the boat rid
and forgive him for his rashncss.
The two rivals were rivals no longer, ant
Clifford lived with the lovely daughter O
Gabriel Heath many years of happiness
aud, successful in business and generous il
thought, he was the pride of the village.
Age tempered the rashness Of Wilson
who, after the decease of old Gabriel Heath
was the quotation OF his pioneer friends
But Thomss Clifford never revealed the Sc.
cret to his dying doy.