The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-06-01

In the form Oi the fair FreelOve there
was not little spilit md every feeling
was IN arms Mt being thus unccrem0ni.
Ously disposed ". She determined that
the grim warrior who had 50 little knowl
edge of female nature nS IL overlook her
wishes in such maitcis, should meet hi-
match. She kept her own counsel, but
maintained Keen watch over the move
Incnts If her father.
No sooner was it nOiSed about that Seth
Finclnn was to carry off the muclI.cOv.
ctcd PriIr, than the whole country from
Flushing TO Huntington was in blaze Of
excitement. At last, rum0rs Of the in
tcI1lcd wedding reached the ears Of Der.
rick Nnn Dam, WHO had been COr some
time past rscOncc,l in the fortress nj Ma
tinrcOck, Matching new projects of mis-
chief lie forthwith sailed out for infOr.
nation nor was he long IN learning that
though brtrOlhcd to Seth Pinchon, the
heart Of the girl had little share in the
matter. Had she been about to wed one
II her own age, md to whom she went
heart and han,l, spirit Of hish.bred chiv.
airy, dash Of which was mingled with
his reckless character, would have pre-
vented Derrick, notwithstanding his fr
mcr menace, GIOm interfering. .AS Il :,
he looked upon Seth Pinch0n n ltd 1T
ter than the COZ Sai,S, who were .r..' tlg
the Mediterranean aud Adratir. r'I NIX
ing prey Of every fair nlai'lcn n;"o.e ,im
they could lay hands. lie di , ,.,. l....I
tate to declare his intention Ia g.. goo ~.
field against his military rival. .,oi I"
proclaim openly that Frcrlovr w. the
fairc>t mai'len on Long Island. "nl that
he would marry her in spit If S III
Pinch0n. This menace rcncnt, '',c ears
of Ere, love. At any other tire would
have eX"ited her ire but matt, we're
approaching n crisis with her. ar.l the
prospect Oi escape, even by being ca led
"lf by Scapegrare whom She had i vrr
seen, and whom she had denounced on MI
occasions. seemed a positive relief
Still day n(lcr day slipped by. Rumor
of his praukS, "f his reckless fnrrayS into
the territories Of the Cocks aud the lat
hugs aud the Frn>t<, the WrightS mud the
Weeks, his utter disregard 0f territorial
rights aud Indian grants, rang through
the country hut no incur>innS "f his lla'l
extended inside the dwelling If the Cock,
nor hal there been the Iii shtr>t drlInn-
>tritinn Of more tender cha artrr
In the M an tim" these vniInt< had CX.
ritcd EhrnrZ,r Cocks wrath Ia Wlitc
heat. lie dwlarcd that Derrick Was u"
hritrr than n frcrlnOtrr, mud that hc w"n,l
have him hung if hr got MIN in his power.
Free l"vc'> h,alt sank ut these mcnar,> 4;
il was heavy ton tn her own account iur
the h"IlS.. was alive With the hustle ul
preparation Cnr the wedding. AnplrS
were hanging IN fr>tn0n> nj the WinluA {;
pumpkins were brought in for pics sheets.
toNriing, AMI nll the various items ni
hNuScwif nv " hirh denote that daughter
aud mn hrirrSS is t0 launch her bnrk il
hf'. were nI"ut her Anil al, she tlroupcl
nut the hlnnm Gllc,l from her check.
In vain, w"ll.mranlng {, lends vndcav.
"ri tu ch,cr hr, hy sounding the praises
II her intended bridegroom. They told
hnw many Indians he had Ecalpc'i. how
many towns hc had sacked, and rcrount.
rd his numerous ventures bv flood nnl
field. Had these exploits hrcn connected
With n young and handsome person. il is
not Improbable that they might have
added t0 his merits IN her ewes; hut u
they only brought IL her mind the gaunt,
bnltle-wO exterior "f Seth Pinch"n, she
turned nway aud said that he must he n
cruel wretch. As the fItvG hour drew
near she would steal away aud wander
through the woods, entleAvOrIng to plan
some mode Of escape, yet feeling that her
plans aud schemes must fail hencath the
iron will nf those who controlled her. One
aiiern,Mn, under the Influence Of these
feelings, she wandered oft into the woods,
tO notice whittier she directed her steps.
She had gone farther than usual, and was
about turning homeward when a twig.
Sinpping beneath tOnt.Stcp, rnught her
nitci tiOn. Indians at that time still lurkrd
in the for, StS, aud suspicious characters
were known to be prOwling around the
settlements, living equally by plunlrring
the white man and the Indian. With II
feeling Of trcpiiati"n the girl turned to-
ward the sound, and behell young man
standing within n few feet 0f her. lie
was gazing at her with lonk Of extreme
surprise, which look was equally reflected
in her own face. The stranger raised his
hat respectfully. "I think I have the
honor If addressing Miss COck!'
There was something in his air which
inspired confidence and although h,
gnzed at her with an expression oI III,
most intense admiration, yet his i'r' W.,
80 respectful that she could no' take "i-
fence. Whom could he hey He va cv.
identity stranger in this part 81 '""' .n s.
try. Ills appearance differed lr'"m tnr'
Of one brought up in the Wild> ~ l.'"-
island. While these thOuS Shl> wei pass.
ing through her mind. she was dirr,u:
her ftmtStcps hOMewardS. The stranger
hinted that improper characters were said
To be prOwling about, AMI suggested that
hc should escort hrr until Sh arrived in
sight Of her fathers house. The .irl
seemed to arQuirSc", AMI he took his sta.
iion at her side. BY degrees aS iii Y went
on, their steps became more and u"e
Slow; their conversation was carried IN
in tone So low. thnt although there WIS
M listeners. il was scarcely above n whi>
per. The color in the girls check, tO",
rnne nnu went aS she listened. Once OF
twice in the course Of the conversation
the name or Seth PinchOn passed between
them. Gradually the stranger spok" more
earnestly. FreeIove did not l"k up; her
eyes were fixed On the ground. The
manner Of the Oth"r became more urgent.
II was evident TINT he waS making pas
S,nnate appeal. ain this hope" he AL
,lc,l, in conclusion to some rrmark, 81
have fingered here from day to day, aud
until nov have watched in vain"
The girl vrntured to steal N glance nj
the han,lsuNr eyes which w"rr bent np""
her own; her heart Ihr'hh'"l at the gaz
which they encountered. II was cvi lent
that thu drcla:aiinnS which he hn,l poured
intr her ear were genuine. N"ne other
could cnMr from u person With such eyes
hut ~ yet the stranger had menli"ne'
0nly his lave, NOT his name; il could dr
M harm tO know il. even il she hal III
tell him that he must be disappointed il
his hopes. SU. with huttrring hear
and faint voice, she said it was very OdI
a. n