The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1863-06-03

freedom OF rural life with the elegance of
! city cultivation these were her attractions.
CAPTAIN Edgar was a lucky tellow-!or she
loved him with all the fcrVor of the wilder
ness and 10y nothing in her education had
she learned to act as if ashamed OF her at-
fections.
He was we'll worthy Of such bride.
Tall elegantly formed, active and graceful,
he was the very type OF a young frontier
man. Gait, carriage, voice and countenance
were all in unison with tho open, manly
spirit of his class. Pre-eminently brave
among people noted for its courage; able
as a leader. where in order to lead, supe-
riority must he plainly seen and deeply
felt: he was already, though scarcely five
and twenty. the captain of a company Of
rangers. whose arduous task it was to pro-
tcci a frontier of nearly a hundred miles
from tho deprcdatons of the Indians. The
latter. stirred up. as is universally believed
in this country 10y British agents, since
tile opening of the war, were gathering, in
UNPRECEDENTED numbers, along the lakes
and on the Upper Mississippi; and like
bolts from thunder cloud. war parties were
moving rapidly in all directions-iaIling,
with the suddenness of Indian stratagem,
when their descent was least expected, and
vanishing among the shadows of the forest
ere their blows could be returned. If the
settlements on Shoal Creek, had as yet es-
capped incursion, il was chiefly owing to
the vigilance and activity of Edgar's Rang
ers. and in circumstances like these, II may
well be supposed that nothing save the ut
most confidence. would have induced the
pioneers to trust SO young a man with Il re-
sponsbility so heavy.
But neither war. nor rumors OF war could
exclude from the mind of the youthful cap
tain, thoughts Of love and anticpations OF
domestic bliss In the midst of these alarms,
day was appointed for his marriage with
Jane Fielding 1t was the 10th of Septem-
Der. lSl3-a dav memorable in the annals
of our country, as that on which Perry
achieved hiR famous victory over Barclay
and though they of course knew nothing OF
the approaching event. it is probable that
even so brilliant an anticipation would not
wholly have withdrawn their attention from
that which SO much more nearly concerned
them.
\ wedding on the frontiOr, in those days,
was a far he6rter affair than it now is in
the same country People seem to be some
what ashamed of getting married of late,
and seek to avoid observation, very much,
as if they were about some act only allow
able. because not positively prohibited by
statuary cuactments. The first that the
neighborhood learns in these modest times.
of matrimonial union, is the stately de-
parture of close carriage, III which the
guilty parties are privately Withdrawing, TO
hide their Culprit faces among careless
strangers. The public feeling of the olden
time was somewhat different. The consul
nation, III fact OF a union which was al
ready complete III affection, was then deem
ed an occasion of social congratulatiOu, and
sometimes of noisy enjoyment The neigh
bors-husbands, wives, sons, and daughters
We're all called in. to take part in the
hilarity; and each lcit th@t il The event
was, rs it should be, happy one TO the
parties directly interested, it would he
wrong to detract from the happiness, by
gloom, reserve or ceremony
The pioneers cared little for scented
notes Of invitation, embossed cards, EN-
bIematic turtle doves-no more than for
the unsubstantial trickcrieS which now
make UP : wedding feast. As the day ap-
preached, though yet perhaps Il week re-
manned, the children of the brides family
were sent forth to warn the neighbors i'll;
or, not unfrequently, the parties took ad-
vantage of some other merry making, TO an
nounce the auspiciOus event. and deliver
| invitations; and. without other formaIity,
all who lived within days ride of the
! place considered themselves invited and
arranged their affairs accordingly. Some
| Inconvenience to the hos and hostess might
result from the uncertainty about tho num-
Der of their guests but the art of provid-
ing mathematically for the precise number
| expected, was not then cultivated; if there
was enough, itmattered not how much more
there might be-fUr that meamess which
combines sordid calculation with the rites
| t,l,
vices. Preparation was made to receive all
who were near enough 70 reach The place
| prousiom of substantial things, such us
hearty men and natural women liked, !
adorned the rude tables and no grand
flourishes of white aproned walters, no.
sham dignity OF form or ceremony, encum-
bered or oppressed the feast. And, though
the early haclwoodsman might not be the |
most polished host, yet, tried by the stand |
ard of genuine hospitality, he was the most
perfect of gentlemen. Thomas Fielding |
was true representative of his class; and |
those who have been in the West will need |
no further description. For two weeks be- |
fore the appointed day, he had invited |
everybody he met TO witness the marriage |
of his daughter, and take part in the rejoice /
ings and by those whom he saw, he sent |
notice to others 80 that at least week |
before the eN9nuUl IUtn, every one Wllllll !
twenty miles was not only notified, but
asked to attend Preparations were then ,
made upon corresponding scale: and fer /
vent wishes were expressed that the weathe |
might be fine, that none might fail to come. !
One of the sons was sent TO kaskaskia |
expressly for Jane S wedding garments-for |
even in those primitive days woman was |
true to the tastes of her sex. And, beside !
Jane had grown almost to womanhood in |
the precincts of the Old Dominion and in |
her new home, was as well known for tho !
superior neatness, as for other advantages |
of mind and person.
Atlength the eventful morning came-one |
of those magnificent autumn days in which |
the warmth of summer fingers on the hazy !
landscape of the waning year. They say |
Italian skies are beautiful throughout the |
seasons but ii seems to me that autumn is |
the glory of the year in all clmes, as full |
manhood is the ultimate bloom of life TO all |
men and existence, in country where .
the climate gives no special beauty to the .
years decline, would seem but little better
than working in treadmill. We must
have variety; the perpetual smile Of even |
a beautiful face would weary us in time
and six months of unbroken sunshine would |
make us long for Scotch mist There is
no such monotony in the land of praries
nor has any country in the world seas on
of more rich and mellow glories than the
western autumn,
-"The fading, many-colored woods,