The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1863-10-16

dllu NuIlSlllnn' among Inc SnafioWS Ol
the forest err their blows could hc re
turned. II the settlements on Shoal
Creek, had as yet escaped incursion
it. was chiefly owing to tho. vigilance
and activity of Edgar's Rangers, and
In circumstances like these. it may
well In supposed that nothing save
the utmost confidence, would have in
dnccd the pioneers to trust so young
a man with n responsibility so heavy
But neither war, nor rumors of wal
could exclude from the mind of tho
youthful Captain, thoughts of 10y,
and anticipation of domestic bliss
IN the midst Of these alarms. day
was appointed for his marriage Will
Jane Fielding. II was the 10th o.
September, lSl3---a day memorial,
in the annals of our country, rs that
on which Perry achieved his famous
victory over Barclay; and though
they of course knew nothing of the
approaching event. il is probable that
even so brilliant an anticipation wo'd
not wholly have withdrawn their Mt
tcntion from that which 30 much
more nearly concerned them.
A wedding OH the frontier, in those
days. was n far heaiticr affair than il
now is in the same country. People
seem 10 be somewhat ashamed oi get.
ting married of late, and seek 10 avoid
observation. very much, as if they
were about some act only allowabla
because not positively prohibited hy
statuary cnactmcnts. The first that
the neigllborhood learns in these mod
est times. of matrimonial union. is
the stately departure Of close car
riagc. in which the guilty parties are
privately Withdrawing. To hide their
culprit faces among careless stangcrs.
The public feeling OF the oldcn time
was somcwcat different. The consum-
alton, in fact, of union which was
already complete in aiicction,was then
deemed mn occasion of social congrat.
ulation, ard sometimes of noisy en-
ioymcnt The ncighhors--husbands.
wives. sons, and daughtcrs-were all
called III. TO take part in the hilarity:
and each felt that if the event was, rs
il should bc, a happy one to the par
ties din cctly Interested. il would he
wrong te dctractcd from the happi-
ness, by gloom, reserve or ceremony.
The pioneers cared little for scent
ed notes Of ofiuvitation. embossed cards,
emblcmatic turtle dovcs--no more
+L,o Co. .La ncnl,-t,nItnI tr;.iy,,,.i d, Z,
which rev make up Il wedding feast
As the day approached, though yet
perhaps u week remained, the child
ren Of the brides family were sent
forth TO warn the neighbers in;' or,
net unircqucntly, the parties took adj
vantage OF spmc H'hcr merry making.
to announce the auspicious event. and
deliver invitationS; and, without 9th.
cr forlnality, all who lived within ;
days ride q The place considered
themselves invited, and arranged tlcil
affairs accordingly. Somc inconvc-
nisucc to the host and hostess might
result from the uncertainty about tho
number Of their guests: but the art o'
providing mathcmatieallY for the pre-
else number expected, WAS not thcl
cultivated: if there was enough, il
mattcrcl not how much more there
might bc-fOr that meanncss whicl
combines sordid calculation with the
rites OF hosl itality. was not one Of thC
5Eonecrs vices. Preparation was
made To receive all who were ncal
enough to reach the placc--a proIus.
ION of substantial things, such as hear
ty men and natural women liked
adorned tn rude tables: and no grano
nourishcs of white aproncd walters
no sham dignity of form or ceremony
encumhcrcd or oppressed the feast
And. though the early backwo Gods
man might not bc the most polisle,
host, vet, tried 10y the standard O
genuine hospitality, he wa, the mos
perfect of gentlemca. Thomas Field
ing was Uue representative oi hi
class: and those who have been in tn,
West will need no further description
For two weeks before the appointr,
day, he had invited everybody he me
to witness the marriage, of his daugh
ter, and take part Ia the rcicicings,--
and lv those whom he saw, he sen
notice to ohtcrs; SO that at least
week before the eyentrul tenth, ever
one within twenty miles WAS not onl
notified, but asked to attend. prcpa
rations were then made upon eorrl
spoudiug scale, and fervent wishe
were expressed that tho weather migl
he fine, that none might fail 10 com,
One of the sons was sent TO kaskaS
kia expressly for James wedding gal
meuts even in those primitiv
DAYS woman was true to the tastes {
her sex And beside, Jane had grow
almost to womaghood ia the precinct
of the Old DOminion and in her Re,
? home, was as we'll known for the 81
perior neatness, as for other adyanti
? ges of mind and person.
At length the eventual mornin
came--one of those magnificent at
| tnmn days in which the warmth {
| Summer fingers on the haZy lane
scape of the waning year. They sa
/ Italian skies are beautiful throughol
f the seasons; bet it seems TO me tn,
! autumn is the glory of the year in n
. elimes, MS full manhood is the utimat
bloom of life to all men; and cxis
enee, in country where the clmat
/ gives no special beauty to the year
l decline, would seem but little bette
than Mnrkinm In trealmin "