Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-09-14


Patrick, wild with excitement, and trembling
with apprehension regarding the safety of tho
"darliut Miss Knox as well as forthe well-
being fhs fayorite lieutenant, passed hurried
ly from place to place, and by his highly asi>
tated manner spreading serious alarm, as a con-
tagion in the tropics SO that when the
colonel, little later, reached his front door,
citizens were approaching from every direc-
ton, and his practiced eye discovered that
the whole garrison was IN commotion, rs If
momentarily expecting to be led forth by him
to the rescue of his beloved daughter aud the
young lieutenant, who we're supposed to have
; beeac captnIed by SO =. ~
general excitement was gracatly augmented,
half an hour afterwards, by the discovery
that Lieut.. George Wilson (brOther of Hon.
Thos. S. Wilson, of Dubuque. IOwa). aud
Miss Street daughter of General Street, werc
also among the missing. The opinion pre-
vailed generally that the -four young friends
had been captured and scalped, us it was not to
besuppused that even the courage of those gall
liant and chivalrous young officers could per-
init them to pass, especially with ladies, be-
yond the picket line. Hence, at AN early hour,
the good French pioneers OF the prairie came
from every direction mounted on their fleetest
ponies, and armed with guns pistols, butcher
knives, ETC., while the women wept in anguish
over tho loss of their favorites of the fort
In the midst of all this confusion, and before
Colonel Taylor had quite decided upon the
precise course proper to be pursued, au
old pioneer, more calm aud self. possessed
than the great mass about him, deserted, far
over the prairie. two gentlemen and two la
dies on horseback, approaching the fort with,
apparently. all possiblespeed. Attention being
called to the joyous sight, and all diviung
that they were the missing licutenants and
ladies who, by special interpOsition Of Provi>
drnce, must have escaped, but were hotly pur
sued by their Derciless caprors, the whole
body of impetuous and brave hearted French
men were rushed with headlOng speed to the
rescue, aud were soon face to face with the
late lost ones whom they greeted with such
shouts of JOY, it was averred, us had never be-
fore come from the lips and hearts of men on
that beautiful prairie of the Dogs"
To say that the two lieutenants aud their
fair companions were greatly as well as most
agreeaby surprised at these unex pected greet
ings and cordial congratulations, would be
but to convey faint idea of their astOnish.
ment. They indeed had no conception of the
real cause of all this tumutuous rejoicing un-
til the old pioneer, before mentioned, rode for.
ward, and In accents of broken almost sobbing
eloquence, depicted the intense excitement
and grief WHICH the discovery of the capture
of the lieutenants and ladies, by the ruthless
savages, had Ocasioned throughout the village.
Lieutenant Wilson essayed an explanation,
but the old man motioning the lieutenant to
be silent, gave his order, and away dashed
the whole party toward the village-the tres
cuers" filled with joy over the fortunate turn
of events and happy results of the morning,
while the side OF the rescued" were splitting
with laughter at the ludicrous mistake of
their friends.
Arriving at the village, the lieutenants aud
ladies, without being permitted word in ex
p!anation, were rapturously greeted by men,
women, and children in every manner cnlcu-
lated TO manifest the great joy of the popula-
ton consequent upon their miraculous escape
from tomahawks and scalping knives, after
passing that dreadful night in tho custody of
savages.
Few men have lived. who. in any period of
their existence possessed stronger self will or
control over himself than Lieutenant Davis
yet, in vain did he on that occasion exert ev
cry faculty and power to repress the risibil-
tiles of his nature in order to render an ex-
planstion possible. Much less was it possible
for the every-nlerry and great-hearted Lieu
tenant Wilson to do so. These ludicrous
circumstances, with the exhuberance of pub-
lie rejoicing-all ja5bering away in French
and English at the same time-rendered it ut
terly impossible for either of the .'rescued
party" to get in a word edgewise or otherwise
and so the crowd gradually dispersed
Colonel Taylor, however, ''smelt mice,
and was not long in ascertaining the true
state of affairs. that is that Jeff and his daugh
ter Knox had engaged in "a runaway match,
with Lieutenant Wilson and the beautiful
I.iI
Truth would out, and in less than an hour
every man, woman and child in the village
knew all about the wedding; aud a. they dis
cussed the singular affairs and adventures of
the morning, the most uproariOus shouts of
laughter arose from every group and house
hold.
There was, however, one face amid that
widespread scene of mirth and gayety that
was livid with rage; two lips tightly COM
pressed, two eyes flashing with ind ena;ion,
and one strong hand gra ping. now and again,
the hit of an oft-tried sword. The reader
may well imagine that refer to Col Zach
airy Taylor, before whose angry glance brave
indeed must have been the heart that did not
become faint.
Col. Taylor having declared, with an oath
strong as he ever used. that under no circum-
stances would he ever forgive Davis or be-
come reconciled with his daughter, an alien
alton thereafter existed as wide as the polls
of the earth
4
Sixteen years had passed away on .'the
wheels of time" when General Zachary Tay-
lor and Colonel Jefferson Davis met in a for
eign country, amid the sickening scenes of
blood. carnage and battle, in defence of their
country's honor, and over both of whose COM
mands defantly foa;ed ''the star spangled
banner"-a flag which, at that date, January
Sth, 1913, was in truth and reality the EN-
blem of Liberty and equality. Wherever on
that sanguinary field the fierce contest ragged
and duty called. there was seen the noble and
soldierly form of Col. Jefferson Davis at the
=. II q Il.