Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1869-11-05

| for thousand swine responded, aud as the
| long columns came filing out Of the hollows
aud defles of the river hills until the entire
herd came sq1ealing and believing to his
feet his pride was such as he could not re-
strain and would not conceal.
But the peaceful and pleasant days alluded
to were destined to termination as brief as
it was unexpected. Tue war between the
States and the Union was at length precipl-
tsted and the happy days of Jesse were
ended. The position occupied by the family
at Indian was an exposed one and it's 'aban-
donment was resolved on as a necessity
Seeking atemporary abode on the Southern
border of Virginia the life Of the refugee
was found to be even more bitter than one
Of alarm at home. With all the abundance
| VI tillsble land 1t was ficult TO obtain
enough on which to earn the most meagre
Subsistence. This selfish determination 10
withhold encouragement and aid from those
who were driven from their homes Is as
difficult to account for nationally as It was
impolitic and unnatural. The party applied
to always "wanted TO put his land down In
grass" and yet 1t is notorious that stock
was so scarce that grass was twelve inches
high upon the commons. A foreign block
ade could be endured but this home block
ade was more than equal to ordinary cour-
age and the family returned to Indian
Prior to the war great calamity had over
taken Jesse in the death OF his wife Milly,
and as war brought grey hairs to the head
Of many he felt the stealthy footsteps of
death approaching 10 their circumambient
way aud be desired to return that he might
be buried by her side. The oommodious
and comfortable quarters SO recently in
habited by the Slaves had been burned by
vandals who infested the region Of Indian.
Only the venerable Loom House remained.
1t stands there to-day the only building left
Of the old homestead-for their is a new
one not many rods distant on the hill-and
a solitary chimney reaching many feet in
the air Is the only thing else to mark with
its silent ilger In the sky the sacred family
abode
Many spare hours of Uncle Jssse's hap
piest years were devoted to horticulture.
Just inside pJiut where the waters of
rough but inconstant mountain stream de-
bOuched into the plain, leaving only room for
road leading to the upland, the hills mu-
tuslly with irsw, from contact leaving q
small but very fertile triangular plain ter
Minated at its base or northern end by
third abrupt s.aty hill which appears to
have been an attempt on the part Of nature
to splice the fissure in the hills fronting it.
This triangular piece of land contains per-
haps one fourth Of au acre, and was selected
by Jesse as his reserve and he proceeded
to blaz; the principal trees upon Its border
| and, TO assert his claim the more forcibly,
| at once begin its Improvement. Oa one of
iis 81 les 1t was skirted by the farm road and
On the other'two by the stream alluded to.
The huge stones which fringed its margin
we're useful in bailding secure wall which
effectually kept off encroschments of the
g Iois. About its borders he planted the
peach and the apple aud 10 its midst vine
near which he established colony Of bees.
The trees and the vine grew and bore lux
uriant crops. In the shale bluff which
formed feStufe Of one corner be dug an
apple house and stored it DO iDtifully for
his winter use. The bees multiplied and
beneath his lucky hand yielded large crops
| of honey. A, a Gro wing w,rk he built e
coop aud raised lite number of domestic
fowls. On ons occasion having observed q
suspicious espionage upon his domain by q
company of soldiers he made use Of the
earliest darkness to remove the chickens
and bees to q place of safety, leaving q
number of worthless gums well ballssted
with stone. Mornirg revealed by the broken
gums on a neighboring hill the abortive at
tempt upon the old mans property. As to
this "pstch" his watch!nl eye never slum-
bered. He always met with the success
bis vigilance deserved, and many q time
have shared his generous hospitality ss
monarch of that domain. Nothing which
he possessed was too good for me to poss sss
aud enjoy.
A length tie turbulent era of blood shed
was ended. The hero of the Rapidan had
surrendered 10 the Immense physical force
which he had so nearly vanquished. Tho
war was ended, and emancipation was de-
cIared an irreversible consequence. The
slaves Of our family we're amenable TO the
fears so common to others, and regarding
their freedom of doubtful authority they
| - .yflii..x - 4 N = :. m, ain q THAR old homaa
the scenes Of their slavery, fearing 1t might
be the easy means Of reducing them to
bondage again. They were offered com.
Portable positions upon the farm but de-
clined. jesse was very old and followed
two Of his children to q cabin on q bleak
and sterile mountain bluff in the vicinity oi
BraashAv's Ran. His long dream Of free
dom was realiz ID. Alas its fruits were
ashen TO his aged lips. His keen eye wal
sunken and dim, his frame was bent with
years, his arm was useless at bis side. Th'
laxuries of his little "pA:ch" were no longer
TO be obtained with = regularity necessary
TO their worth. q Der hands miniStered ~
him, but their assis suce w4> moe willing
than intel isent. The change was m Irt al
No longer came Jesse at the hour of break
fast to tbs dining ball. Tue boaotiful riv
or ceased to give up its @ IN for his daint,
appetite and his traps we're idle on the
mountain. Tue stony hills u Bradshav
refused TO yield their increase; the corr
was exhausted aud no more the herd o.
swine reminded him Of plenty. The spiri
which took him thithsr was too proud Il
Aekoowledse defeat, he pinsd And reslec
about the hrow Of the mountain in delirl
Gus Disappointment until In 40 hour wheI
} he thought not the Angel Of death cAm'
} for him aud Jesse ceased TO DO.
} To-day, in company with friend, visi
tod the little domain that was once his Aud