Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1869-02-12

parents OF anyDOuy else couiu oudP IAeli uHS
ers. or say '!Jack Robinson" she had mar
ried hiia without saying "By your leave, y
to single soul
Of course Dora's parents stormed and
rayed, as parents always do upon such occa-
sions, and the young woodsmen who had
failed to win her swore dreadful oaths Of
vengeance against their redskinned rival,
and the whole settlement boiled and bubbled
and fairly ran over for time but at last
they all began to think better Of it, as people
mostly have to do in such cases when the
mischief is all done and can't be helped, and
the shrewd settlers sets to predicting that ii
would tend to keep peace between the races
These prophesyings and conjectures proved
to be true; for not single inroad was made
upon Redstone settlement for upward Of
twenty years after.
The marriage between the white maiden
and the dusky Oweta proved happy one,
and Dora seemed to have no cause to regret
the union AS the years passed away their
only child, Ollavena, a girl Of surprising
beauty, grew up to womanhood. She had
the regular, smoothly cut features of hel
Anglo-Saxon mother, while her luxurian
black hair, rich, olive tinted complexion and
wild, deer-liked eyes, betrayed the Indiar
blood.
AS her mother had done before her, OLA
vena soon began to draw after her many O.
the young settlers, who sought to WOO an6
win this fair forest flower to their hearts ane
home. Alone among the many came a tall
slender and melancholy looking young Mo
nonee Indian, called Red Rifle. Between
him and Henry Hoffman seemed to rest til,
battle, and all other suitors finally drew Of
and gave way the claims Of these two riva
competitors. Either the one or the other
or both, were almost constantly by her side
50 fearful seemed each that the other Nigh
in his absence spirit away the much coveted
prize. a ri
Most singular to relate, each received lik
favor for his suit, each alternated between
hope and fear, and none could divine who i
was that really held the heart Of Ollavena
When with her white sutton she was tende
and loving to him as Sweetheart could vel
be, and when with Red Rife her Indian ma
ture seemed to predominant and she lavishet
the utmost fondness upon her Indian lover
Her parents advised and expostulated, ant
cxhorted her to 'choose whom she would
serve !" but her only answer to it all wa
that she loved both equally we'll and that sh'
should never be able to choose between them
When was ''faire ladyc" ever in such pre-
dicament before? Who in all the world ha,
ever heard since or before Of a maiden in
love with two suitors, and that so we'll and
truly that she could not carry the question
home to her heart and lett decide fer hel
the delicate problem of whom she loved best
But not long was this strange dual Of love
and wooing to continue. One beautiful au-
tumn eve when sweet Indian summer was
touching the forest leaves with crimson and
gold, and ainging oyer all the Wood-crowned
hills drapery Of semitransparent azure,
Henry Hoffman wendell his way down to the
home of Ollayena, determined to he rid that
night of the suspense which so tortured him
and to know at once and for good and all
what was to be bis fate,
Kindly was be gelcomed by Ollavena,
and when the twilight came on, hand in hand
they together wandered along the banks Of
the rolling Redstone. Silver bright shone
the waters beneath the :spale=faeed moon"
LoW and soft like q lovers SIGH stole the
sound of the autumn winds through the for
est trees. Down upon the scene from their
homes in heaven smiled the bright-eyed
stars, sweetiy to the ears of Ollavena came
the voice and the words Of her pleading low
er.
GAS the moonbeams CLEAN upon the Wa
ter's breast with a sheen ofmore than silvery
lustre, so does my love for you, my Qllaye-
ma, shed glory Of the brightest bliss upon
my otherwise dark and unhappy heart"
Lower and still lower fell the head Of the
forest maiden upon the breast of him who
loved so we'll, and so sweetly wooed
"List, oh, list to me, Ollavena Of all
the world you are the dearest one to me !;
how dear no tongue can tell, no heart but
niue may eyer know. | love you deeply
and truly. Ny love is no transient, fleet
ing passion-a thrilling, glowing poem to-
day, and as tale that is told Tomorrow.
but it has grown with my growth and
strengthened with my strength, until at last
I find that you are all in all to me, and that
[ never can be happy without you" u
Still high in heaven hung the. lovers
lamp Still like song of enchantment
sung by thousand Naiads fell upon the
ear the harp-like murmer Of the dnquiet
waters. Still through the scarlet naples
stole the winds unrest, laden with the
whispers of the sylvan spirits that yiewless-
" glided among the shades of the old, dim
woods.
It was dangerous hour for that other
lover who shared with Henry Hoffman the
heart and love of the wild, strange girl
who, amid such poetic surroundings, was
listening now to the old, old story that is
ever being told but is forever new.
"OllaVena, I plead with you now as I
1ever can plead with another I plead
with you as | would plead for my life-for
your love is life, and more than life to me.
[ love you now-I shall love you always
end no matter whether you accept my love
IL reject it, you will never cease to be to me
The same, my o.an, my sFeetest, my much
owed Ollavena. VIII you have this life
ong love that I offer now to you? Tell
ne, for I must know whether I am to be
ever happy with you or forever unhappy
without you"
In Ollavena's breast there was one wild
struggle, short, terrible and decisive bat
lie with herself over the memory of her In
lian lover; and then all was oyer, and she
was Henry Hofman's promised bride.
The moon was low down in the sky when
he lovers wandered homeward, The giant
5rees threw long, dark shadows across the
waters of the Red=stone: In these shadows
,rept noiselessly spectral figure following
Upon their footsteps like the phantom of
ate. What was it, Or who was it?
Ollavena had scarcely passed the thresh-