Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1870-02-19
10 tFor the Chronicic.t i' ir9ltdl
TIE BURIAL AT MIDNIGHT.
RY John SYLVESTER.

IN SeptemOQr; 1911, there 0ted IN
Todd county, Kentucky, OIL the
West Fork OF Red River, an old man
by the name of Samuel Chevers,
who, previous to his death, commu-
to my grandfather with
whom he wasg very intimate the
following strange and fearfully thrill
ling story, the truth Of which / am
not disposed tn doubt for, in addi-
ton to his verbal rehearsal, he stated
that crude MS. would be found in
his trunk, detailing oil the scenes
and incidents as they TRANSFERRED and
as he desired that my grandfather
should administer upon his personal
effects, he gave him privilege to use
the MS. as he In his Judgment might
see fitsIu It was not published during
my grand-fhther's lifetime, and l be-
ing his linesl descendants and legal
representative, do now give publicity
to the same, andss voticliing for It's
truth-my voucher being that of
holding the original MS. In my pos
session, though nnarred to some ex-
tent by handlingy effaeed by expo
sure, and iobliterated,, by the great
lapse Of time which 5has interviewed
between thelwriting of thesaime and
this present year, 1S70-and I'm giving
1t to the world, Twill give it Uerbd-
tiRs ct iterafin,, only reservlng to
myself tlis right to change Its phrase
ologyy 90 rs to bring IL within the
purviewp Of Murray and Kirkhaua Is
ideas of Syntax and Prdsody, also
the right to iAnglicise the Indian dia
Lat L., vofny<v,<so In v.fx,aro a MI Loan =
ties. Here tits: ~ isBni is1ll0i D.,
THE MIDNIGHT BURIAL IN wOCOSsO-
sWoi Hiept mo CAVE. ddT.dI T2l
i was born on the 18TH day, Of De.
tober, 1873, in Albertnarle county,
Virginia, within two miles of Monti-
cello, the future nome or the great
JeferMh.t Ny fhther was not very
wealthy, though he possessed an In
dependence, sufficient mt least to give
me, his only child, every facility for a
literary and classic education. There
lived near my fathers house, q man
by the name of Horace Weaver,
whose family consisted of himself,
wife, and daughter by the name oil
Halle. Mr.. Weaver had devoted
nearly his entire life to mercantile
pursuits, and he was engaged in this
department of trade when I left
home for college. ] had been al
school about two years when re-
ceived q letter from Halle, announc.
ing her fathers. failure in business
and also his determination, to move
to the far West" where his poverty
would not be so calling, thus giving
his former parasites to, wealth q
chance to fit to other gold beams
she further informed me that fel
fathers failure was attributed to the
dishonesty of his partner, as he wa.
moying in oil the ease, elegance ant
DESTINATIONS display of replteC
wealth; and that her mother, y frail
delicate flower, had passed to The
spirit land, to bloom Afresh on thu
shore of Immortality. She endet
her letter by asking me to forget oul
plighted vows, for when they wer,
given" said she, 1--WE were both IL
the high meridian of earthly hopes
with no cloud in the distance to MAJ
the beauty, or disturb the quiet 0
our tranquility" And many othe
things OF, vast import to me did sh'
write, but as 1t IL not my province t.
portray love story, but rather to de
pict the hellish Vaccinations OF In
dian character, l hasten on. At tn,
time of my reception of this lette
from Halle, my collegiate cours,
wanted eighteen months to its com
pletion; although feeling sad at tn,
thought of her and her fathers NOV
ing to the West, ] remained at col
lege and received with all the appro
PIRATE honors, my credentials as ;
thoroughly educated man. Upor
my return home, i learned that Mr.
Weaver and Halle had been gon,
about q year; that he had hitchet
the only horse he had to a common
carryall or spring wagon, put wha
few clothes they had into ii, and get
ting in themselves, had struck on
boldly to some part of the Western
portion Of the Western continent
1t may seem strange to some Of IN.
readers that l again advert to III
horse driven by Mr.. Weaver, but q
he Is likely to figure quite conspicu
ously in the great drama which
yet to be enacted, I will be excuse
no doubt for the seeming depression
Heavas called jack, and a noble AM
NAL indeed strong, muscular, an
active, possessing great powers Of en-
durance, and perfectly traetable an
docile in his temperament. Ami
the general wreck Of Mr.. Weaver
property, he was rescued by the Kind
ness of a creditor, and presented :
Halle. Perhaps there was no hors
In the world possessing so many {
the elements which 40 to make "
the great favorite as Jack, surpassin
no doubt the excelsior Us ridden b
Darius, when declared king By III
great Convocaton. Halle, with he
. characteristic kindness of heart, an
! gentleness Of disposition, wept tenn
of affection when she knew that thi
; last relic Of better days was yet TO b
an heirloom IN the Weaver family
had been at home about q yea
when ! received letter from a Nj
. D'Lancey, who was living In Ricl
mond, informing me of his desire
secure the services of young ma
to go to New Orleans immediatel,
In order to negotiate certain secur
ties wherein the Colonial Cover
ment and the French Nation wei
parties; the French Consul havin
Ibis permanent residence In that cit!
He further wrote me, that being a
early friend Of my father, induce
|. him to- tIer the mission 20 lsis %,
/ held conference with my father
reference to the proposition, and
readily gave his assent. I'felt owe
I joyed at this, In as much as my wal
behring's might possibly lead me
HalIie's retreat. | Immediately an
wered Mons. D'Ilancey's letter, q
cepting his proffered Kindness.
: due course ~ time the vouchers &
my mission came safely to hand, M
!. ] made all the preparation neeessal
Il for long, tedious, and perilous jou
ney. aF..i fH u y
1 set out ON horse back, on u
morning OF March 20, lT60, with
light and buoyant heart, being
that time nearly twenty-four Yea
old. / had thus voluntarily DOM,
IN II A. II. al 4.