The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-03-07
The Belle of the Settlement-A Back
woods Story.

Nellie Benson was the belle Of the set
tlement. She had never seen the city il
her life-not even village, unless tn,
store at the cross roads, and the blacksmith
shop, and the log church, and the school
house, which kept it company might bt
called one.
She was beauty and blonde-not o
that negative, albion type, alike character
less and bloodless, but with life, and
which seemed to have borrowed tingr
rrom ner own wavy luxuriant tresses
Frizzled sunbeams Bill Ekins said they
were, but you will make allowance fol
Bill when you come to know him better
Golden, you might have ventured to call
them but had you presumed to kint they
were red, it would have taken dozer
preliminary fights to whom belonged the
right, to say nothing of the honor, Of
chastising your intolerance.
By the time Nellie was sixteen, every
STRIPPING in the settlement old enough to
be trusted to go hunting by himself, either
was, or had been, in love with her. No.
there was one exception. Bill Elkins
had escaped the general contagion. His
time was so fully taken up in making fun
of the others that he had none left for
anything serious on private account.
Which Of all her admirers Nellie liked
best was a secret which, if she knew it.
she had never divulged even to herself.
George Westbroook was the only son Of
a gentleman who had sought with the
rem1ant rem ann Of his fortune, home for him
Mr.. Westbrook had lost his life in des.
perate encounter between the settlers and
the Indians, some years before the CON-
mencement of our story, leaving his wife
and son no other provision than the tract
of land he had purchased, most Of which
was still covered by the forest.
Left self-dependent at an age thus early
the natural energy of Georges character
seemed at once to spring into full devel
opment. With the aid Of an occasiona
helping hand, and his mether's judicious
counsel, he had been able not only to sup
port himself and her, but to supply thei
humble home with simple comfort un
known to many of their wealthier neigh
bors. He had found time besides to con
slider the studies he had begun under hi
fathers guidance, and made himself bet
ter scholar, and was far better informed
than hundreds of those whose acquire
ments are vouched for in barbarous Latil
on college sheepskin.
We would do him injustice not to adj
that he was handsome enough to fill hi
mothers heart with pride, and to hav
caused those of his companions to burs
with envy, had they suspected him Of tn
slightest inclination for Nellie. But tn
two had been so reserved in each other
presence as to convey the impression tha
the feeling between them was one of indi
ference. This opinion Bill Elkins, VIII
was great friend Of George, took pain
for some unaccountable reason, to strength
en-at the same time, in strict confidence
tipping himself wink of inward satisfa,
T ton.
Nellie was frequent visitor at MIR
Westbrook's. The lady had been h,
dead mothers dearest friend, and to he
with something akin to filial trust, h,
craving heart had turned in the hour (
sorrow, and had not been sent emp,
away. The motherless girl sought al
received a mothers advice and sympatf
r from her mothers friend, and scarce
day had passed but she found herself
need of one or the other,
' George and Nellie, of course, saw mu'
of each other. In their earliest yea
they played and read story-books toget
or, and sometimes fell out, as childr'
will. As they grew older they becan
:, less familiar; feeling probably, sort
: brotherly and sisterly attachment the o.
!, for the other, but as neither of them h,
ever had brother or sister, they we
possibly not very we'll qualified to for
e an opinion.-Brothers and sisters, as
'. general rule, are not used to be distal
n or to grow embarrassed in each othe
i. presence, or to blush when observed
d others. But maybe these two were
exception.
What brought so elegant and refined
g gentleman as Mr.. Clarence Hastings
i permit us to introduce him with Q
\, =. blandest bow-so far beyond the pale
y civilization, we haven't time just now
" inquire. 1t wasn't to buy land
hadn't that sort Of speculation in his G.
ne ne 1t was probably to kill a few buffalos,
' n' scalp few Indians just for amuseme
1t At all events he came armed and acco
w. red in a manner that amazed the old
M an hunter, and filled Bill Elkins with anna
no ment
ly Bill took stock in the young strant
j. exclusively, and soon talked him rel
on tation which Daniel Boone himself wo,
o. have found it difficult to sustain. 1t v
I'd wonderful, he said, how much a N
could learn out Of books. Why, !