The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1872-08-08
IDAHO WORLD.
A KENTUCKY ANECD0TE.

tend the prominent barbecues; and this
was especially the case in the contest
between Mr. Breckenridge and General
Combs, in 1910. Out of these affairs
grew the authentic story of the incest
widow in the bluegrass region. Not
far from the Forks of Elkhorn lived the
pretty little widow Fauntleroy, and one
of her nearest neighbors was General
Peyton. The General had looked upon
the little widow very much as he look
ed upon his blooded horse Powhattan-
"The finest horse, sir, in the bluegrass
region"
The pretty Mrs Fauntleroy had been
widow more than year; while the
General, having great regard for eti-
quette, had waited patiently for that
time to elapse, in order to declare him
self, But the widow, with her woman's
art, kept her lover at bay, and yet kept
him in her train.
He had escorted her to this barbecue,
and when returning, had expressed his
satisfaction at the prospects of General
Combs, and the success of the Wing
party.
The widow took sides with the De-
mocracy, and offered to wager her blood
ed saddle-horse, Gipsey, or anything
else on her place, against Powhattan,
or anything else she might fancy on the
Generals place.
The Generals gallantry would not al
low him to refuse the wager, which he
promptly accepted. By this time they
had reached the north Fork of Elkhorn,
and were about to ford it bridges were
not plenty in those days., when John
Peyton, the Generals only son and heir,
came up at sharp gait behind them.
The widow turned and bowed to John
and rode on into the stream, but little
behind her companion. The east bank
was very steep, and required the horses
to put forth nearly all their strength to
reach the top with their loads.
As luck would have it, good or i'll, |
the widows girth broke when just at
the commencement of the steep part. |
The lady, still seated on her saddle, slid
swiftly back into the water, while her
horse went up the bank ike an arrow
John Peyton leapcd from his horse,
and in an instant caught the floating
lady and saddle, and, before the Cen
eral had recovered from his astouish-
ment was at the top of the bank with /
his burden. The little widow was equal
to the occasion, for she begged the Gen
eral to ride on and stop her horse, which
had now begun to understand his part
in the mishap, and was beginning TO
increase his gait toward home.
The General did IS he was bid, and
soon returned with the horse In the Z.
meantime John Peyton had secured his
own horse, and when the General came
back with the widows horse she and
John were laughing merrily over the
ridiculous accident, but what further
passed between them is only known to
themselves.
John Peyton repaired the broken
girth, fastened the saddle again on the
horse, placed the lady in her seat, babe
her good evening, mounted his horse.
and taking another road down the Elk
horn, rode rapidly home, leaving the
General to escort the widow. II
1t is not necessary to relate how ne
entertained his fair companion with
ponderous anecdotes of Mr.. Clay and
other famous public men; but when he
reached the Fauntleroy place, he accept {
cd the lady's invitation to dismount and
take tea with her. {
After having changed her wet cloth '
ing, the pretty widow entertained her G
guest with her brightest smiles, and |
some new songs. The general was de- 9
lighted, and expressed his delight as |
Kentucky gentlemen of that day would
do. "You are the finest songstress,
madam, in the bluegrass region" a
When he babe her goodnight and
shook hands with her on the porch, the Q
wicked little widow gave his hand
little squeeze, only a little. but it thrill
ed like an electric shock through his
great, ponderous frame, while she laugh
ingly reminded him of his wager. That /
night in his dreams, the little Widow II
Fauntleroy was repeated so often, and a
and in so many bewitching forms, that Il