The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-11-23
The INCEST Widow in the Blue Grass Re
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pretty little Widow Fauntleroy, and one OF
her nearest neighbors was Gen. Peyton. The
general had looked upon the little widow very
much as he did upon his bIooded horse, Pow
hatan-"the finest horse, sir, in the Blue
Grass region"
The pretty little Mrs. Fauntieroy had been
widow more than a year, while the general,
having great regard for etiquette, had wait
ed patiently for the time to elapse, in order
to declare himself But the widow, with her
woman's art, kept her lover at bay, and vet
kept him in her train. He had escorted her
to this barbecue. and when returning had ex-
pressed his satisfaction at the prospect of
Gen. Coombs and the success of the Wing
party.
The widow took sides with the Democracy.
and offered to wager her blooded saddle horse,
Gypsey, or anything else on her place. against
Powhatan, or anything else she might fancy
on the Generals place. The generals gal
lantry would not. allow him to refuse the
wager, which he promptly accepted. By this
time they had reached the north fork of the
Elkhorn, and were about to ford it bridges
were not plentiful 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 all
their strength, to reach the top with their
loads. As luck would have it, good or ill, the
widows girth broke just at the commence
in her saddle, slid swiftly back into the water,
while her horse went up the bank like an
arrow.
John Peyton leaped from his horse, and in
an instant, caught the floating lady and saddle,
and before the general had recovered from
his establishment, was at the top of the bank
with his burden. The little widow was equal
to the occasion, for she begged the general to
ride on and stop her horse, which had now
began to understand his part in the mishap,
and was beginning to increase his gait to-
ward home.
The general did as he was bid, and soon
returned with the horse. In the mean time
John Peyton had secured his own horse, and
when the general came back with the widow
horse, she and John were laughing merrily
over the ridiculous accident, but what further
passed between them is only known to them
selves. emo @
John Peyton repaired the broken girth, fast
ened The saddle again on the horse, placed the
lady in the saddle, babe her good evening.
mounted his horse, and taking another road
down the Elkhorn, rode rapidly home, leaving
the general to escort the widow. Rs
1t is not necessary to relate how he enter
tanned his fair companion with ponderous an
ecdotes of Mr.. Clay and other famous public
men; but when he reached the Fauntleroy
place, he accepted the lady's invitation to
dismount and take tea with her. After hav-
ing changed her wet clothing, the pretty wild
ow entertained her guest with her brightest
smiles and some new songs. The general
was delighted, and expressed his delight, as
Kentucky gentlemen Of that day would have
done. You are the finest songstress madam,
in the Blue Grass region"
When he babe her good night and shook
hands with her on the porch, the wicked lit
tie widow gave his hand little squeeze. only
a little, but it thrilled like an electric shock
through his great, ponderous frame, while
she laughingly reminded him of his wager.
That night, in his dreams, the little Widow
Eau itleroy was repeated SO often, and in so
many bewitching forms, that he resolved to
propose to her at their first meeting, nor did
he dream that he could be refused
The next morning letter from his tobacco
factor called Gen. Peyton to Louisville, and
before his return the political contest in the
Ashland district was over, and wonderful to
relate, John G. Breckenridge, the young Dem
ocrat was elected to Congress.
Gen. Peyton was both astonished and in
dignant. "Mr. Clay's district, sir, the finest
congressional district in the Blue Grass region,
remark to his neighbor, Col. Beaufort.
To his son John he communicated hi, in
ten.ion to bring Mrs. Fauntleroy to adorn the
head of his table,
Sir, sine Is the finest lady in the Blue Grass
region, and hope, sir, you will always respect
your future mother.
John, with quiet smile. assured him that
he was pleased with his choice. This pleased
the general highly, for he had been a little
afraid Join would object to a step-mother
younger than himself.
The next morning the general ordered Pow
hatan brought out and led over to Mrs.
Fauntleroy's. Calling John he requested
him to go with him tocall upon Mrs. Fauntle-
roy.
1.-The Wing party has dissraced itself in
Mr.. Clay's district, sir, and am compele led to
part with the finest blooded horse in the State
to pay my wager with that lady, sir,''
The black boy had led Powhatan to the
hitching rail in front of Mrs. Fauntleroy's
yard, and, having tied him, had gone irto the
quarters to tell his brothers and sisters of their
nistress's great good luck in having won the
famous horse Powhatan.
When Gen. Peyton and John arrived they
found the pretty widow and two young lady
friends in the yard admiring Powhatan. The
ladies were In high glee and after the usual
salutatlons, the gentlemen were invited to
take seats on the porch, which they did.
Madam" said the gene Ito Mrs. Fauntle-
roy, Il have come here like true Kentucyk
gentleman, to pay the wager 1 have LOST
Powhatan, madam, is rightfully yours
but, general, said she. III believe the
wager was conditional. 1t was the horse or
anything else on the place, was it not?''
Madam" he replied, ''you are correct
But there is nothing on my place one-half in
value of Powhattan. / cannot permit YOU to
select an inferior animal.'
The pretty widow blushed to the TIPS of
her fingers when she said: "You have anoth-
er and superior animal here-your son John !;
if ne would but use his tongue, l think shall
choose him."
There was moment OF dead silence, then
laugh, in which the general did not join.
He rose, and in the blandest manner babe the
ladies good night. To John, he said ''Sir,
you will remain"
And that was the way John Peyton came
to marry the pretty Widow Fauntleroy.
Gen. Peyton never forgaye his pretty daugh-
ter-in-law her practical joke. In after years
he used to say; "Sr, she is the finest lady in
the Blue Grass region, but she lacks taste
SIR"
Those sombre-minded phil sophers who
assert the increase of drunkenness in modern