Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-10-18
The incest Widow in the Blue
Grass Region.

the pretty little widow Fauntleroy, and
one OF her nearest neighbors was General
Peytop. The general had looked upon
the little widow very much as he looked
upon his blOoded horse Powhatan--" The
finest horse, sir, in the Bluegrass Region"
The pretty Mrs. Fauntleroy had been
widow more than q year; while the gen
eral, having q great regard for etiquette,
had waited patiently for that time to elapso
IN order to declare himself. But the widow,
with her wolnan's art, kept her lover at
bay, and yet kept him in her train.
lie had escorted her to this barbecue,
and when returning had expressed his sat
isfaction at tie prospects Of Gen. Combs
and the success of the Wing party.
Tho widow took sides with the Democ-
racy, and offered to wager her blooded sad
die-horEe Gipsy, or anything else on her
place, against fowhatan. or anything else
she might fancy Oh the Generals place.
The generals gallantry would not allow
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 1t bridges werc not plenty in those
days), when John Peyt0n, the generals
only son and heir, came M at sharp gait
behind them.
The widow turned and bowed 10 John,
and rode On iIto 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 OF i'll, the
widow s 2irth broke when Just at the com
mcncement Of the steep part. Tic lady,
still seated on her saddle, slid swiftly back
into the water, While her horse went UP
the bank Ike an arrow.
John Peyton leapod from his horse, AID
in an instant caught the floating lady and
saddle, and, before the general had IT,
covered from his astoDislncut, WAS az thc
top Of the bank with his burden. The
little widow was equal to tbc occasion, f2r
6hc begged the general 10 ride on and stop
her horse, which had now begun to under
stand bis part III tilc IuiShap, and was be-
Giunin3 10 increase his gait towards home.
The general lid as he was bid, and soon
returned with tho horse. In the mean.
time, John Peyton bad secured his own
horse, and, when the general came back
with the widows horse, she and John
were laughing merrlly over the ridiculous
accident, but what further passed between
them is only known to themselves.
John PeytOn repaired the broken GiTth,
fastened the saddle again on tho horse,
placed the lady i'll her seat, babe her good
evening, mounted Lis horse, and taking
ANU IOdi tpH II ttIc I1ihDOlD- TOut
rapidly home, leaving the general to c>coIt
the widow.
1t is not necessary to relate how he Ell
tertained his fair companion with ponder
ous anecdotes Cf Nj. Clay and other IA
nous public men; bat when he reaCilcd
the Fauntleloy place, he scceptcI the
lady's invitation 10 dislnOunt and take tea
with her
After having changed her wei clothing,
the pretty widow entertained her guest
with her brightest smiles aud some new
songs. The General vas delighted aud
expressed his delight as Kentucky gentle
men Of ,iIat day would do. = \ oiI are the
finest sonStrcs5 madam, in the Bluegrass
Region"
When he bid her good night and shook
hands with her Oh the porch, the wicked
little widow gave his hand little squeeze
only tittlc-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 FauntlerOy was repea ed so
often, and in so many bewitcning forms,
tha. he resolved to propose 10 her at their
first meeting, nor did lie dream that he
could be refused.
The next morning letter from his to-
baccO factor called Gen. peytOn to Louis
vile, and before his return the political
contest in the Ashland district was over
and, wonderful to relate, John G.. Breck-
enridge, the young Democrat, was elected
to Congress.
Gen. Peyton was both agtonished and
indignant. " Mr.. Clay's district, Sir, tic
finest Congressional district in the Blue
grass Region, has disgraced Itself, 81, was
almost his first remark to his neighbor,
Col. Beaufort.
To his son John he communicated his
intention of bringing Mrs. Fauntleroy to
adOrn the head of his table.
Sir, she is the finest lady III the Blue
grass r 3eion, and hope, sir, you will al
ways respect your future mother"
John, with quiet smile, assured him
that he was pleased with his choice. This
pleased tie General highly, for he had
been little afraid JOIN. would object to a
younger than himself
.Ino next morning the general ordered
Pow batan brought out aud led over to
Mrs. iuntlerey's. Calling john, no re,
quested him to 60 With him to call upon
Mrs. Fauntleroy.
''The Wing party has diSgraccd Itself in
NIr. Clay's district, sir, and am compelled
to part with the finest blooded horse in the
State, to pay my wager with that lady, SIR
The black boy had led Powbatan TO TIC
rail in front Of Mrs. FauDtleroy'3
yard. and, having tied him, had gone into
tue quarters to tell bis col0red brothers ard
sisters Of their mistress great good luck III
having won the famous horse Powhatan.
When General Pcyton aud john arrived
they found the pretty widow aUdtWo young
lady friends III the yard admiriDg Pnwha-
tan.
he ladies wero in high glce, and after
the usual 6alutationS tho gentlemen were
invited to take seats on th8 porch. which
they did.
''a1adam," said the general to Mrs.
Fauntleroy, II have come, like truc Ken
tucky gentleman, 20 pay tho wager l have
lost. FoWhataD, madam, IS rightfully
y0urs.7
''Dut, General" said she, Il believe the
wager was conditional. It vas the horse
or anything else OH the place was it not?'
'Madam,' he replied, ''you are correct.
But there is nothing on my place One-half
in value to Powbatan. l cannot permit
YOU to sclec. an inferior animal"
The pretty widow bluShed to the tips of
her fing8T5 when she said a.: ''You have
another and superior animal hcro-yottr
son Iohn; if he would but use his tongue,
l think l shall choose him"
There was moment Of dead silence,
then laugh, in which the general did not
join.
He rose, and in his blandest manner bade
the ladies good morning To John he said;
'' Sir, you will 1emain."
And that was the way John Peyton came
to marry the pretty widow FanntlerOy.
''General Peyton never forgave his pretty
daughteI-in-law her practical Joke. In after
years he Used to say:
"Sir, she is the finest lady in the Blue
grass Region, bat she lacks taste, SIR"
Russian Population.
The population Of tho Russian empire