Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1874-08-06
A FLASH OF LIGHTNING.


Did you ever hear of Pawpaw village?
Probably not. Don't look for it on the
map. It may changed its name long
ago. 1t may have been baptized anew
for our story. 1t was certainly too in
considerable when the events that it
narrates took place, to be worthy of the
notice of any compiler of Biographies.
/ am sure that you will never find it.
However, will tell you that it hid it
self in the heart of the State of Ohio,
and was as pretty as it was small. Paw
paw trees were numerous there, and
after the frost came the delicious fruit
scarcely known IN the Eastern States
was very plentiful. As for oaks, they
were not to be counted. Whoever the
early settlers were, they had not the
hatred of trees which most country
folks seem to entertain, and every porch
was shaded, and every garden set about
with relics of the primeval forest.
Even In the midst of broad fields
stood great chestnut trees, under whose
branches spread a soft oasis of shade,
where the iaborers sat TO eat their noon
tide meal, and gather strength for the
long SUNNY afternoon.
Master and man worked together In
the same rough garments. The rich
farmer toiled as anxiously as the poor
fellow who had come to ask for work,
with all his worldly possessions tied in
a handkerchief ; and the mistress of the
house was as busy as her maid from
dawn until dusk during all the burning
harvest-time.
Still, people who chad money" were
as proud of it as people could be any
where and people who had none envied
its possessors as angrily as they do
where the insignia Of wealth are white
hands, fine dress and ioleness.
There were perhaps dozen works of
fiction in all Pawpaw. The clergyman
alone possessed volume of poetry.
There was one old resident, certain
Granddaddy Long, who had been born
In New York city, who in his childhood
had seen play yclept "Agnes, or the
Bleeding Nun" No one else had had
personal cognizance of any dramatic
performance of greater merit than that
given by the circus company that once
a year paid Pawpaw visit. But do you
suppose that there was no romance
there IN consequence-no love-making,
no Jealousy: no eligible matches
favored by nercenary parents, no in
eligible ones toward which young
hearts had leaning that In none of
those little mounds in the old church
yard rested one who had staked all on
love and lostit, or any gray-haired wom-
an who had "gone maiden to her
grave" because of broken troth If
you do, you are mistaken. Loves pas
sions, ioys AID woes are wild flowers
that grow everywhere. Fairer and
finer among cultivated people, it is
true, bu. harder and stronger among
the uncultured.
The belle of Pawpaw was Rose Un-
win. She was the daughter of the rich
est man in the place, and the prettiest
girl bv far for miles around. She
counted her beaux by twenties, and
could have married any one of them if
she would but girlhood was too at
tractive to her, or she waited for the
young prince for whom most girls wait.
She said "No" to every one who pro-
posed to her, but she said it in such a
way that she angered none of them.
The fee bird refused a cage, that was
all.
Some of these lovers had given
up fhe chase in despair and had fallen
in love With other girls and married
them. Some still bided their time
among them Warren Lawrence, the
miller, son. The miller was an old
man, who had made money! friend of
Rose Twins father.
Warren was his only son. He was
handsome and graceful, and, what was
NOR. highly valued in that part of the
world. he was very strong and very
laree-six feet two in his stockings,
and. like Robin Hood, a cloth-yard
broad from shoulder to shoulder.
Il was said that Warren had sworn
that no one save himself should marry
Rose Unwin, that the life of any man
who should /" cut him out " would not
be safe for an hour ard many believed
it. Rose only Laughed at the tale.
Even If itwere true, a Western woman of
that day would have had no dread OF such
savage wooing. She scarcely liked
Warren less for being so much in
earnest. :.
"None of Them" she said to herself
so often that she believed 1t, none OF
them will ever call me wife. viii be
INV own mistress, my fathers pet, my
bapug self forever. Love Is something