The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-06-15
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Story of the american Frontier,


the State of Pennsylvania, two families,
bearing respectively the names Of Mayne
and Waters. Though dwelling within a
coupe of miles of one another, and more
than double that distance from any other
settlers, il so CHANGED that these families
were on the worst Of terms. The heads,
at least, Of the two households were so,
and the cause of their mutual dislike had
reference to distant period. Both had
taken part in the war which gave inde-
pendence to their country, but they had
chosen opposite sides, William Mayne
had thought it his duty to maintain his
LOYALTY to the British sovereign, while
Waters had been one of the most ardent
supporters of the revolutionary party.
Perhaps the mere circumstance Of having
adopted different sides would not have
excited the hostility alluded to, had not
Waters been the instrument Of procuring
the Imprisonment Of Mayne at an early
period of the contest. Waters had con-
ceiyed himself TO be but fulfilling the
pars of a true lover of his country in do.
ing so, and declared himself free from all
feelings of personal enmity. Mayne's
confinement had proved in the end rather
q fortunate event than otherwise, for at
the close of the war he was held to have
incurred 80 little guilt that his liberty,
as well as property, was restored to him,
which might not have been the case had
he been allowed to enter more largely
into the contest.
William Mayne, however, was far from
considering himself as debtor on this
score to his Countryman; and when the
two accidentally removed, after the war,
10 the same district on the western bord-
ers of Pennsylvania, sentiments the re-
verse of friendly existed between them.
1t must be owned that the hostility lay
chiefly on Mayne's part, for Waters felt
the consciousness ofhaying been aCtuated
by pure motives in the transaction at
which Mayne took offence, and was
rlther anxious to conciliate his loyalist
neighbor, than to noursh any feeling of
dislike towards him. Neither Of them
being bad-hearted men, it is probable
that, had they conversed freely together,
they might have attained to a better
knowledge of each others character, and
have become good neighbors. But, near
neighbors as they were, no intercourse
was kept up between them. Their fam
lilies, too, shared in this estrangement,
with the exception of two members of
these retired households.
Mayne had one only son, Hugh, who
had lust reached the bloom of youthful
manhood at the period when the incl
dents we have to relate took place. Hugh
Mayne loved the daughter Of Waters
with his whole heart and soul. Often had
this pair met on the lonely mountain
side when no human ear was at hand to
listen to the outpJurings of their simple
affection. Mary Waters did not conceal
these meetings from her parents, who, if
they did not approve, at least did not
check or forbid them. On the other
hand, knowing well the dislike that
ranked in his fathers mind, Hugh
Mayne did not venture for long period
60 reveal theattaChment that had sprung
up in his breast Blinded by the strength
Of his passion, he at last ventured to
speak on the subject to his father.
The astonishment of the elder Mayne
at the disclosure was only equalled by
his anger again and again" he said,
have told you of the cause | have to
dislike that man and all that belorg to
him. He inflicted on me an injury, for
which he has not deigned ever to make
an atonement, even in words You knew
this, and yet you have Hugh Mayne,
YOU have ever been a dutiful son, and |
now lay my commands on you never
to"---
These interrupted hisfather. "Do not
pronounce a command" he said, (which
it will be impOSsble-which it will de-
str0y my peace-to obey. And not my
peace only, but that of another will be
ruined by it,"
"You are too simple, Hugh Mayne,"
replied the father "you know not the
temper of that man and his whole breed
Mary Waters can have no true affection
for son of mine. Hate to all of our
name would be instilled into the minds
of that family from their cradle. 1t is
our money tney look 10.
"You are wrong, father" returned
Hugh; "this is your own prejudice that
speaks"
Sand have / not cause to be preiu-
diced ?" said the father, warming with
the recollection of his wrong. did |
not tsuder imprisonment fOryears through
his means? | have ever been kind
parent to you, Hugh, but 1 know not
that would not sooner see you welded
TO negro slave, than to daughter of
Henry Waters. Never will one of that
mans off pring be a good and loving wife
TO a son of mine"
Though conscious, in the depths of his
soul, of the erroneous nature of his faith
ers assertion, Hugh saw the necessity of
giving up the point, for the time at least,
before his father should be irritated into
a more positive expression of anger or
encouragement. With a sigh, he turned
away to put on his hunting gear, feeling
that solitude would be most congenial to
his present state of mind. Ere long he
was on his way to the hills, with his
hunting-bet across his shoulder, and his
rifle in his hand-a weapon which the
half-farmers halfhunters of. the border
seldom went without.
1t was verging towards noon when
Hugh Mayne left his home. On the
evening Of the same day, Mary Waters
sat in her fathers cottage, with her knit
ting on her knee working, and at the
same time conversing with her invalid
mother, who lay upon small he'd in the
same apartment. II hear the dogs bark
ing, Mary; why has not your father ta-
ken them with him to the hills to-day ?"
asked the old woman.
"He thought, mother, that their noise
might bring the Indians on his track, if
the savages have really returned to this
neighborhood, which l pray to Heaven
may not be the case !" As the Young
woman made this reply, she rose from
her seat, and saying, "The dogs know his
hour-my father should be coming home
now" she went to the door of the cot
tage. She returned in minute or two
with the information that her father was
1t yet visible. After an affectionatei in