The Jasper weekly courier., 1878-07-19

uAbout what, hone W" asked moth
erly. y.looking darky, looking up from
her knitting through a pair OF large
brass spectacles.
"Havent you heard, NANNY, Of
fathers last whim?" sighed the girl.
ave are 70 have jumping-match on
our east lawn in two weeks. All the
Young men Of the villages are invited TO
take part, and am 70 marry the one
who Jumps the farthest."
uLord o'massy, chile! de butchers
son might Jump de furdesti"
"Oh. no. there Is little danger Of
that. fear others more"
~ reckon. darlin', dem savages Is dc
cause Of all dis here trouble" said the
woman thoughtfully. Massa y awful
'fraid devil come up here an butcher
us widout Judge or jury, an he's get
ting ole, honey, an needs SON dat can
fite. an larn de boys to iite. too"
A Quick step on the gravel walk made
the young girl turn. "Oh, here Is Tom
At last !"s she exclaimed, as, with beam
inc face and heightened color, she
sprang lightly down the steps to meet a
fine-looking young military officer.
81 am so glad to see you" she said.
extending both hands. " And so old
Tim actually found you'll"
EYES," he replied, taking her hands,
and then lifting her tell-tale face to lind
confirmation of her words in the in
noccnt depths Of her dark eyes. Tim
found me, and here am, Nettie; but |
have only ten or fifteen minutes TO stay.
Let US walk in that path yonder, where
we can talk undisturbedly;" and he
drew her hand through his arm. Your
note tells me Of this jack-a-napes whim
OF your fathers, and the consequent
son-in-law business. 1t fairly makes my
blood boil to think he would subject you
to such q trial.
"But you can jump further than any
one else, Tom, and you won't have TO
GO back to Carlise, viii you?"
"No, thank fortune, not for some
| time, we are at Fort Cumberland now,
/. but in few days viii be sent nearer this
plantation. Colonel Stanwix sent me
down with party Of men to help dose
these Indians with gunpowder. They
have committed some fearful ravages
not very far OFF"
wonder where Colonel Washington
is? WHY doesn't he stop these cruelties,
il he is as brave as they sayP" asked
Nettie.
because Governor Dinwiddie is al
ways interfering with him. He has
scarcely more than enough men at his
own headquarters in Winchester to pro-
tect Fort Loudon alone. AS to his brave
~, it can't be questioned. He received
four bullets through his coat at the bat.
tie Of Monongahela, two years ago, and
had two horses killed under him; and he
was Just recovering from fever, too
But, Nettie, we can talk of this some
other time. Now to business: On the
day Of the match, if"
"Oh, don't say If, Tom" interrupted
Nettie, hiding her face on his arm. "Yot
know father Is incxorable, and If yol
fall"
"Fail or not fail. you belong to me
darling" exclaimed the young man em
phatically. q and nothing shall separat.
US. Wear this ring as pledge, and j
the worst Is realized, you and | must b
among the missing Immediately after tn
festivities. Win you do just as tell you
Nettie?"
"Yes, Tom," she replied in Low
tone.
"Then we can make arrangements 70
failure when we meet, for Ican't thinl
it possible that can fail" He spok
hurriedly, for there was not q momen
to spare. "Duty Is imperative" he sal
with smile, land have scarcely tim
to reach to my post, so goodbye, Net
tie, for two weeks"
The appointed day dawned brigh
and clear. Promptly the young mel
assembled, each eager to win 50 muc
beauty and wealth. The gentry an
farmers also came to witness the unusr
al spectacle. The old planter, with hi
friends, took places on the Judge
platform, while Nettie, at her father
command, stood at little distance, un
der group Of trees, with her old nurs
and few young friends.
II The contest began, and had nearl
closed, when . horseman galloped u
the road, and, seeing the crowd, faster
ed his horse, and walked over the law
to inquire what was going on.
He was about 25, very tall, and wit
J military bearing remarkable in one I
I young. Such dignity Of deportmer
, would seem, in these days, inconsisteI
: with such . pastime as jumping, b
! | then it was common amusement, hk
j our baseball. He stepped up to Tol
Z and asked, "Can any one take part?
! should like very well to try my skill.
!. Certainly, believe the old plan
! er's whim included the world at large,
( said Tom curtly, as he moved Of
3 take his turn.
. The soldier stood near black Tir
3 who had been watching the contest wi
/ much interest, but who now turned b
! attentic. 20 the long limbs Of the stran
~ vxifh q Oood doal of concern exDros