Middletown transcript., 1878-12-07
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A TALE OF THE OLDEN TIME.

fighting against tho encroachments o
'e France on the northern and western
Il borders, there lay among the pictur
esque hills Of Northern Virginia 6
large plantation. The family man
s sion stood on elevated ground, with
8 sloping lawns and broad piazzas, shad-
ed by an abundant growth Of ivy and
tall poplars.
The owner of this beautiful estate
| was an eccentric old planter, whose
chief pride lay in the immutability Of
his word. A law of the Medes and
Persians could sooner have been bro
ken than his commands changed and
under his arbitrary rule he had brought
up daughter-his only child. She
was just seventeen, and was possessed
Of beauty SO rare and unconscious
that, added to her prospective wealth.
it caused her fame TO spread far and
wide.
About this time the atrocities Cf
the Indians grew SO daring and terri
flying that the planter determined on
getting a son-in-law possessing strength
and courage, even at the sacrifice of
his daughters happiness; but he ma
tured his plans before he revealed
them.
One afternoon, late in August, the
planters daughter stood on the wes-
tern piazza, leaning against pillar
covered with climbing roses. She was
dejectedly gazing into the golden, hazy
clouds that lay piled in the distant
west, and nervously pulling apart the
roses, until the floor at her feet was
covered with the petals. ooh, dear"
she exclaimed at last, Il wonder if
anything can be done p
"About what, honey?" asked a
motherly looking colored woman, look
ing up from her knitting through a
pair Of large brass spectacles.
Haven't you heard, nanny, Of !
fathers last whim T. sighed the girl. |
"Weare. to have a jumping match
on the east lawn in two weeks. All
the young men Of the village are invit-
ed to take par, aid 1 am to marry
the one who jumps the farthest."
"Lord o massy, chilel de butchers
son might jump de furdest"
"Oh, NJ; there is little danger cf
that. I fearothers more"
q reckon, darlin', dem savages is
de cause Of all dis here trouble,,' said
the woman thoughtfulIy. "Massa is
awful 'fraid dey'll come up here and
butcher US widout judge or jury, an
he's gittin' ole, honey, and needs son
dat can fite, an larn de boys to fite,
too"
A quick step on the gravel walk
made the young girl turn. "Oh, here
is Tom at last" she exclaimed, as.
with beaming face and heightened
color, she sprung lightly down the
steps to meet fine looking young
military officer.
Il am SO glad to see you," she said,
extending both hands. "And SO old
Tim actually found you p
eyes," he replied, taking her hands,
and then lifting her tell-tale face to
find confirmation of her words in the
innocent depths Of her dark eyes.
"Tim found me, and here I am, Net
tie; but have only ten or fifteen {
minutes to stay. Let us walk in that !
path yonder, where we can talk un- t
disturbedly;;" and he drew her hand t
through his arm. "Your note tells 8
me Of this jack-a-napes whim Of your i
and the consequent son-in-law f
business. It fairly makes my blood s
boil to think he would subject you to +
such trial"
"But you can jump further than f
any one else, Tom and you won't y
have to go to Carlisle, will you ?" Ii
"No, thank fortune, not for some c
time. We are at Fort Cumberland t.
now, but in few days will be nearer il
his plantation. Col. Stanwix sent I
me down with party of men to help s.
dose these Indians with gunpowder. b
They have committed some fearful
ravages not very far off," il
81 wonder where Col. Washington o
81 Why doesn't he stop these cruel '
les, if he is as brave as they say"
asked Nettie. "
Because Gov. Dinwiddie is always ID
with him. He has scarce D
y more than enough men at his own d
headquarters in Winchester to protect ii
Fort London alone. As to his bravery, fl
t can't be questioned. He received tc
our bullets through his coat at the
'attle Of MonOngahela, two years ago, c.
md had two horses killed under him, IL
md he was just recovering from a W
ever, too. But, Nettie, we can talk hi
# this some other time. Now to bus 7
ness: On the day Of the match, if"- al
"Oh, don't say it, Tom, !" interrupted
Nettie, hiding her face on his arm. Ii
You know father is inexorable, and w
q u tgg
] yOu IdII Ds
"Fail or not fail, you belong to me, cl
larling," exclaimed the young man, th
,mphatically. "and nothing shall san. u