West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-04-06
Cromwslrs Granddaughter and her
Adventure In a Stage-Coach.

Inspired with enthusiastic devotion to
the memory of her grandfather, and
inheriting no small portion of his cour-
age, Mrs. Bendish valiantly defended his
reputation, especially his saintship
against whoever should assail il.
Her friends, giving way to her foibles,
or laughing at them, did not choose To
enter into disputation with her. But
she frequently met with strangers who
were loud in casting aspersions on his
memory. In such cases she was not the
woman To sit in timid silence and hear
her grandfather illuminated. Her wrath
was excited, and she resented every such
attack as personal injury.
On one occasion, when she was travel
ing in Landon stage-coach, i'm company
with two gentlemen to whom she was an
entire stranger, the conversation turned
upon Cromwell, whose character and
conduct were criticised with much
acrimony by the two gentlemen.
Impatient at hearing the indignities
done to the honored name of her grand
father, she, after her usual manner. took
up with great spirit the argument of his
defense, and extolled him with all the
rapture To which she was prompted by
her enthusiastic admiration of his vir-
tues and graccs She tried To make IL
clear To her opponents that he was man
OF consummate patriotism and piety
But by all her rhetoric she failed To carry
convictions TO their minds. One of them
in particular became extremely hot and
violent against Cromwell, whom ne
branded with every term of opprobrium,
deriding his pretensions to patriotism
and sanctity, and stigmatizing him as n
cold-bloodcd traitor and tyrant
This virulence she thought was very
insolent, and To her il was very provok-
ing, She pronounced the imputations
TO be false and calumnious; but the
more she defended her grandfather, the
more outrageous was her opponent in his
abuse. She became in corresponding
degree excited, and the controversy in
creased in yehemence.
IL, toward the end of the stage, the
violence of the dispute was abated, this
arose rather from exhaustion Of breath
than from the want of wrath or of words
to prolong it. After they had alighted
from the coach, and had taken some re-
freshment, Mrs. Bendish advanced to
the gentleman who had been her prin-
cipal opponent in the controversy, and
politely requested that she might be
permitted TO speak with him apart.
"Surely, madam" he replied, and
they withdrew TO another apartment
upon which she told him, with great
composure, that he had in the grossest
manner belied and abused the most
pious man that ever lived; that Crom-
wells blood that flowed in her veins
would not allow her to pass over the in
dignities cast on his memory in her
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sword, but that she could fire pistol as
we'll as he, and she demanded immediate
satisfaction TO the injured honor of her
family, insisting that ii he would not
incur the charge of cowardice, he should
ing to accept her challenge"
The gentleman, as might be supposed
was amazed at the remarkable strain of
this address, but on discovering her re-
lationship TO the man he had reviled, Of
which he was before ignorant, and per
ceiving that the controversy had now
assumed somewhat serious aspect, he
had good sense enough TO soften down.
Notwithstanding he Immediately
replied. call that ] have said i'm dispar-
agement of the character Of Oliver Crom-
we'll, whom i now understand TO have
DNNh ybhi
ably possessed many great qualities,
which honor as much as you or any
one and mad known or suspected your
relation to him, / would certainly not
have said one word on the subject 10
give you ofense. regret having
wounded your feelings by the asperity
with which, in the heat of contradiction
! may have treated his memory, and !
sincerely ask your pardon for my rude
ness"
BY this apology ne succeeded in APP
peasing her resentment; and they prose
cuted the remainder of their Journey
together with degree Of friendly feel
ing and good-humor, if not Of mutual
confidence. But in the course Of the
conversations that followed, CROMWELL
character was not again brought under
discussion