Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1879-09-27
)WN JEFFERSON COUNTY W. VA SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 2L /
l,raen for he ladies JogrHGi
A Story of Jeflerson's Rock.
Now or never. Nellie. .

" Now or never. Nellie
As she listened TO the tones OF i,nper.ous
love. spoken BY the bold. handsome man at
her side. there dawnei 10 The child-lke leaaly
Of thc girls face the wistful prophecy Of wo-
manhood.
His dark, ardent eyes held her ~ thrall.
turning the tender trouble Of Ter gaze from
the dimncss Of doubt to decision, and impelliog
the low murmured answer:
"Now. Fax"
Fairfax Lees arms were around her, aud ios
enc wild momou, she fet the turbulent throb-
Ling Of his hoart, and knew that bis whole
heart and soul were hers, and hers were his
Love conquered.
This is the Jay and the hour dear; | will
not wait Stay here I'LL come"
His tone was mastery, and she yielded un-
oues,iouing to the power that held her.
He sprung upon his horse. that stood near,
and rode recklcssly aown ihe rocky pathway
leading away from the spot.
How lovely Nellie locked. leaning against
the great gray rock. in the picturesque per-
fiction Of her young beauty. only seventeen /;
lhe sunbeams tinted her bronze brown hair
with gold the deep, tender bl1e eyes. with
their long curled lAsles resting on tho fair
aushcd cheeks
Before her spread magnificent uountain
eorge beneath the sinpendous cliff, adown
whose preeipious side tie dizzy eye sends Us
startled glance TO q narrow street, where
ancient houses crouch for shelter beneath tie
wall Of rock, and li,tle church looks trust
fully aud sereuely upward to heaven.
beyond the boundary of this triangle ofbold
hills with q eagre edge Of level land ruuning
around their base, where stand the quaint
centennial houses, We catch a sparkle aud a
CLEAN.
I, is the fash Of Vavcs, far in this splendid
gorge the bright waters meet OF the lordly
Potomac and the IUseig Shenandoah. "Daueh-
ter Of Stars"
Here the two rivers arc welded, and lhs
Shenandoah. like willing bride. gives up
her swec, Iudiau name o. ihc broader, bOldcr
Potomac.
The town that strnpglos yegrari'y over these
superb bills Is Iiarpcrs Ferry and crovuirg
thc cliff where Nellie stood, the peculiar pic
,uresque fraemcn, Of limestone Ike na,aral
table is JeHeisoos Rocs
The rock has taken its namo from the
sta,esman President, who visited the spot, ard
vss 60 impressed with the opulcnce Of grand
eur and beauty 10 the scene he suryeyed, thst
afterwards. in writing his Notes on Virginia
he said at is worth ifip across The Allan
tic 20 see.
Thomas Jefferson carved his name upon tho
fallen slab Of rock that. ike q doih'oned non
arch, leans against tho oue that DOW crowns
the cliff
|, wa, formerly poised upon Tie top RI tic
other. tut in 1898, during The timo q hcrco
strife between Fcderals and Democrats. Fed
ersl captain hurled the royal old rock from It's
place. aud in fallen majesty il now lies lean
ing against the other slab.
II would take pages 20 tell Of al The sublime
scenery at this place. where The Potomac bursts
through the Blue Ridge Mountains. and Fushes
rio,ously on 10 the sea. Now We must tell
oDr story
Trancel In a spell she was powerles' 70 resisi
the Girl watched and waited not iha, shc
would have rcsis,ed, for there is scnns wisdom
10 seventeen years.
For she loved and trusted Fairfax Lee IN
simple, unreasoning fashion looking up 10
hin, AZ surely and sieoifsstly ss the wood daisy
looks up 20 the sun. he was the beautiful
image Of oil sho had dreamed, and II was wis
dom enough for Der 20 knoe that ihoy loved
each other.
She starts. Ms horses hoch ring over tfs
road. aud from the narrow fooipath several
persons approach.
Her loser Is T., hcr side again, nod tie liIllr
white bands clssp bis stOng arm.
SIZE ,catcoly recognizes the group who 60
ther around them, though ono IA q bright-facci.
smiling voman. eui another is-s clcrgymsn.
But she hears this:
Come, Nell. we'll bo married on JofIersou's
Rock"
lie springs Ike clamoi. to the 'op, only
few feet above tue spectators, aud llfls her
liah, lovely form. swiftly to hls side
How word rfny striking it's G. see them
standing there together, beneath tic great ro-
,unda Of heaven within that magnificent cir
Gle Of Mountains against glowing background
Of gold and purpe sky, nature aud human
na,nre superbly blending
A moments pause. The group % tho side Of
rock look up 10 admiration. Thcs the clergy
mans voice breaks he silence 10 Impressive
tones Of appeal, addressing ihose two as they
shall answer a, ,he great day Of judgment -
his solemn charge
Then their ifolb Is pIigiicd 70 each other,
the prayer and blessing arc given, md they
arc inan and wife. She hosrs bin whisper
earnestly:
May God forget ne, Nellie. II ever fo'-
get the VOWS lave pledged you this day
lie springs 10 the ground, and tskes her
tenderly down there is little clamor Of con-
gra,nlaiioDs. and some voice says:
Why, Fax how did you get your
license 2"
With merry laugh Of triumph, Fax az
swers:
81 took old Time BY tie iorclock, and got
il week ago"
Runaway matches rarely'end happily, bnt
this ono was fortunate exception, for Fax
kep, bis voy.
The names Of the parties were carved on
Ibe great stone where they stool Tor tbeir &C.
centric bridal So, for q witness of the wed
i!ng, we eau always itkc The "iesiimouy Of
the rock"
Ella p. WASHINGTON.
Il is plain 10 be seen that the Republi-
,sss are determined to cling to power al sDy