The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1879-04-25
THE RANGERS CHASE.
A Western Story of the War of 1912.
BY ]. L. M'C0NNEL: AUTHOR OF "TALBOI
AND VERNON" ETC.
CHAPTER l.
"Come, haste to the wedding ="

SOAhSJ huotS W tHc "CuulHS.
On the Sd of February, 1909, an act of Con-
gress was passed, defining the boundaries of
Illinois, and establishing the "First Grade"
of Territorial Government. The popula-
tion of the whole territory did not then cx-
coed twelve thousand and, with the excep-
ton Of Chicago, and few settlements on
the Wabash, was confined to narrow strip
Of country along the Mississippi. But, up
on the organization OF the new government,
(under Governor Edwards, the current of
emigration received an impulse in this di-
recton; and the fertile prairies, lying near
er to the centre of the state, began to at
tract mo.e attention. Kaskaskia was the
seat of territorial authority, as we'll as the
nucleus Of population; and it was north
ward, along the banks of the river of that
name, that the stream of emigran;s natural
ly took its way.
Among those who pushed adventurously
forward in that direction, was certain
Thomas Fielding, who migrated from Vir.
ginia in the autumn of 1911; his family
consisting of wife, two sons and one
daughter. Passing by the settlements in
st. Clair county, he pressed on across the
praires, with world Of fertile acres spread
before him, until he reached the banks of
Shoal Creek, in the county of Bond A
few miles southwest of the point where the
town Of Greenville has since been built, he
found tract of land which combined al;
the advantages Of which he was in search.
A prairie, several miles in width, was boun.
dcd by high and valuable timber along the
creek, and stretched away toward the north
and west, in all the rich, unbroken beauty
OF primeval nature. Elevated, but well
watcred, undulating, though not rugged !;
that portion of which, with the freedom of
che wilderness, he took immediate posses
sion, was easily converted into beautiful
and productive farm. Just within the skirt
Of the timber, protected by grove of state
ly oaks, he erected aspacious, though prim-
tive mansion ; and here, in the grand SOL
itude of wood and plain. he prepared, with
his family, to spend the remainder of his
life.
1t was chiefly with view to the welfare
of that family that he had left the older and
more thickly peopled state of Virginia, to
seek a home in the Far West. He was
growing old; his sons were approaching
manhood and, after assisting their father
in providing for his age, it was natural that
they should be solicitous about their own
future. Each, accordingly, with the con-
currencc Of the father, selected for himself
Sufficient domain and such was the ener-
gy with which they prosecuted their elm
provements," that, by the spring of 1913,
there were three sparate farms, Immediately
contiguous, under active cultivation.
Both the sons were married in the course
OF the following summer-for other emf.
grants had followed FieldiDg's "trail, until,
at this time, there were, perhaps, twenty
families within circle Of ten miles diane
ter. Jane, the daughter, still remained with
her parents; but the frequent visits Of q
certain John Edgar, who lived some eight
miles down the river, seemed to give color
to the rumor, now rife in the settlement,
that she was soon to exchange her maiden
name, for that Of the young Ranger Cap
tain.