River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-01-09
A TALE OF THE oLDEN TINE.


ATALE OF THE OLDEN TINE.
In the summer OF 1857, when we were
fighting against the encrOachmenEs o.
France on the northern and western bor
ders there lay among The picturesque
hills of Northern Virginia large plant :
ton. The family mansion stood on elc
waited ground, with slOping lawns an
broad piaLzas, shaded by an abundaa
growth of ivy and tall poplars.
The owner of this beautiful estate wa
an eccentric old planter. whose chic
pride lay IN the immutability OF hi.
word. A law Of the Modes and Perslan'
could sooner have been broken than hi,
commands changed; and under his az
arbitrary rule he had brought up &
daughter-hls only child. She was just
seventeen, and was possessed Of a beautg
SO rare and unconscious that, added e
her prospective wealth, it caused he's
frame to spread lar and wide.
About this time the atrocities Of thu
Indians grew so daring and terrifying
that the planter determined on getting q
son-in-Iaw possessing strength and cauI
age, even at the sacrifice of MS daughter
happiness; but he matured his plans be
fore he revealed them.
One afternoon, late in August, the
planters daughter stood on the western
piazza, leaning against pillar COVERED
with climbing roses. She was detected
ly 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
I. E, 1at md OF L. 5f
Il wonderif anything can be done!'
about wheat, h0neyt" asked moth
erly-lookIng colored woman, looking up
from her knitting through pair OF large
brass spectiales.
Haven't you heard, nanny, of faith
ers last whim2' sighed the girl I'VE
are TO have jumping match on the east
lawn in two weeks. All the young men
Of the vii age are invited to take part, and
| am to marry the one who jumps the
farthest."
Lord o. massy, chile, de butchers
son might jump dc furdest!
ooh, 10; there is little danger Of that.
fear others more"
II reckon, darlin', dem savages Is lie
cause Of all dis here trouble said the
woman thoughfully "Mas,a is awful
" 'fr4id deyll come up here and butcher
us wi3out Judge or jury, an he's gcttin'
ole, honey, and needs son dat can fife
an Iarn the boys to fife, too
A quick step on the gravel walk made
the young girl turn. "Oh, here IS Tom
It last r She exclaimed, as. with beamIng
face and heightened color, she sprung
lightly down the steps TO meet tue-
looking young military officer.
II am so glad TO see you, she said,
extending both hands. And SO old Tin
actually found your
YES he replied, taking her hants
and then lifting her tell-taie face to find
confirmation of her words in the iuno-
cent depths Of her dark eyes. Tim
found me, and here | am, Nettip; but |
have only ten on fifteen minutes to stag
Let us walk in that path yOndeT, where
we can talk undisturbcdiy and he
drew her hand through his arm. Your
note tells me of this iaCk-g napes whim
of your fathers, and the consequent son
in-iaw business. 1t fairly makes my
blood boil TO think ne Eeuld subject you
to such a trial"
But YOU can jump trather than any one
else, Tom; and you won't have to go 10
Carlisle, will you.'
mo. thank fortune. not for some tins.
We are at Fort Cumberland now, but q
few days will be nearer this plantation.
Col Stauwix sent me down with parry
Of men to help dose these Indians win
gunpowder. They have committed such
fearful ravagcs not very far off
II wonder where Col. Washington Isl
Why doesn't he stop these crueIties. if he
is as brave as they say asked Net:;e.
Because Gov DInwiddie is always III
tcrfering with him. He has scarcely
more than enough men at his own heaG-
quarters in Winchester to protect Fort
London alone. As To his bravery, 1t can
be questioned. He received four bullets
through his coat nj the battle of the Mon :
ongahela, two wears ago, and had twa
horses killed under him, and he was iusC
recovering from a fever, too. But, Net:ic,
we can talk of this some other time.
Now to business: On the day of the
match, If
"Oh, DON'T say it, Tom, interrupted
Nettie, hiding her face ON his arm. You
know father is inexorable. and if you fail
Fail or not fail, you belong to me,
darling exclaimed the young man, en-
phatically, and nothing shall separate
us. Wear the ring as pledge, and, II
the worst is realized, YOU and | must b.
among the missing Immediately after tbs
festivities. Will you 90 just as | tell you.
Nettiei'
eyes, Tom, . she replied, in low tone.
Then we cen make arrangements fog
a failure when we meet, for | can't think
itpOssibIe that | can fail" He SPOKE
huruedly, for there was not moment 4
spare. DUTY is Imperative he contin-
ued, with smile, "aHd have scarcely
time to reach my post, so goodbye, Net
tie, for two weeks.
The appointed day dawned bright ana
clear. Promptly the young men assem-
bed, each eager 10 WIN SO much beauty
and wealth. The gentry and farmers al
so came TO witness the unusual spectacle
The old planter, with his friends, took
places on the judges platform, Will,
Nettie at her fathers command, stood n
a little distance, under q group OF trees
WITH her old nurse ana a few young
friends The contest began, and has
nearly closed, when horseman gallopet
up the road, and seeing the crowd, fast
ened his horse, aud walked over the lawt
TO inQuire what was going on.
ne was ABOUT lNtu4N live. NCI1 tait
and with military bearing remarkabI
in one SO young. Such dignity of de
pertinent would seem. in these DAYS, in
consistent with such a pastime as iump
ing, but then II was a common amuse
ment, like our baseball. lie stepped u
to Tom, and asked; Can any one tax
partl i should like very much 70 try ~
skill"
Certainly; | believe the old planter
whim included tic world at large, sal
Tom, CURLY, as he moved ofi 10 take HI
turn
Thc soldier stood near black Tim, wb
had been watching the contest with muc
interest. but who now turned his atten
ton to the long limbs of the strange
with q good deal of concern expressed o
his olG black features. II say, massa,
and Tins eyes rolled round II his ankle
ty in a way quite fearful to behold. " di
yer yoUf. what you WIS talkin' to, is Mas
sa Tom, an dey is gagged already-d
young missus and him. She likes hin
wonderful, but p'raps you donno dat on
Miss Nettie Is de prize, what de old Ea
put up for dc biggest Jumper. is awft
'fraid you'll jump de fardest wild der
long legs. Nc dIspect meant, massa."
The reply to Tins discourse was 10:
:. i. sh,,,-. from, +ae ay7wd for the mo-