The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1879-04-25

take part In the re)OlclDSSj anu py tnOse
whom he saw, he had sent notice to others;
so that at least week before the eventful
tenth, every one within twenty miles was
not only notified, but asked to attend
Preparations were then made upon a cor.
responding scale and fervent wishes were
expressed that thef weather might be fine,
that none might fail to come. One of the
sons was sent express to kaskaskia for
Jancs wedding garments-for even in those
primitive days woman was true to the tastes
of her sex. And, beside, Jane had grown
almost to womanhood in the precincts of
the Old Dominion and, in her new home,
was as well known for the superior neatness
of her dress, as for other advantages Of
mind and person.
At length the eventful morning came
one of those magnificent autumn days in
which the warmth Of summer fingers on the
hazy landscape Of the waning year. They
say Italian skies are beautiful throughout
the seasons but it seems to me the autumn
must be the glory Of the months in all
climcs, as full manhood is the ultimate bloom
of life to all men and existence, in a coun-
try where the climate gives no special beau
ty to the years decline, would seem but
little better than working ia trcad-mill-
We must have variety the perpetual smile
Of even beautiful face would weary us in
time and six months Of unbroken sunshine
would make us long for Scotch mist
There is no such mouotony in the land of
prairies; nor has any country in the world
a season Of more rich and mellow glorics
than the western autumn
Shade deep ming over shade, the country round,
Embrown !; crowded umbrage, dusk and dun,
Or every hue, from wan declining green,
To sooty dark -
and waving wide savaunas, luxuriant as ori-
entail gardens, over which the shadows chase
each other statclily, or linger lovingly, like
shady isets in "s,a of green" And then
the tempered sunlight, all shorn of sum-
mers tierccncss, by the hazy, dreamlikc air;
and over all, the archiug sky, not laughing.
as in April, and not glowing, like July, but
full Of deep rcposc. the holy calm of spirit
land. Who that loves beauty would not
live in variable cline?
But it was little that the wedding guests
cared for the glories Of September. The
sun had scarcely began to decliue toward
the west, ere they first were seen approach
ing. From all directions along the narrow
road, over prairie pathways, emerging from
;hc timber, or riding slowly along its out
skirts, the whole country seemed in motion
Thomas Fielding, with his two sons, all in
their holyday suits, stood at the gate, and
welcomed all comcrs with hearty shake Of
the hand; while at the front door the
younger natrons, with their smiling moth
cr, received the females Of each party. The
bride elect was lot yet visible; the ccrcmo
ny was not to take place till evening The
bridegroom had appointed rendezvous for
his company of rangers; and it was at the
head Of these trusty guardians of the set
tlcment, that he was to approach the scene
OF his happiness. In the meantime, the
guests employed the vacant hours, each ac-
cording to his fancy, the men in talking
over the prospects Of the country, the dan
ser Of Indian iucursions, the plenty Of the
crops, etc; while the women were either as
sistirg in the final preparations for the feast,
or rcadjusting their disordered drcss-cth-
cr gessiping with the mother, or teasing the
daughter, who still kept her bridal cham
| Der.
-Four o'clock in the afternoon arrived !;
| and now the happy captain, with his ran
gers might soon be expected; when Jane,
her preparations all complete, at last issued
from her chamber, and announced her in
tention to walk out upon the prairie and
gather some wild flowers. Several Of the
younger girls proposed to accompany her.
but with smile and blush she declined
their companionship. 1t was not pressed
upon her, for each had suspicion of her
object. The mothers called their daugh-
tcrs aside, and whispered
she is going to meet the captain-lct
her 90 alone"
And, in confirmation Of the suspicion,
she passed out to the southwark and took a
path which led in the direction Of the road
along which the captain was 10 come
! Somewhat more than half mile from the
house stood a little grove, within which she
had often met Edgar on his visits to her
fathers, and from this point her parents
usually saw them approaching the house
together. 1t was to this grove that she went
by Il crcuitous route, however, SO as to
justify her excuse for leaving the house, by
gathering n few late flowers.
She had been absent from the house lit
tie more than an hour, when, rounding n
''point' Of timber, which puts out from the
creek about two miles below the farm, q
cavalcadc of twenty horscmcn was seen, and
at once recognized rs Edgar's company of
rangers. Another body, about equal in
number was seen ut the same time several