Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-07-06

to return you to your place there, and
he pointed to Bacon's empty seat.
The quiet that now reigned in James
town did not last long; for soon the cry
went around the country: Bacon Is
fed - and tumult and uncertainty ensu-
ed. The forgiven rebel had doubted the
Governors sincerity. and had fed FOL
safety. Moreover, he was dlssatlhed
and wished to have the right to &c
against the foes of the colony whenever
he might think proper. So, once more
he gathered his friends around him, and
within few days he returned to James
town, which he entered without resist
ance, accompanied by Eve hundred arm
ed men. All was confusion in the set
Element; no one in authority dared te
act.
Bacon issued an order commanding
the members of the Council to appear
before him, and while he waited he
walked excitedly along line of troops
drawn up to receive the expected Coun'
cilmep. OF sudden, some one forced
way through the crowd, and made to-
ward the young leader. 1t was Cover
nor Berkeley, pale and rgitated. Scarce
Iv knowing what he did, he thrust him
self before Bacon, and barring his breast
cried: Here! Shoot mel Fore God
fair markl ShootI"
Bacon stepped back, resting enc hand
on his sheathed sword, and respectfully
holding his hat in the other. Simply,
and with cool politeness, he said to the
frantic Governor: mo; may it please
your honor, we will not hurt hair OF
your head. We have come for a com
mission to save our lives from the Indi-
ans, and" he added, with less calmness,
"we shall have it before We 60.
Sir William said nothing, but turned
and walked away. The next day Bacon
received his commission, granting him
the right to 60 against the Indians
whenever he might choose.
But when Bacon next attacked the
savages, the Governor denounced him
as traitor; and when Bacon heard OF
it. ne replied: "We will go see why he
calls us traitors" to which his men
shouted, "Amenw But when Berkeley
found that the man he had called a
traitor was coming back to jamestown,
he fed, and tried to rally few follow
ers to support him against his enemy.
These friends having come together, as
soon as he began to speak, cried, "Ba-
con! Baconl Baconw and refused to lis
ten. All this and great deal more is
related in the full history of jamestown.
When the troops arrived, the Cover
nor was nowhere to be found, for he had
sailed down the James River, to be out
of harms way. In tumult of excite
ment and rage the men set fire to the
houses; and from the deck of his ship
the craven Governor looked on helpless
ly at the destruction of what to him had
been little kingdom. 1t took but few
hours to completely destroy the little
settlement; the people then dispersed,
and in process of time built new houses
for themselves among the surrounding
plantations. 1t was, perhaps, on the
whole, well that Jamestown was de-
stroyed; for the place was very un-
healthy
In this expedition Bacon brought on
serious illness by exposure and fatigue;
he rapidly became worse, and soon died,
and was deeply mourned by the people.
Governor Berkeley staid in America
several years after this, and when he
was recalled home, in dishonor, he was a
feeble old man, and he did not long sur
vive his disgrace. This old jamestown,
the first English settlement in America,
was never rebuilt, and the church wall,
covered now with vines century old,is
all that remains to mark the spot where
once so much that was stirring and in
teresting took place.-F. n. DOUBLE
DAY, in st Nicholas for July.