St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-10-26
Captivating a Jayhawker.
A TRUE INCIDENT.

their cavalier blood which had com
across the water in colonial days
under royal letters patent, should all,
itself with Il plebian strain, the Origin
of which was, to say the least. doubtful
Still, Jane was young woman with ;
Will of her own, and argument ant
entreaty were alike powerless to NOV,
her. She was of age, therefore they
could not forbid the banns her fatheI
was dead, and they could not disin-
hent her; so, making the best of wha
they could not help, they gave tn,
affair grudging cOuntenance by per
mlttlng 1t to take place in the family
mansion.
His fOrefathers, or rather the lack o
them, apart. the young man was vel
enough. Energetic and in lustrious
sensible and steady, he was spoken oi
! on all hands as "a rising young man,
ana the Byrd boys themselves liked
him i'll Il patronizing way. But it is
one thing to smile approvingIy as youi
! humber neighbor works his way up
ward; quite another to help him on
with your shoulder, by giving him
your daughter or sister to wife and
the marriage was an undoubted mes
alliance. All James old associates
predicted that she would never he able
to ''stand" her husbands relations, and
when, Il year or two later, the young
couple determined to emigrate to the
Missouri border, then the far west, the
whole Byrd connection was much more
pleased than surprised, and saw Jane
depart with its blessing.
Ont on the frontier. where IL man
stands OF falls on his own merits. alto
@cther without reference to the history
of his grandfather, Toms sterling
qualities won him prosperity. In Il
dozen years or so, he was sheriff of the
county i'll which he had settled, with
one of his brOthers-in-law as deputy,
and moreover was fast making money
as the leading merchant in the rapidly
growing county town.
of course, Jane was triumphant, and
when her husband built a substantial
new house on the site of their original
log cabin, she wrote in the pride of
her heart, begging her mother and
sisters, one and all, to visit her. Since
the obnoxious son and brother-in-law
was evidently making his way in the
world, without their aid, and it was
quite on the cards that he might he II
congressman at no very distant day,
the Family with big F) felt it fitting
and proper that he should be cncour-
aged, and Jane received again in the
favor of her relatives. Therefore, it
was decided that Susan, her only un-
married sister, should go, taking with
her her niece Jessie, the eldest grand
daughter of the house, IL blonde beauty
still in her teens.
Aunt Susan quallcd in spirit over the
charge, for Jessie was as coquettiSh us
Il kitten but she could not 90 alone
to extend the olive branch, and there
was no one else who both could and
would accompany her. As for Miss
Jessie, that young person regarded the
expedition in the light of Il frolic, and
looked forward to life in the backwoods
with great deal of eager interest.
Indeed, she was quite disappointed to
find Blankvillc much more than half
civilized. with no red Indians among
the tOwnStolk, aud to he told that she
must ride ten miles or more out on the
prairie, for il possible glimpse of Il herd
of buffalo. Ii was small consolation
that the men went about in their shirt
sleeves. while most of the women
looked upon shoes and stockings as
supcrflu0us luXuries. Still, after the
first shock, she resigned herself to the
situation, and found herself all the
more comfortable for her auut'S new
house and patent cooking stove.
Her three eldest cousins were boys
of from thirteen to seventeen, who
soon became her devoted slaves, and
were ready to attend her on all Oc-
caSionS. Sometimes, with this body
guard, strengthened by the addition
of her Uncle Carter Byrd or Mr.. Booker,
she and Aunt Susan went to IL picnic
on the prairie but no entreaties could
ever induce her friends to permit her
to Join the hunting and fishing parties,
which were the favOrite amusement of
the young people of Blankville, and
which included camping out for il night
or two us II part of the programme.
1t was not safe, they assured her. JAY
hawkers and Border Rut1ians abounded
i'm Kansas, less than twenty miles
away, and men who rode the best
horses in the country might appear at
any moment, anywhere. That they
never molestcd the citizens of Blank
Vile was due chiefly to Mr.. BOOker's
| tact and courage. He never provoked
quarrel, vet was well known as !:
man who, when extreme measures be-
came necessary, did his duty untiinch-
ingly, regardless of consequences.
Soon after the arrival of the visitors,
! invitations were received to ball to
he given 10y one of the leading citizens.
! On the evening of the entertainment
Jessie came down for inspection ar
rayed in silk and tulle, and fully con
sciOus of becoming toilet. Much to
| her astonishment, her Aunt Jane sent
her back to put on her simplest muslin,
while Aunt Susan was commanded to
change her pretty gray silk for plain
black one.
at would never do" Mrs. Booker
declared. The people would say You
We're stuck up and trying to show
off, and, moreover, would be mortally
offended
They Obeyed orders, and were glad
to have done so, when, after all, they
found themselves by far the best
dressed women i'm the ball room. \.
Jessie wrote to her grandmother:
"There were only two silks there
besides Aunt Susan's. Although tn,
ladies present We're the elite of Blank
Vile, so far us it has any elite most o
them wore lawns or new calicOes, and
several of the men danced in theil
shirt sleeves. Fortunately, had non,
of them for partners, but nobod,
seemed to think their dress at all on
of the way. Indeed, coats seem to b,
regarded as altogether optional in thi
country. Hunting shirts arc the com
promise +; Uncle Tom wears one always
except to church, and Uncle Carter,
sack coat is regarded as II great mari
of dandyism on his part. The refresh
ments served at the ball were chief,
cheese and crackers, and candy (no
French). There was plenty of whiske.
with lemonade for the ladies -bu