The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1886-01-01
CAPT. MARyIN'S WOOING.

The curious minded used some years
ago to search for the quaint i'll
scription that could bc traced upon a
mouldy stone in the ancient buryine
ground in old Lyme Regis, known III
these later years us Lyme. The mem
orinl, when found, could be dccipheretl
thus:
This Deacon aged SO, Isfrced on earth from
serving;
May for IL crown no longer wait; Lyme
I Captain Rcnold Marvin.
Vet, according to the tale that
mothers told daughters for many
years more than Il hundred, Capt.
| Marvin found Il crown whose gentle,
buc-eyed wearer ruled him and his
! impcrious will with the peaceful
sccptre OF love; and this is the tradi-
ton:
There were the sounds OF breaking
branches and the tread of feet that
seemed heavily weighted, one after
noon OF early September in the year
100. ThcSenoiscs seemed to be caused
by some one laboring severely iustwith-
in the wilderness that stretched far
back into Connecticut colony from the
shore Of the Sound. The man who
heard these ominous sounds peeped
cautiously around for aninstant, and
then stared with wonder upon what
was revealed to him. He saw coming
from the woods another man. hall
carrying on his shoulders, half-tlrag-
gng, and straininy ut every muscle
with the weight, great black thing
that seemed the full size OF q we'll
grown OK.
"Tis Remodel" said the man, ''and
he hath Il bear" Then lie went up to
the hunter.
"a bear. The bear, Renold. The
brute that has given us so much con-
Germ. ''ris u monster
The hunter looscd his hold, and
panting with his excrtion, seated HIM
self upon Il stone. lie was youn.
man. and though the blood Of the
beast had stained his face so that the
color almost masked his countenance,
Yet the dark and resoiute eyes, the
tirm-set jaw, and the defiant manner
OF the man. exhausted "a he was,
caused the other to look with admira-
ton upon him rather than upon his
prize.
"'1is Il monster, Renold. You did
not fight it I'LL alone?"
"Why not? Shall u strong man
with blunderbuss and knife fear IL
brutc?"
MANY an armed man has been kill
cd by such as this one"
bah! None but babes and suck.
lings. There, am rSst0d pow. Twas
more difficult to fetch him here than
to kill him. You stay here with Inn.
Here, here, my gun and knife. to 90
for help to bring him to the settle
ment."
"Ah, but, Renold, perhaps his
mate"
art fearful of dead brute? Yet l
slew him alone. Truly did. lie
not"
81 know you do not lie. Your COM
munication is always yea, yea, and
may, may
Fear nothing, for will soon be
back"
The young man. without another
word, went quickly down the highway,
a mile perhaps, until he stopped bis.
fore IL clumsy, rough barred gate set
in the stone wall. Then he strobe
across meadow. heavy with after
math, until he reached well sweep,
whose bucket swung high in the air.
With the strength OF one sinewy wrist,
lse poured the water, cool as IL winter
spring, upon his head, and with the
other hand most theoretically bathed
his neck and face till The skin was al
most rs ruddy us tie stains bis late
slaughter left upon blms.
There" said he ut length; i'wataf
for strong men, milk for babies, and
rum for tho weak and foolish" Then,
as he was about to start again, he
stopped in listening attitude.
What's that | hear? Thump,
thump. ALI, It's Betty at her loom.
I'll speak to her.
He went over the slope whereon the
we'll was and Just beyond came upon
Il farm house whose lcan-to roof was
pitched against the little hill, so that
i'll comingdown he might have walked
right Up the roof TO the ridge piece.
He turned aside, however, and stood
upon the kitchen door sill, and then
he saw lie maid at her loom, though
she saw him not. 1t seemed to please
this strong man TO look upon her, or
upon her quick and graceful motion
at the loom, though her face WAS hid
den from him. Then, too. he saw
and wondered why be nevertook heed
OF them beiore--that twa long and
truly braided braiis OF hair hung TAP
below her waist, SO that, Us she sat
there at the loom, the ends Of then,
seemed to rest upon the floor. That
sight pleased him too.
Soon he spoke, but tho shuttle and
TIC loom made IL loudernoisc than he,
so he advanced and touched her She
VAS not startled, thinking some in
mate OF the i,eush had summoned her.
But when she saw this strong man
looking down upon her she was con-
fused an instant, with Il pleasing con.
f's'''Ch3 tshNA blICIl SllC IoSC anu SttCICtl
linn.
Renoll, you spoke not, "rwas not
sccmly thus to stnrtle me-
did"
why, what's happened you? See.
your garmentsare rent, and here, why,
there's blood, itepold, and there are
l,af'washed stains upon your cheeks.
Has there been trouble with tho IN
dians? Are you hnrt?"
"Tis nothing. this morning met
the bear that's made havoc llere, and
killed him"
"iou. alone?"
"Why not alone?"
event you alone out to seek hims"
ayes, at dawn
"Twas foolish bravery. And you
had Il stru@e?'
Bears arc not slaughtered like sheep