Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-02-18
CAFES aud Sketfhes.


1t so happened that i once spent COUPE
If DAYS in a small town in West Virginia.
Ths v;Ilaoe il picturesouely located in
. verv pleasant valley and the bills that
srrronrd II rise in proportions of singular
1000 and heauty. A stream Of sufficient
size to furnish reliable power for the mills
that stand on its banks, runs through the
valley. and following its course lies the
carriage road, which, after much winding,
sometimes along narrow cuts made IN the
side of rocky bluffs that rise almost per-
pendicularly to dizzy heights after tunei-
ling two or three hills that are too difficult
10 Climb or too tedious to 60 around, and
crossing the stream many times through
long covered bridges, brings one
to the nearest railroad station,
some eight miles distant After
delightful ride in a stage over this road. l
was landed in this sequestered little town
one Saturday evening.
As there is no hotel in the place was
directed to the house of widow lady,
where | was told travellers could usually
find entertainment. Following directions
I found the house; the lady herself came
to the door, and my errand being made
known she consented to keep me over
Sunday.
Nv hostess proved herself very
pleasant entertainer, for after supper she
related to me something OF her history.
Had hers been an ordinary life. or had the
recitation been less skilltully given, such
an unfolding might have proved tedious
enough; but without being garrulous,
without an unbosoming of family secrets,
without complaining of grievances or rail-
ing at fate. in a simple, modest manner
she told the story of her life; how her
father had been rich Southern planter.
who loved his family, and did all in his
power to make them happy. How she
had been reared in luxury, every desire
mnistered to, every want so far as posi-
BILE supplied. She had been educated
even better than most young women of
her rank. At quite an early age she had
married young southerner who owned an
adjoining plantation, was talented and
"well to do" How not long after, the
war of the rebellion broke out Ter hus-
band, father and brothers joined the con-
federate army. Then disasters fell fast.
The slaves deserted; the plantations were
devastated; and finally the husband, and
two brothers killed.
The war ended, the father broken spirit
ed by the defeat of the Southern cause
and by his own shattered fortunes, did not
long survive. After all these sad expe-
, riences the old home seemed like home to
them no longer, so selling the property at
great sacrifice, she. her mother. and a
surviving brother went to West Virginia !;
she and her mother to the village where
!, found them and the brother to a farm not
, more than a mile or two away. In the
room in which we sat were several articles
, of furniture brought from the old home
among them a curious old side-board
deliberately carved, chairs of ancient
= pattern and an old piano. At the re,
quest of the mother and myself, our hostess
after making excuses for the piano
and herself finally consented to play for
> us; and really. though the instrument was
y old. some of the strings broken. and others
: out of tune, she got more music out of it
= than half the players who make more pre-.
q tensions and who have much more perfect
y instruments to perform upon.
- Well, in the course of the evening the
: brothers son called. He was young
man, about twenty-one, vivacious, gooC
looking and quite laxative. He had had
some school advantages, and 1t was evi
dent had made good use of his opportun
u ties. 1t was also apparent that there wa:
r in him considerable native ability, good
l.. sense, ready wit, and an Imagination
q that was not slow; in fine. very com
r panionable young man. Finding that
r was stranger in those parts he gave me
l. much information about the country, its
l. resources, the people and their customs
}. he recounted some local traditions of ad
ventures OF the pioneers who settled the
r town, encounters with wild beasts and
s troubles with hostile Indians. and finally
: asked if had heard the story of the clone
!, grave" | had not so he related.
j There is lone grave on one of the hills
near by, concerning which there is a little
l legend
The scenery in this vicinity is of unu-
sual interest and has tor many years been
S visited from time to time by artists who
find among our hills and along our little
river many choice bits for their sketch
books
One summer a long time ago young
artist came to the town with the intention
of spending a few days, in which time he
,, expected to sketch all that he should find
worthy of his pencil. But it CHANGED one
:. day as he was following foot path along
the bank of the stream near a mill which
+ stood short distance from the village, he
y met a young woman, the miller's daugh-
n ter. who was on her way home from the
r mill where she had been on some errand
V to her father.
n She was a comely maid and the artist
: was at once struck with her beauty and
d simple grace, and for hours afterward, her
: form kept fitting before him, till finally he
r resolved if possible to make her acquain
J lance. This was not difficult task among
= these simple hearted people. He made nc
y wild breaks, and fet matters run along nat
4 tually. He often visited the mill. which was
;. in a picturesque locality, and withou
il seeming to be obtrusive worked into tn,
good graces of miller, who in his whole
e souled hospitable way invited him to hi
la home. The invitation was accepted an,
n many subsequent ones, too. The miller
ID daughter grew fairer each day in his eyes
re and twas evident she was far from indf
l. ferent to the attentions paid her. The,
grew so fond that thew were quite unhap
ply when out of each others company ,anc
i. sought as much as possible to be together
:. Sometimes she would accompany him oil
a, his sketching tours; and Sunday after
O. moons, when all the village WAS out o
ID doors, they might be seen lettering along
:" some woodland path or clambering to tn
ar ton of some fayorite hill INT thera wa