The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-01-02
"THESNOWY DAUGHTER"
A Romance of tho Border by a
Wheeling VorsiNer
MORE THAN A GENERATION SINCE.
a Hare Book with n Local Flavor.
The Scene Is Laid In Part OH Wheel.
Ing Island, and tho Time was In tho
Pioneer Days before Fort Henry was
Erected here.

"The Poctcal Works OF Thomas J.
Lees" were published more than fifty
years ago and have long since been out
OF print. Occasionally at an auction Of
old books, or in an ancient library, n
copy will BIO found.
The author, it seems from n short nc.
count given OF himself, was q native OF
Now Jersey, born in 1904. lie offers the
following pootical tribute to his native
state:
~ remember tho SPOT where they sny wrs born,
Now Jersey the lGYel md snnCy;
The land OF big melons, good peaches md corn,
Where cider Is made into brandy"
The following allusion 10 his early
life and the incidents connected with it
arc circumstances that would indelibly
impress themselves on boys mind,
and the poetry consists more in natur-
alness than in rhythm:
"a remember the spot whCrc IN dirt made
caves,
And The creek where tho boys used to paddle,
With sticks md stones how we stirred up the
waves,
And through mud to the knees we would
wahdle.
shall never forget the first turtle saw
IIy the Side Of II stream; twas n snapper,
For his dinner he crnin'd my big toe IN his Jaw
How roarcd I'LL they cut oil his nappcr"
During tho romantic period OF his
youth he became enamorcd with tho
ocean, and made several voyages on /.
merchantmen rs q common sailor.
But the novelty OF "liio on the ocean
,n,np $40, ~ ba lnnntnJ - DI,.ln
delphia, where he learned the tailoring
buslness-a calling more opposite TO
tho one he had just quilted cannot we'll
be imagined. But having selected that
occupation, he continued to follow it
through life.
His poems" while they lack the
depth and finish OF the English classics,
are not destitute OF merit. Their excel
lcncy lies in sentiment. The poetry is
inferior to that OF Burns, but bears a
striking resemblance to it, being the
poetry OF nature, OF the scnsibilitics, OF
the heart.
The writer's interest in Mr.. Lees
writings, apart from their intrinsic
worth, is owing to the TACT that when
he was boy he was acquainted with
him. He was high minded, honorable,
and most entertaining companion.
At times he was the victim OF strange
fancics. The writer once saw him, when
under another inspiration than that OF
the Nine, standing immovablc as n
statue on Water street in 4 drenching
rain; while the water streamcd from
his garments. he really seemed to en-
Joy it.
10 the old citizens OF Wheeling who
remember it, rs it appeared fifty and
sixty years ago. many OF his poems will
have special interest. Mr.. Lees descrip-
tive powers are good, and his scenes are
faithful copies Of nature as she then
appeared. Any one who can remember
so lar back, ii he will read the Snowy
Daughter" will at once recognize how
faithfully tho local scenery has been
delincatcd. The alusion also to some OF
Whecling's ancient celebrities, and to
some local occurrences OF an amusing
character, will be read with interest as
they will recall old times.
The hills surrounding the city OF
Wheeling-now stripped OF the last
vestigcs OF their ancient Srandeur-werc
then crowned with the primitive oak,
sugar, maple, beech, hickory and chest
nut, while their base and sides were
crowned with al underground OF paw
paw.
1t would have been difficult to find
any where, valley OF more picturesque
beauty, or grander in its wildness, or
better calculated to inspire lofty poeti-
cal sentiment. than the valley OF
Wheeling creek as it wound its serpen-
tine course among the hills, forming a
channel for the creek as it rushed on to
join its waters to those OF the beautiful
river" On either side grew the majestic
sycamore, reaching out its white arms
to the breeze, while hero and there,
dotted between, grew the water-elm,
gum, honey locust, buckeye. wild
cherry and plum. On the rich alluvial
sol! OF the creek bottom, the pawpaw
attained u large growth, and its luscious
fruit in the autumn, lurcd many tardy
scholar from the path OF duty, and
caused him to feel the masters stinging
rod.
Then, too, the "Indian rock" of his
toric lame, situated at the western base
Of Stcenrod's hill and two or three hun
dred yards below the tunnel under the
Peninsula, was nearly concealed by the
dense foliage OF the interlocked branch
cs OF the trees, leading one to imagine
that he could almost SEQ the plumcd
crest OF the Indian warrior peeping out
iromits cavern.
At that time but little change had
been made OH tho PERCEPTIONS face OF
the hill, known as "McColloch's leap"
since that daring hunter and scout had
dashed down its dangerous steep, to the
horror and disappointment OF his savage
pursuers.
Wheeling island in those DAYS was a
thing OF beauty" This is specially
true OF the upper and lower portions OF
it, ii by beauty be meant the wild
Insurance that had never been dis.
turbed by the woodman's AK. Here,
too, out OF the fertile soil sprang tho
largest growth OF the irrepressible paw
paw. Tho wild grape and other vines
grew in abundance, spreading from
buckeye to butternut and from butter.
nut to sugar maple, forming q natural
arbor impervious to the rays OF the sun
and alTordinS under the dense under.
growth Just such concealment MS
"Wyoma," the Snowy Daughter
found for the pioneer whom she had
rescued from savage torture.
The romance commences ut 4 time
when Wheeling was not even an Indian
trading post, and the little known OF il
was gathered mostly from the vague
reports OF French explorers. The site
: OF the present city was thcn covered
with trees OF the primitive forest.
These preliminary thoughts will