The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-02-12
ROMANCE OF A MILL.
AsTOaY FROM THE OLD NORTH CAR
CLiNs. FOUNTAINS.

What Tradition Tells OF q Fearful Scene
OF tho Wsr OF tho Revolution and How
&C Was Atoacd Eor-The Self Command
ei O Fsthcc-aow jack Cotton Died.
In picturesque cornor among tho
Carolina hills there Is an old mill, con-
corning which strange traditions arc told.
Tho lower story is built Of unknown rock,
while the upper story consists of two sub
stantial rooms. One of tho rooms Is much
larger than tho other, the smaller one be-
ing Nero closet in comparison with the
front apartment. The mill looks rs though
IL mad been built to resist q siege, and 1t
surely has witnessed many strange and
horrible scenes, even If but the half that
is told Is true.
About tho beginning Of the Revolution
several Tory families inhabited the coun-
try. A young man of one of these fami-
Hes loved tho daughter of jealous Wing,
hna Tho day had been appointed for the
marriage. When 1t was first whispered
among the neighbors that the youth had
sided with tho Tories, the girl was almost
brokenhoarted, but declared that she would
not believe tho fact till she had heard Il
from his own lips
sooner than she expected she had the
ohance One evening, rs she was milking
tho COWS, her lover jumped tho fence and
stood before her. She told him instantly
what she had heard, expeotinga vehement
denial
Yes" he said, "it is oil true, and be-
fore another year your father will wish he
was as am.''
He would SEQ his grave arst," the girl
Indignantly replied.
bio may not have fnr to go to find it,
N 81,
information in his voice.
Ho persisted in following the girl against
her will, to the house. The girls father
was there, and he forbade his nsighbor en-
trance saying m enemy to his country
was not welcome in his house. The girl
ardently sanctioned, by word and manner,
the action of her father Tradition does
not tell oil That followed. However the
young man, whose name was Jaok Cotton
lcft In towering rage, swearing that
when next no returned he would enter IL
ne pleased, went away and was seen no
moro until a year afterward. Pretty Nancy
Langon continued to milk her COWS.
There was so much tumult and con-
fusion in tho country that pcople became
Injured to danger and were not afraid. And
Nancy, large, buxom maiden Of 10, was
proud of her own courage. Her mother
was an invalid and timid, and she closed
the shutters II the wind was heard among
the pines
1t oil sounded like the groans of dying
men," she would say. Her husband and
four sons wero with General Greene and
even tho slightest suggestion of their death
was terrible to her. Her younger daugh-
ter, Eva, was of her temperament. She
shiyored, too when the wind blow too hard
or when neiRhboring woman brought in
~ fhn IL
farof battle. Little Eva would crouch
closer to her mother, and they two. with
hands clasped. would pray for thor faroff
loved ones, and that tho merciful Father
would not forgot them in their HELPLESS
condition.
But ON such occasions Nancy would
throw open the windows and wish that she
were man that she might be with her
father and brothers to fight for the ooun-
try she loved so we'll.
One day their fathdr returned quito I'M.
expectedly. The nows had lust preceded
MS arrival that jack Cotton and dozen
other Tories were in tho neighborhood.
The women were torn by conflicting emo
tions-joy upon the return of the father
and husband, mingled with fear for his
safety.
There was u neighbours daughter spend
ing tho night with Nancy and Eva and
early the next morning tho two girls start
ed to accompany their friend part of the
way homo, which was not far distant Tho
direction 10y toward tho old mill Under
tho shadow of the building lay the bridge,
and as tho two girls stood bidding their
friends goodby Jack Cotton, with half
| dozen comrades, ran down tho stone stems
| and seized them.
Tho three girls were borne, screaming,
| to the rooms above
Their littlo brother, lad of or 10,
who had trailed after his sister, but had
fingered behind, throwing stones and cat
| ing the wayside berries, saw the terrible
| scene.
He was ut tho top of tho hill and was
| not seen or could not DO caught, or per-
haps Jack and his followers did not care
The child run back and told the terrible
| tale. The old father started after his
| daughters. From tho window of the mill
ho was seen. but not until he had taken
| his stand under n straight tree, whose
branches were all far above his head,
| He was now plainly visible and was q
clear target. He appeared unarmed. But
he might have stood there. He was safe.
1t was not his blood the neighbors wanted,
knowing, as he did, that life and con.
seriousness woro such agony to tho stricken
| father rs thousand bullets could never
| produce.
| He heard his daughters screams. Ono
was allowed to appear for moment Mt the
window that he might SEQ her, and still
DO stood. appearing not to have tho power
| to move.
Jeering faces appeared at tho window,
and tnunts were hurled at him. Then
suddenly Jack Cotton flung wide open the
door and appeared, standing on tho thresh.