Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1901-10-25
four years since John Brimmer's cap

four years since John Brimmer's cap
ture. so
sAll along the Hoosick valley ssub-
Pstantial farm houses dotted the rivers
banks. Petersburgh had become quite
a village. Jacob Van Rensselaer,, to
whom the farmers paid their rentals,
sometimes made tour of the coun-
try one horseback, accompanied by a
man servant, to look after his prop
erty, taking as it We're oan inventory
of the land.
Mr.. Van Rensselaer, was a kind and
courteous old gentleman, and after
knowing Elizabeth's. sadostory he felt
very sorry for her. He would always
stop to see her when he passed
| through Petersburg, and one day in
summer he brought his daughter to
visit her. The girls were about the
same age, and they toolsto each other
| atoonce.9 Both had passed their child
hood in England and they had much
Pin common, although Miss Van Rens-
selaer's life had been gay and happy,
while Elizabethohad known great sor-
lrow. They became very dear friends,
| and the following yearoMr. Van Rens-
Ieselaer found another tenant for the
farm and Elizabeth went to live with
them in Albany.
Theo man WI o took the farm of Mr.
Van Rensselaer, was Dutchman,
| who knew nothing of Elizabeth or
the Brimmers,o so six years. after
John Brimmer's capture the tragedy
was quite forgotten in Petersburg
and the place was occupied by stran-
gers.
| In the manor house of the Van
Rensselaers Elizabeth was surrounded
| by wealth and luxury, but she was
not happy. She still mourned for
John Brimmer, and would often sigh
when she would think of her loss, and
of the great happiness that might
| have sbeen hers but for the Indians.
Miss Van Rensselaer, was very fond
of society and liked to entertain her
friends, and although Elizabeth loved
her dearly and was anxious to please
her she seldom participated in the
social events of the house. One even
| ing in early spring as she was watch
| ing the sunset, dreaming as she often
did of another sunset years before,
| when John had asked her to be his
wife, Miss Van Rensselaer, rushed in
| to the room, saying: Dress Quickly,
Elizabeth, and come down to dinner.
Papa has invited an officer from the
American army and you cannot be so
| unpatriotic as to refuse this time
Just think how the soldiers have van
quished the Indians!'' e
This had the desired effect, and
Elizabeth promised to go. down and
meet the soldier, although she had
little heart for gayety. .
IL When .Tnhn Rrinroar. had hoop
tured by the British and put into pris-
| on he was almost home, but having
once secured his freedom from slavery
he did not lose hope, and at last plan
| ned and effected his escape He
| reached Petersburg after an absence
! Of a little more than seven years,
| but to his great sorrow he learned
that his parents were dead and no
one knew the whereabouts of Eliza
beth. After searching the entire
town and learning nothing OF her
he gave up in despair. The farm
was in the hands of strange people,
who could not speak English and knew
nothing of the Brimmers.
Heart sick and wretched, the un-
happy man sought the American army
| and volunteered as a soldier who was
ready to meet death unflinchingly.
His daring on the battlefield, his cour-
age and manly beauty soon made him
a hero, and promotion in rank fol-
lowed. During the winter of 1863
the soldiers were in camp near Al
4 bany. The officers of the army
were much sought after and royalty
entertained by the good old Dutch
families in that section. AS it hap
pened Mr.. Van Rensselaer, met Lieu
tenat Brimmer and was much pleased
with the officers manner and invited
him to dinner. This was the officer
Elizabeth had promised to meet.
When she came downstairs and saw
him standing in the drawingroom and
heard his. voice she recognized him at
once and cried:s s'My Cousin John,
alive and well, thank God!"
Lieutenant Brimmer was so sur
prised, yet so very happy to find Eliza
beth, that he forgot his dignity as
an officer, forgot even that he was in
the sdrawingroom of a fashionable
house with Mr.. Van Rensselaer, and
his daughter, for he rushed to Eliza
Lbeth and clasped her to his heart.
The weeks that followed were gay
and happy ones. The following year
! John left the army and. returned to
Il Petersburgh, where he succeeded in
: obtaining the old farm and home
stead and became a thrifty and sue
cessful farmer. For many years the
good people in the vicinity of Peters
burgh were made happy by the kind
deeds and genial hospitality, of John
and Elizabeth Brimmer.@Troy On.
W Times.
Couldn't Stand Satire.
:. -<I,