Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-06-05
The Argus Daily Story
The Redemptioner-By F. A. Mitchell
Copyrighted. 1911 by Associated Literary Bureau

the redemptioners the men were shaw
ed and the women dressed in their
best gowns, their neatest caps. and all
were brought on deck. Since Anne
had shipped as n runaway with only
the clothes she had on at the time
there was no fnery to put on her.
Since she was but eighteen and comely
she did not need TO be adorned. When
the sale began each prisoner. at being
put up 10 be purchased, told what was
his trade.
Anne was bought by a middle aged
man, whose benevolent face indicated
that he would make a good master.
He took her TO his home. where she
found that he had wife and chill
dren. 1t was autumn, and most OF the
young men OF the plantations were
hunting for the winter supply of meat
One day when Anne was out gathering
nuts, on rising from the ground with
her apron full OF the proceeds OF her
hunt, there stood before her a young
man leaning on rife. His breeches
and doublet were OF buckskin, and his
hat was decorated with the tail OF
squirrel. Altogether he was fine
specimen OF man. not at all like the
sallow, sickly looking men who were
hanging about the town giving way to
inconsistencies.
Richard Furnival had been in Vir-
ginia several years and now for the
first time since his arrival looked upon
Il comely young woman. Indeed. 10
him, separated as he had been from
the more delicate type of women
those who came to Virginia were not
usually we'll born or we'll favored
Anne seemed to him a vision OF love
Illness.
How now, pretty maidr' he ex-
claimed when did you come to this
benighted land? You were surely not
here when l went forth few weeks
ago TO replenish my fathers larder
with venison."
Blushing under his admiring gaze.
Anne replied that she had come on Il
ship which had arrived u fortnight be
fore
IF you came for n husband, heaven
/ grant that you have not been taken up
as yet. l have as many pounds of to-
! bacco as will pay the amount ad-
! vanced for your passage"
Anne, who was not used TO the
rapid courtships OF the new world,
! blushed still deeper, but could not re-
frain from smiling at receiving a pro
! pOsal of marriage from a man who had
just seen her for the first time. She
told him that her passage had been ad
vanced by a woman in England and
that she had been purchased by a citi
zen of jamestown.
Then will | buy you from that
citizen if he will sell and if you will
marry me-"
81 know not if he will SELL" replied
Anne. making no reference to the
other part of what the young man had
said.
And pray who bought you?"
"a Mr.. Andrew Furnival."
Andrew Furnival! Heaven be
praised! He is my father"
They walked on together, the young
man insisting on carrying the nuts. 50
Anne took of her apron and. gathering
the corners, handed them to him. She
family she served was hunting, but
did not know till this last remark that
this was the man. AS soon as they
had arrived at the Furnival home and
the young man had been welcomed he
told her father that he wished TO mar
~ his bondservant. The father made
no objection, but Anne, who was well
treated and satisfied with her present
condition. preferred a wooing. At any
rate, she gave no affirmative answer.
; But she enjoyed the companionship
of Richard Furnival, for when her
work was done she walked with him
in the wood, starting now and again
some animal, which scampered away
> through the brush and over the dead
leaves, or they would sit on the bank
Of the river watching the swirling yell
low waters, looking across at the desc
late wilderness opposite, and there was
that in the loneliness Of the place 10
force them together In n strange land
! with little companionship courtships
cannot be long. But 1t was period Of
anxiety for Richard. for Anne was dis
posed TO appear at least to waver. and
since there We're scores Of men who
would have given their heads to get
her her lover dreaded lest he lose her.
, Finally Andrew FuruiyaI decided Ia
leave jamestown and its miseries.
move up Chesapeake bay and join the
: settlement established by Lord Balti.
more. Soon after their arrival there
: Anne yielded to Richards persuasiOns
and married him.
While the site of jamestown Is now
L the bleak. lonely spot it was when the
> settlers were there, Baltimore Is q
great city. Steamers moving up oI
/ down the James river tie up at the
wharf to put off and take OH few
passengers while tourists on the
guards look out upon all there Is left 81
T. the former settlement, the tower OIL
the church in which the first America
Z settlers worshiped. Were it not fO- th,
F" interposition Of the United States gov
, eminent the river would by this time
i have washed away even the site Of thu
|. historic spot That misfortune IS pre-
. wanted by a substantial riprap.