The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1917-02-09
Where the
Pluck Lay
A Story of Old Virginia
BY F. A. mitchell


The romance period in America is
conferred in old Virginia. Among the
various elements Of that colony were
certain persons Of rank who had been
granted privileges by the British SOW
ereign. There were younger sons of
English families Of ancient lineage
who, having no fortune in the old
world, had come to the new to find one.
In those days every man wore a
sword at his side, and when a father
sent his son out into the world his prin-
sipal instruction was that he should
protect his honor with it to the last
drop Of his blood.
During the first half Of the nineteenth
century the aristocratic classes of Vir-
ginia were IN their prime, though the
war between the states which was to
impoverish them was impending. Men
had ceased to wear swords, the impulse
to use them having somewhat abated.
But the code duello was still consider
ed the proper tribunal for gentlemen
to settle their disputes.
One Of the principal tobacco planters
in Virginia at the opening of the nine
teenth century was Major Rufus Har-
desty, whose military title-a brevet-
had been conferred upon him at the
siege Of Yorktown, where as a young
subaltern he had distinguished himself.
In those days the state was considered
superior to the nation, and when Major
Hardesty went abroad he registered his
name at a London hotel as from Vir-
ginia.
The majors only child was a daugh-
ter, whom his loyalty to his state in
duced him to name Virginia. Miss Har-
desty was typical girl Of her period.
There was a disposition among south
ern girls in those days to consider them
selves as objects to be sought and con-
tended for by their suitors, and Vir-
ginia especially objected to giving her.
self to any man who had not proved
his prowess in his efforts to obtain her
favor
One reason for the pride In state
instead Of nation In those days was
that there was little passing from one
state to another. Especially was this
true Of transitions between the north
and the south. In that region in which
Major Hardestys plantation was sit
uated there was but one resident from
the north, Henry Brainard, who, hav-
ing served several years in the United
States army at Virginia post, had
resigned to follow the occupation of
most Virginia conference.-the raising
Of tobacco.
Brainard was thirty-five years Of age
when Virginia Hardesty was nineteen.
He was reserved man, somewhat an
gular in his appearance, stiff In man.
ner and movement. He was as old
fashioned as a flint lock musket would
be at the present day of rapid fire
arms. What induced such a man to
fall in love with a firt like Virginia
Hardesty can only be accounted for
on the theory that like loves unlike.
Virginia had known Brainard some
time before she was able to interpret
his treatment of her as being caused by
love. Brainard considered himself al
together too old for such chit, and
this greatly intensified his embarrass-
ment toward her. When she made up
her mind that his strange treatment
of her meant love she was much
amused and foresaw much pleasure in
torturing him. But Brainard was no
fool and, seeing that the coquette was
playing with him as a cat would play
with a mouse, ceased his visits to her
fathers plantation.
Virginia would have attempted to
Their had she not at the time been alb
sorbed in a new flame. Arthur Rim
gold, the son of neighboring planter,
returned from a sojourn in England.
where he had been enrolled as a stu
dent at Oxford. He had acquired the
tastes and manners of an English
swell and by no means relished his
return to the primitive state Of Vir-
ginia. He was somewhat consoled by
favorable notice from Miss Hardesty.
1t was not long before she had so
far blinded him to her faults as to Sc
cure q proposal from him. That man
for whom there was nothing in Vir-
ginia good enough should have offered
himself to her flattered her, and she
was inclined to accept him; but, as has
been said, she would accept no man
who was not willing to take great risks
for her.
Just how Virginia made 1t apparent
TO Ringold that he would have to fight
For her does not appear. 1t is proba-
BILE that she talked a great deal about
lighting and her admiration for brav-
cry. At any rate, 1t was not long aft
sr his proposal to her that he was In
Tor a settlement of difficulty under
he code. At the coffee house in VII
where gentlemen were wont
% meet to drink and smoke. not to
mention gambling. his Disagreement
II America in favor Of England excited
he resentment of one Thibadeaux, a
nan Of French extraction. An alterca-
ion ensued. and Ringold challenged
1t may be that the latter
rev the former into the affair pur-
,osely. for Thibadeaux was one Of half
dozen men who were ambitious for
Virginia Hardesty's favor. He had
ften met Ringold ut the Hardesty
manor house and had been made cog