The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1917-01-18
Where the
Pluck Law
s--a-s-
A Story of Old Virginia
By r. A. mitchell

certain PERSONS Oh TANK WHO lldu utfli
granted privileges by the British soy
/ prclgn There were younger sons Of
| English families OF ancient lineage
who, having no fortune Ia the old
world, had come to the new to find one.
In those days every man wore a
sword al his side, and when father
sent lis son out into the world his prin-
eipal instruction was that he should
protect his honor with II 10 the last
drop Of his blood,
During the first half Of the nineteenth
>cntury the aristocratic classes OF Nir-
ginia were in their prime, though the
war between the states which was 10
impoyerish them was impending. Men
had ceased To wear swords, the impulse
TO use them having somewhat abated.
But the code duello was still consider
I'd the proper tribunal for gentlemen
to settle their disputes.
One Of the principal tobacco planters
in Virginia AT the opening of the nine
tenth century was Major Rufus llar-
lesty, whose military title--a brevet--
had been conferred upon him at the
siege OF Yorktown. where as II 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-
GINA.
The majors only child was daugh-
ter, whom his loyalty to his state III
duced him to name Virginia. Miss liar
desty was "A typical girl of her period.
There was d disposition among south
crn girls in those days to consider them
selves as objects to be sought and con-
tended for by their sultors, and Viz
glnla 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 III wAich
Major Hardcsty's plantation was sit
uated there was but one resident from
the north, Henry Brainard, who, hay
ing served several years in the United
States army Mt "A Virginia post, had
resigned 70 follow the occupation OF
most Virginia conference.-the raising
Of tobacco,
Brainard was thirty-iive years or age
when Virginia iiaIGeSty was nineteen.
He was a reserved man, somewhat an
eulir IN lI.s appearance. STIR in man
ner ana movement He was as Old
fashioned as Il lill l.rk uuskCt would
be at tie pre- pat cay oi rapid fire
arms. WHAT HQa az su Ii nun to
fall IN lJyc WIA Il E.r Ike Virginia
Hardest, can ouly he az ouutcd for
ON tle ts.r.,. thtt Ike lGyls uu.i';e.
Virginia Lad known Barnard some
time before size Eas ah.c 10 interpret
his treatment q her HI eng caas d by
love Iraaard cons elcl himself al
together 100 On t,r such clit, and
this greatly intensified lis ealbIrrass.
ment toward her NAea she made up
her mind III his strange treatment
of her meant lute she was much
amused ana ioresaE mu. Ii reasure In
torturlg h.n. La Grulnarl was no
fool and. stcil, tl.st Tie coluette was
PLAYING with him lis cat would play
with mouse. ceased Ids visits 10 her
fathers plantation.
Virginia woull have attempted to
bring lin back 10 tantalize him fur
Their had she not III the time been alb
sorbed in new Fame. Arthur Rim
gold, the son ~ n Le'ghboring planter,
returned from soJouln III England.
where he had been cnro led as stu
dent at Oxford. lie had acquired the
tastes ana manners OF an English
swell and by no means renshel Els
return to the primitive state OF VII
ginia lie was somewhat consolcd by
favorable notlce from ISIS ilardcsty'
II was not long before she had 80
far blinded him to her faults as to Sc
cure a proposal from him. That man
Tor whom there was nothing III VIZ
gina good enough should nave oHered
himself TO her battered her, ana she
was inclined TO accept MIN; Dul. as has