1111? 4 Si i' 1 1 f I s& if 1 VS W I eV III J- w "JTiTcir" AN INDEPENDENT FAMILY NEWSPAPER. ("JSS" Vol. "VIII. JVew Hlooinileld, Xix., Tuesday, January O. 1&7-4:. TVo. 1. IS PUBLISHED EVKIIT TUESDAY MORNING, BT FRANK MORTIMES & CO., At New Bloomflcld, Terry Co., Ta. Belli! provided with Bteam Tower, and large Cylinder and .Tob-Fresnex, we are prepared to do all kinds of Job-l'rlnting In good style and at Low Prices. ADVKItTISING BATES: Tratuimt 8 Cents per lino for one Insertion 18 " ' ' twolnsertlons 15 " " three insertions Business Notices In Local Column 10 Cents per line. Forlnnfrer yearly adv'ts terms will be given upon application. Fur the Bloomfleld Tlmea. THE MYSTERIOUS FRIEND. A Story of Old Virginia riHE incidents recorded iu our story I take us back to the period when Vir ginia was a prosperous colony, and when the vicinity of the now thriving town of Jamestown was surrounded by a dense for est. It was on a pretty morning in the month of May, that a young hunter wot seen stand ing on the northern bank of the James river, carelessly leaning on his ride, as he waited for any gnme that might come within range. ' As he thus stood, his ears caught the sound of oars some distance above him, and caused him quickly to prepare himself to guard against danger from the In dians ; which at that time occasionally gave the settlers some trouble. Ere many minutes had elapsed, the youth caught sight of a small boat pulled by four stout negroes, and in the stern of which were seated a young girl and her black female attendant. The negroes were pull ing at their oars with all the strength they could command, while the girl, with f ran tio gestures, was urging them to increase , their speed if possible. The boat was now nearly a quarter of a mile distant from where tho hunter stood, but yet he could plainly see tho anguish that dwelt in the features of the fair pleader not that he could make out those features in form but tho attitude, the streaming hair, and the agonized movements conveyed them to his mind, aud he knew that the vindictive red man was upon their watery trail. Of course young Chester's first and only im pulse upoa coming to this conclusion, was to give his aid ; but a moment's reflection showed him that his best course was to wait till he could see the exact position and number of the enemy. Five minutes passed away and the hunt er could not only see the features of those in the boat, but he could plainly hear the entreaties the girl put forth to her almost exhausted oarsmen. The boat was in the middle of the river, and three minutes more would bring it opposite to where he stood ; and just as he was begiuning to wonder that the enemy had not come in sight, the sharp crack of a rifle struck upon his ears, and on the next instant, one of the negroes dropped his oar and fell forward at tho feet of his mistress. Un the next moment another report, almost an echo of the first, rang through tho air, and a second negro dropped his oar. Quickly throwing his rifle across his arm, the hunter sprang down the river's bank, and 'on casting his eyes up the stream he saw, not more than forty rods distant, a larcre canoe containing four Indians, which had come down under cover of the bank, in order to avoid the current which the boat had buffeted. With a presence of mind that uever forsook him the young man cast a hasty glance over the canoe, and his quick eye told him in an instant who were the two that had tired, for their rifles lay carelessly by their sides, while the remain ing two held theirs ready for use in their arms while they paddled. The young hunter saw that he had not been detected by those in the canoe, but a glance at the boat told him that the girl had seen him. Not twenty seconds had elapsed after he sprang down the bank before he was back in his place, and with his cap in his hand he beckoned earnestly for the girl to h her boat turned towards the shore. The hunter could see that she understood his signal, and also that she trusted bim, for he saw that she was uig ing the turror stricken negroes to pull for the bank where he stood. The canoe hnd turned its head towards the middle of the river, now that tho bout was brought so uear, and Chester could seo the heads of the Indians,(two of whom were paddling, while the other two stood up with their riflos iu t'oh hands. The hunter raised his rifla, and was upon the point of firing at one of the red men, when a sudden idea flashed through his mind, and, loosing his finger from the trigger, he waited with his weapon still against his shoulder. The canoe had just beguu to turn its head in shore again, as the boat changed its course, and, if it roundod-to enough, the two standing Indians would be brought within range of his rifle I Anxiously the hunter awaited the result. Slowly came the canoe about in her angle, and gradually the space between the two Indians grow less. At length the moment came the line of tho hunter's never-failing aim passed through the neck of the nearest, and struck upon the head of the furthest Indian. With a a steady hand he pulled the trigger, and whilo yet the sharp report was ringing through the forest the two red men fell 1 T'je two remaining negroes heard the report, and, each believing himself to be the object of its deathly intent, they both dropped their oars ; but the girl who had comprehended the whole, and who had seen two of her enemies fall, coon managed to convince the poor creatures of their safety, and once more they took up their oars and pulled for the shore, while the two surviving Indians, completely terror- struck at this unexpected catastrophe, bad sprung to thbir feet, and were gazing earn estly at the spot where the smoke of the hunter's rifle was curling up above tho bushes. With that sagacity which ever characterizes the red man, they seemed at once to understand that there could be but one man on the shore, for had there been more there would certainly have been an other shot, and instantly springing forward, one of them seized the only remaing loaded rifle one had fallen into the river when its owner fell and turned its muzzle to wards the spot where bis eagle eye had caught the outlines of the hunter's form through the shrubbery. But the Indian was too late. Nearly a minute had elapsed since Chester had fired, aud his rifle was again loaded. The white man caught bis enemy's movement just as he picked up his fallen brother's weapon, nnd as quick as thought bis own trusty riflo was on the aim, and another Indian full to rise no more I The single surviving savage saw his com panion drop, and on the instant he resorted to the only means for his salvation. lie seized a paddle and quickly bending him self to the task he shot the pliable canoe up the river. The tide was in his favor, and as he shaped his course obliquely to. wards the opposite, bank, he was out of danger ere his dreaded foe could reload his riflo. Just as Orlando Chester had finished re loading bis rifle, the. bows of the boat touched upon the shore, and as he hasten ed down to meet it, the girl sprang out upon the sand, and foil upon her knees at the hunter's feet. "O, kind sir, whoever you be," she ut tered as she clasped her hands in gratitude, " how shall I repay you for this." " Lady, you can easily pay me for what I have done. I have but performed a duty I owe the world ; go you and do the same. Whcu you can assist a follow-mortal, do it, and I shall be amply repaid." The girl had expected to havo seen the rough hunter, and to have heard the harsh tones of a voice that only answered to the howl of the wild beast and the yell of tho red savage ; but, instead, she saw a coun tenance of rare beauty and youth, varyiug with a hundred shades of noble- generosity and kindness, and the voice struck upon her ear in tones of a rich, melting cadeuco, tinged with the plaintive cast which ever excites sympathy iu the bosom of the hearer. A light smile flitted across the face of the young hunter as be noticed the maiden's passing emotions, and letting go the hand which be seeped to havo forgot ten he held, he continued : " I know your thoughts, lady. You wonder that a poor hunter should have asked no boon in return for his services, but should rather have given only a piece of seeming advice." " And as for your tfUvleo, as you please to term it, I take it most kindly, though the being does not live who can say that assistance within her power was ever asked of Ada Wimple, and she refused it," she replied. "Ada Wimple 1" uttered the hunter. " Then you are the daughter of Sir Ol iver, whose plantation is below lieio." " I am, sir." A moment young Chester seemvd puzzled by the manner of the being he hnd rejeuod, for he had not the assurance to think that anything in his own form or features had so moved her ; and yet her words were not without a turn to that effect, nor could he fail to see that in her eyes there shone a light which must have emanated from some other cause than that of mere wonder. Her father Oliver Wimple, he had often seen, and he knew him as one of the most wealthy and influential men in the colony. It may be that the hunter experienced a momen tary regret that the maiden was not poor like himself ; but be that as it may, he soon banished all thoughts to that effect, and resuming his wonted composure, be said : ' You were venturesome to go so far up the river, lady." "But I thought no that the Indians were so near us, sir." "O, yes, tho red-skin ventures even below here ; and if I mistake not, they have lately paid your father's plantation a visit." " Yes Bir, they have ; and he had some of them, whom he caught, severely whip ped, and I think those who chased my boat were the ones." "No doubt of it, lady. The red man has keen eyes, and if ho has once seen your father's boat he will never forgot it. If they had cause of enmity against him, they would venture far to be revenged ; and had they overtaken you, you would doubtless have been a corpse ere this. Bo more care ful in the future." " But come, you should be on your woy home for the day is far advanced, and your parents will be anxious." ' "And will you not go with me and re ceive the thanks of my father?" asked the girl, casting an earnest look on her com panion. Only for a moment the young man hesitated, and then replied, " No I cannot go." " There is no danger for you on the river below here, and your two remaining negroes can easily row you down. There is ono not far from here whom I must protect and comfort ; but yet I trust this will not be our last meeting. Something tells me we shaH meet again." " If 7e both live we shall," uttered Ada, with more earnestness than she was aware of. " But before I go, 1 would know tho name of him who saved me." " Orlando Chester is the name I bear ; but few know it, however." " There is one who knows it uow, and who will ever hold it in grateful remem brance," Baid the fair girl, aud as she spoke, she extended her hand. Orlando took it, and raised it to his lips, and on the next moment ho assisted Ada into her boat. Until the departing boat was lost to his sight did the young hunter stand upon the river's bank aud gize upon tho form of its fair occupant. His eyes were moistened with a new and strange emotion as the frail bark disappeared, and after gazing a moment upon the vacant spot where last be had scon it, he threw his trusty rifle across his shoulder, and whistling to his dogs, he turned away and struck into a narrow path that led off through the deep forest. The hunter's way lay towards the Chick ahomlny branch, and at the end of nearly a mile and a half he camo to a small clearing in the centre of which stood a well built log-cabin. A single oaken door, formed of hoavy plank securely pinned together, with a small square window on each side, orna mented the front of tho humble dwelling, whilo the narrow walk which led to the en trance was flanked on either side by several flower beds, which beds betrayed taste and refinement. Close by the cabiu ran a mur muring brook, upon the mossy banks of which, unaided and uncultivated, grew a thousand wild flowers, and the waters of which lent a soothing, cooling influence to the surrounding atmosphere. Tho interior of this cabin presented the same peculiar tastes that were apparent without. The walls were neatly plastered with a cement made from tho red clay that formod the lower stratum of some of the uplands ; and all about, iu strange, fantas- tic wreaths, were hung evergreens and wild flowers. The floor was white aud clean, and every arrangement spoke of the strango genius that presided over the place. The young hunter went to a small shed that extended from the back of the house, aud having deposited a deer he had shot, and cut off several slices of the venison for the dogs, he turned towards the door. "I have returned, my mother, aud brought with me some vonison," said Orlando, as he entered the dwelling " So you are a good boy, Orlando ; but J shall have no need of meat to-day. See I I hove been busy since you were gone. I have plucked fresh flowers, and to-day I shall live npon their fragrance. Alas I that flowers should die I That the only faith ful things that Qod has made should be so frail I" "And am not I faithful, mother?" asked tho youth. " Yes, my son, you are faithful ; and though you are your father's child, and though that father was my husband, yet I love yon. But h 1 Ah I why did he desert me ? When be went away he told me that I should see him again ; but years have rolled by since then, and still be comes not. O, how cruel for him to desert me thus ! But you will not leave me, my dear boy." " Never," uttered the youth ; and as he spoke he threw his arms about his moth er's neck and kissed her. The poor woman drew 4ier son to her bosom, and after returning his kiss, she said : " There, Orlando, go you now and bid Elpsey prepare you somo food, for you cannot live upon these flowers, as I can." Morgiana Chester was what tho reader must have already suppose insane ! She could not yet have seen forty years, and though there was no bloom upon bor cheek, yet there was a transcendent beauty in her features. Her eyes were large and dark. and into their brilliant depths one might have gazed for hours and not guess that reason had flown from the mind that look ed through them. Orlando could remember nothing back of his mother's strange mania ; and the first thing plainly fixed in his memory was of having lived somewhere in Massachusetts colony, and of having come from there to Virginia in a vessel, accompanied by his mother and a negro woman named Elpsey. 1 et he knew that his mother was grown to womanhood before she left England, though he could not ascertain from her whether he was born there or in Massa chusetts, The old negress said that her lady had much money when she first lived with hor ; hut as it had been long since gone, Orlando supposed that the amount could not have been very considerable, though it might have appeared so to the eyes of Elpsey. In fact, the only thing that Orlando could gain with deflniteness from bis mother was, that his father had deserted her ; and he rea sonably supposed that circumstance caused her mental derangement ; and yet Morgiana never breathed a word against her husband in anger she only mourned his faithless ness and somotimes wept over her loneli ness. The old negress was not long in pre paring a meal for Orlando ; and as he sat down to the repast he urged his mother to partake with him, but Bho persisted in the assertion that she hoeded no food and so the youth ate alone. The young man had finished his repast, and already bad the sun sunk behind the tree-tops as he arose from the tablo. As be turned towards his mother he was- some what surprised to find her in a seeming meditation. Tho vacant look that usually rested upon her features when she assumed a musing attitude was not there, but the same strango, sparkling light that shono upon her more active movements was still Iu her eyes, though its beams were more steady and intense. "Yes, yes,, I did put it in there," sho murmured, as bIio rose from her seat a mo ment after her son had commenced watch ing hor. " Yes, 'twas yesterday I put it thoro, for I romembor it well. How could I have forgotten it ?" As sho spoko she wont to a large oaken chest that stood in one corner aud com menced taking out the contents and pla cing thorn upon the floor. Orlando gazed a moment upon his mother's movements, and thou a bright tear-drop stole down his cheek. A thousand times had he seen the poor woman do this, and he knew that she suffered extremely wheuever the strange delusion came over her. Slowly and care fully Morgiana Chester took article after article from the chest ; each one she would unfold and examine, then lay it aside for the next. And so she went on till every articlo in the chest had been examined, after which she diligently aoarohed every nook and corner of the inside. The chest was perfectly plain, with not even a till to break the samenoss of its interior, and after a moment's examination she turned to ber son and asked : "Orlando, have you been here since yesterday ?" "No, mother, I have not." " Some one has been hero and stolen my luOuey. O, how could they be so cruel I I put it in here yesterday, I am sure." "Was it money that you put there mother?" " " Yes, 'twas money. 'Twas money to me, 'twas money to you j for 'twas my life that I put there. 'Twas a simple thing ; yet I would not wish to lose it, and so I put it in here and locked it up, and the key I have worn about my neck. O, cruel, cruel I Why, why, should they have sto len that?" "Perhaps you may find it yet, my dear mother," urged the youth, in as hopeful a tone as he could command. "Surely no cne could have taken it, and besides, per haps you have mislaid it." "No, no," returned his mother, while tho big tears began to gather in her eyes, " I shall never, never find it again. Yes terday I placed it there, and now it is gone 1 Was it not wicked, Orlando, for them to steal my only treasure? My husband gave it to mo the night he went away," and as she said ' this the poor wo man covered her face and sobbed aloud. Though the son had often seen his moth er go through the same fruitless seacrh, yet he could not help wondering what could be the nature of the lost Becrst, and what, treasure had thus been concealed. That it. was some paper of value he felt assured, while he was equally confident that ita. recovery would have a powerful influence, on the mental disease of his mother, and. perhaps on his own condition iu life.. Whether his impressions, were correct or not, our readers will learn in due timo. ' u CHAPTER II. THE MYSTERIOUS BTBANOKR APPEARS. About a week after the events recorded in the preceding ohapter, as Orlando was one morning arranging bis furs near the house preparatory to a trip to Jamestown, he was startled by the approach of a hunt er whose appearance was not calculated to produce a pleasing impression. The gigantic form of the stranger was clothed in a rough hunter's garb, and the, skins of which it was formed plainly told that he must have procured thera far north of Virginia. A long, heavy rifle, ponderous but comely in its proportions, a hunting kuife, shot-pouch and horn, completed the the new comer's outward attire, aud, take him all in all, he was one whom few would dare to excite to anger. . " Good morning, stranger," said Orlan do, as the man came up, at the same time advancing to offer his hand. The new comer started at the tones of the young man's voice, and ere he spoke, he gazed for a moment eagerly into young Chester's face. A shade of somo strong emotion passed quickly over his bronzed features ; but it was gone on the instant, and taking the proffered hand, ho said, in a voice of much power, but yet far from unpleasant ! "A pleasant morning to you, sir. In faith, but you've a paradise of a spot here in the wilderness," " It's a pleasant spot, sir," returned Orlando, seeming grateful for the encomi um thus passed upon his homo. " 'Tis such a one as I could almost fan cy," the strangor said, as ho cast his eyes around upon the blooming flowers ; "but I fear me these pretty things would soon run to ruin under my care. 'Tis a wo man's hand, though, that tends them now! Your wife, I suppose." "No, sir," replied Orlando, whilo a shade, of sadness swept across his features, " 'tis the hand of my mother." Tho strangor cast a searching look into tho eyes of the youth, and oneo more ha glanced over tho garden. Then he said : " She's a strango being ; but," ho con tinued, suddenly changing his tone and manner, " are you not fearful of danger in so remote a place? Thd Indians somotimes venture here,' do they not?" " Yes ; but I harm them not, and they harm not me." ' " How was it on the river, a week ago?" . " Ha ! bow learned you of that ?" "How could such a deed remain un known?" " But why think you it was mo ?" , The stranger gazed into the young man's face for a moment, and while a pcculiai meaning played over his countenance, he answered : " Could you have heard Ada Wimple -describe the fair youth who saved her even to the tones of bis voice, the sparkle of his eyes, the color of his hair, find the kind feelings of his soul, you would uot imk me such a question." The rich blood mounted to the brow of tho young hunter, and his eyes full to a -downcast turn, for the stranger's words bad sent a strange thrill to his soul ; but soon recovering his composure, he said : leONTINUlSD ON BJiOC-NJUPAOXJ "3
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