xt7rn872vw00 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7rn872vw00/data/mets.xml Hall, James, 1793-1868. 1833  books b92ps1799h16h37018332009 English Key & Biddle : Philadelphia, Pa. Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Kentucky --Fiction. The Harpe s head : a legend of Kentucky text The Harpe s head : a legend of Kentucky 1833 2009 true xt7rn872vw00 section xt7rn872vw00 
  
  
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THE

HARPE'S
A

HEAD;

LEGEND

OF

KENTUCKY.

BY

JAMES

HALL,

A UTHOR O F " T H E SOLDIER'S BRIDE," " LEGENDS O F T H E WEST," &.C.

KEY

& BIDDLE   23 MINOR 1833.

STREET.

  
E NTERED according to act of congress, in the year 1833, by K E Y & BIDDLE, in the clerk's office of the district court for the eastern district of Pennsylvania.

  
P REFACE.
T H E r eader o f the f o l l o w i n g p ages, should they b e so fortunate as to find a n y , w i l l n a t u r a l l y w i s h t o k n o w w h e t h e r a n y o f the incidents i n t r o d u c e d a re founded upon fact, o r whether the w h o l e narr a t i v e i s a f a b r i c a t i o n o f the author's o w n b r a i n . P e r h a p s it w o u l d b e g o o d p o l i c y t o evade this question, l e a v i n g h i m to exercise his o w n judgment u pon t he p r o b a b i l i t y o f the events and the r e a l i t y o f t he characters, and by thus a w a k e n i n g c u r i o s i t y , e xcite m ore interest than o u r u n a d o r n e d tale w i l l b e l ikely t o p r o d u c e b y its o w n merits. B u t h olding, a s w e do, t hat i n a l l cases honesty is the best p o l i c y , w e have determined to a c k n o w l e d g e c a n d i d l y o ur obligations to history, a n d to a v o w , i n the f ace o f the w o r l d , o ur paternal r e l a t i o n to so m u c h o f t he w o r k a s is the o ffspring o f i nvention. T w o o f the c h a r a c t e r s i n t r o d u c e d a r c h i s t o r i c a l . T h e i r d eeds are s till f reshly r e m e m b e r e d b y m a n y o f t he e a r l y settlers o f K e n t u c k y , a nd their names w i l l b e instantly r e c o g n i z e d b y a l l w h o are c o n versant w i t h t he t r a d i t i o n s ' o f t hat s tate. The real i ncidents o f the l ives' o f those persons have been v e r y s p a r i n g l y a lluded t o, as most o f them w e r e

  
Vlll

PREFACE.

o f a c haracter too ati-ocious for recital i n a w o r k o f t his description, and because they c ould n ot be u sed without the introduction o f other names, w h i c h the w r i t e r does not consider h imself a t liberty to p lace before the public in this manner. troduced into a tale w h o l l y fictitious, T h e i ndiplaced in viduals a lluded to, have therefore been m e r e l y i n s ituations s imilar t o those i n w h i c h t hey r e a l l y appeared, and made to act i n conformity w i t h t heir w e l l k n o w n characters. I t has been the intention o f the w r i t e r i n this, as i n the other fictions published under his name, to d r a w f rom n ature. H e has invented but l i t t l e ; b ut p rofesses s imply t o connect together the traditions o f a r egion i n w h i c h h e has l o n g r esided, a n d to t he population o f w h i c h h e is attached, as w e l l b y a s incere admiration for them and their institutions, a s b y m a n y endearing ties.

  
HARPE'S

HEAD.

C H A P T E R I. A T the close of a pleasant day, in the spring of the year 1 7     , a s olitary horseman might have been seen s lowly w inding his way along a narrow road, in that part o f V irginia w hich is now called the V alley. It was nearly forty y ears ago, and the district l ying between the B lue R idge a nd the A llegheny mountains was but thinly populated, while the country l ying to the west, embracing an immense A lpine r egion, was a savage wilderness, w hich extended to the new and distant settlements o f K entucky. O ur t raveller's route led along the foot of the mountains, sometimes crossing the spurs, o r lateral ridges, w hich p ush out their huge promontories from the great c hain; a nd at others w inding through deep r avines, or skirting a long b road valleys. The Ancient D ominion was never celebrated for the goodness of its highways, and the one whose mazes he was now endeavoring to unravel, was a mong the worst, being a mere path, worn by the feet o f horses, and marked by faint traces o f wheels, w hich showed that the experiment of d riving a c arriage over its uneven surface had been successfully tried, but not g enerally practised. The country was fertile, though w ild and broken. The season was that i n w hich the

  
10

HARPE'S

HEAD.

foliage is most luxuriant and splendid to the eye, the leaves being fully expanded, while the r ich blossoms decked the scene with a v ariety of b rilliant hues ; a nd our traveller, as he passed ridge after ridge, paused in delight on their elevated summits, to gaze at the beautiful glens that l ay between them, and the gorgeous vegetation that climbed even to the tops of the steepest a cclivities. T he d ay, however, w hich had been unusually sultry for the season, was drawing to a close, and both horse and rider began to feel the effects of hunger and fatigue; the former, though strong and spirited, drooped his head, and the latter became wearied w ith these lonesome though picturesque scenes. D uring the whole day he had not seen the d welling o f a human being; the clattering o f his horse's hoofs upon the rock, the singing of the birds, so numerous in this region, the roaring of the mountain stream, or the crash of timber occasioned by the fall o f some great tree, were the o nly sounds that had met his ear. He was g lad, therefore, to find h is path descending, at last, into a broad v alley, interspersed w ith farms. He seemed to have surmounted the last h ill, and before him was a r ich continuous forest, resembling, as he overlooked it from the h igh g round, a s olid plane of verdure. The transition from r ocky steeps a nd precipices, to the smooth s oil and s loping surface of the v alley, was refreshing; and not less so were the coolness and fragrance of the air, and the deep a nd varied hues o f the forest, occasioned by the rank luxuriance of its vegetation. It might be proper, as it certainly is customary, before proceeding to narrate the adventures of our hero,

  
HARPE'S

HEAD.

11

to introduce him to the particular acquaintance of the reader, by a full description of his person, character, and l ineage; but this manner of narration, supported as it is b y respectable precedent, we must be permitted to decline. A s we have no record before us showing that the gentleman i n question ever passed under a regimental standard, w e are not aware that h is exact height c ould now be a scertained; and as he was neither a deserter from the service o f his country, nor a fugitive from the protection o f his guardian, we cannot think it necessary to set forth the c olor o f his hair and eyes, or to describe what clothes " he had on when he went away." T o enlist the s ympathies of our fair readers, whose approbation we w ould fain propitiate, it is enough to say that he was a young and handsome bachelor, leaving each of them to fancy h im the exact image of her favorite admirer; but as we do not admire the practice of peeping into gentlemen's hearts, or pocket-books, without any other warrant than the bare license of authorship, we cannot t ell what precious billet-doux may have filled the one, or what treasured image might have occupied the other. These a re questions w hich m ay be incidentally touched hereafter ; and the curious reader w ill find ample materials i n the f ollowing pages, for the gratification of a laudable thirst for knowledge on these i nteresting points. T he s un was about to set, and our traveller, having completely left all the mountain passes behind him, c ould have enjoyed the serenity of the c alm h our, and the b land landscape, had not other thoughts harassed him. H e needed rest a nd refreshment, and knew not where to find the one or the other. W hile c onsidering this matter,

  
12

HAHMi's HEAD.

he reached a spot where two roads crossed, at the same instant when two other persons, advancing from a different direction, arrived at the same point. They were an elderly gentleman and a young lady, both of prepossessing appearance. The former was a portly man, hale and r uddy, w ith a g ay eye and a profusion of gray l ocks, as i f the frost of age had prematurely touched his head, without penetrating so deep as to c hill the fountains o f life. H is dress was that o f a country gentleman; it was not expensive, nor yet w ell assorted, but rather evinced the carelessness of one who, l iving secluded f rom the fashionable w orld, felt independent of its forms, or who adopted w ith reluctance the changes w hich seemed every y ear to depart further and further from c ertain standards of gracefulness to w hich he had been accustomed in his youth, as w ell as from the peculiar notions o f comfort that fasten upon the m ind w ith the approaches o f old age. He was mounted upon a fine high-bred horse, rather oddly caparisoned; for the bridle, though silver mounted, was broken in several places, and the fractures had been remedied, at one part by a hard knot, at another by a coarse seam, and at a third by a thong o f b uckskin; while a S panish saddle, w hich m ight once have done honor to the best c avalier at a bull-fight, having lost the stirrup-leather on the near side, was supplied with an accommodation-ladder of rope, and the g irth was patched w ith leather and linsey, u ntil the o riginal material was hardly discoverable. The worthy gentleman wore one spur, either because he was too indolent to put on the other, or from a c onviction, founded on a well-established philosophical p rinciple, that the

  
l lARl'E S H EAD.

la

effect produced on one side of his animal must be followed b y a corresponding result on the other, and that consequently one armed heel is as effective as a pair. Indeed, that g entlemanly weapon seemed to be worn more from habit than necessity, for the free-spirited steed needed no prompter; and the rider, who sat w ith the ease a nd grace of an experienced horseman, w ould have esteemed it a breach of the dignity becoming his age and station to have proceeded at any pace faster than a walk. H e w as evidently a wealthy planter, accustomed to good l iving a nd good society, who had arrived at a standing i n life w hich p laced him above any merely outward forms that interfered w ith h is comfort, and who felt p rivileged to think as he pleased, and do as he l iked ; w hile the frankness and benevolence of his countenance at once assured the stranger that his heart was a live to the best feelings of kindness and hospitality. H i s c ompanion w as a l ovely g irl o f eighteen, r ichly a nd tastefully habited. Careless as were the apparel and furniture of the elder rider, that o f the lady was studiously neat a nd appropriate. Her palfrey had the fine l imbs, the delicate f orm, a nd the bright eye of the deer, w ith a gentleness that seemed to savor more of reason than of instinct. H is h air was smooth and glossy as s ilk, his harness elegant and neatly fitted ; and as the fair r ider sat gracefully erect in her saddle, the proud animal arched his n eck as i f conscious of the beauty of his burthen. A s the parties met at the junction of the roads, each o f the gentlemen reined up his horse to a llow the other to pass; the elder bowed and touched his hat, and the other returned the salutation w ith equal courtesy. There B

  
14

HARM'S

HEAD.

was a momentary embarrassment, as neither rider seemed disposed to take precedence of the other; w hich was relieved by the young lady, who, slackening her r ein as she touched the neck of her steed w ith a h azle s witch, rode forward, leaving the gentlemen to settle the point o f etiquette between them, w hich t hey did by s ilently f alling i n abreast, the road being just wide enough to admit the passage o f two riders in that manner. I n our country) there is none of that c hurlish p olicy, or that repulsive pride, w hich i n other regions forbids strangers who thus meet from a ccosting each other; on the contrary, our hearty old V irginian, o n meeting a y oung, well-mounted, handsome stranger, w ith the appearance and manners of a gentleman, felt bound to do the honors of the country. H e accordingly opened a conversation, and was so w ell pleased w ith the stranger's frankness and intelligence, that he determined to take h im home, and entertain him, at least for the night, and perhaps for a week or two; and the worthy old man felt no s mall i nward gratification in the idea, that w hile he was discharging his duty as a true son of the ancient d ominion, he should secure a companion, and enlarge for a time his own little c ircle o f enjoyments. But the stranger anticipated his invitation by observing, " I have business w ith Major H eyward, who resides somewhere in this neighborhood, and am glad that I have fallen i n w ith y ou, sir, as you can probably direct me to a tavern near his house, where I may lodge for the night." " T hat I cannot; but I w ill .with great pleasure show

  
HARPE'S

HEAD.

10

y ou to the house itself," replied the other, who was the i dentical M ajor H e y w a r d ; " I am going directly there, a nd w ill conduct you to the very door." T he stranger c ivilly d eclined this offer, under the plea that he was totally unacquainted w ith the gentleman a lluded to, and that his v isit w as solely on business. He w ished, therefore, to lodge for the night at a public house, and to dispatch his business in the morning as e arly as might be. " I suspect," replied his companion, " that y ou w ill not do the one nor the other. P ublic house there i s n one; you are now in V irginia, s ir, where hospitality is not an article of trade; therefore you must of necessity lodge w ith a p rivate gentleman. A n d you are under a m istake, i f you think to dispatch your business to-morrow, o r the next day, or under a week at least."    W h y so ?" " S imply because, in this country, we do not turn people out of our houses, nor treat a guest as i f he was a s heriff's officer. T here is to be a barbecue t o-morrow, to w hich y ou w ill be i nvited ; then you must hunt one d ay, and fish another, and after that but see, there is the house." T he s tranger halted : " I really cannot intrude " " I ntrude, m y dear sir! W h y , young gentleman, you were certainly not raised i n V irginia, o r you w ould have l earned that one gentleman can never be considered as a n intruder in the house of another, especially one who b rings so good a letter of introduction as yourself." " P ardon me, sir, I have no such credentials." " O h y es, you have   yes, you have," returned the

  
16

IIAKPE'S

HEAD.

planter, laughing at his own wit, and b owing to his c ompanion; " as a late writer hath it, a good appearance is the best letter of introduction ; a nd your modesty, y oung s ir, is an indorsement w hich gives it double value. Come a long, I ' l l be answerable for your welcome." " B ut I am a total stranger." " T rue, and so you w ill r emain u ntil y ou are introduced ; then you w ill be so no longer. " B ut it is so awkward to go to a gentleman's house just at n ightfall, as i f begging for a night's l odging." " T he very best hour in the w orld, for then you are sure to catch the gentleman at home, and at leisure to entertain you. V irginia, m y dear," continued he, c alling to the young lady, who rode a few paces before them, " w ill y ou not j oin me in a guarantee that t his y oung gentleman s hall be welcome at W alnut-Hill ? " " W ith great pleasure, i f it were necessary," replied the lady, " but your introduction, my dear uncle, w ill be all-sufficient." T he stranger, who began to suspect the truth, and saw that he c ould not, without rudeness, decline the proffered kindness of his hospitable guide, now submitted, and the party entered a l ong l ane w hich l ed to the mansion. On either side were large fields o f corn and tobacco, lately planted, and e xhibiting the distinctive characteristics of V irginia a griculture. The scale was extensive, but the manner of c ultivation r ude. The spacious domain, spreading for more than a m ile o n either hand, was covered w ith flourishing c rops, w hich attested the fertility o f the s oil; a nd the immense w ormfences surrounding the inclosures, and d ividing them

  
HARPE'S

HEAD.

17

into accurate parallelograms, were as substantial as they were unsightly. The corners and skirts of" the fields, a nd e very vacant spot, were grown up w ith weeds and b riars. S tumps of trees b lackened w ith fire, a nd immense t all t runks, from w hich the bark and smaller l imbs h ad f allen, s howed that not many years had elapsed since the ground had been cleared; but those s ylvan r emains became fewer and more decayed towards the mansion of the owner, w hich was in the centre of the opening, as i f the occupant, after fixing h is d welling, h ad been gradually clearing away the forest from a round i t i n every d irection. A n apple-orchard had been planted so recently as to be now ready for bearing its first crop, a nd peach-trees w ere seen scattered in every direction; w herever a kernel had fallen b y accident, and the young shoot had escaped the p low, o r o utlived the n ipping o f the cattle, was a f lourishing tree, p romising a luxuriant h arvest of this delightful fruit. T he m ansion stood on a r ising g round, o verlooking the whole plantation, and was composed of a cluster of b uildings r ather i nartificially connected. A stone house w ith two rooms had been first erected; then a framed b uilding w as added; and year after year, as the f amily i ncreased i n wealth or numbers, subsequent additions h ad been made, consisting of single apartments, all on the ground floor, except the o riginal b uilding, w hich c ontained a n upper story   the whole connected by p iazzas, a nd being, in fact, a number of separate, t hough c ontiguous, houses, inconveniently adapted for the r esidence of a single f amily. T he offices were scattered about in the rear of the main edifice   the kitchen, the B2

  
18

HARPE'S

HEAD.

ice-house, the smoke-house, being e acli a separate b uilding. S till further back were the negro-cabins, and beyond them the stables ; so that, altogether, the place had more the appearance of a v illage t han of the residence of a single f amily. T he aspect of the whole was pleasing and respectable. Had it been surrounded by a w all and a ditch, it w ould have borne no s mall resemblance to some of the earliest of those old castles in w hich the barons resided w ith t heir followers in patriarchal s implicity. T he out-buildings were so disposed as not to intercept the v iew from the front of the mansion ; and the latter, being painted white, looked w ell i n spite o f its structure. A beautiful l awn s urrounded it, set w ith fine forest trees, the venerable and gigantic aboriginals o f the s oil; a nd on one side was a garden, l aid out w ith taste, and h ighly embellished w ith flowers and ornamental plants. A s soon as the party entered the lane, droves of young negroes ran out to gaze at them, h iding b ehind the trees and fences, or peeping through the bushes; and the worthy host began to exercise his lungs, i n speaking alternately to the negro children, to the blacks who were returning in troops from l abor, and to his guest. " Get away, you young rogues ! w hat are you peeping at? There's fine corn, sir. Here, you Cato, t ell Caesar to come to me.   That corn has just been planted s ix w eeks.   Pompcy, come and take these h orses.    T here's the best tobacco in this c ounty.   Luke, w here's Peter and John 1 P rimus, t ell A dam to get some fresh water, and go you, F inis, and help h im. V i r g i l , y ou dog, come out of that peach-tree. I '11 take you and M ilton,

  
HARPE'S

HEAD.

19

a nd k nock y our heads t ogether.   These plagues destroyall ray fruit, s ir, before it is ripe.   Open that gate, M oses   help h im, A aron. C ome here, C upid, a nd h old y our y oung mistress's horse. R u n , some of you, and t ell V enus to get supper.   Come, sir, alight; you are w elcome to m y house." T he s tranger, who throughout this singular c olloquy h ad found n o opportunity to address his host, had placed h imself beside the young l ady, to w hom he addressed h is c onversation during the few minutes that preceded t heir a rrival at the house, where he assisted her to dismount ; and the whole party were soon seated i n one of M ajor H eyward's spacious piazzas. W alnut-Hill w as the seat o f plenty and h ospitality ; a nd i n a few minutes servants were dispatched i n different directions i n pursuit of refreshments. The worthy p roprietor himself, in respect of his age, and certain habits of reverence to w hich his whole household had been l ong a ccustomed, received the first a ttention. H i s n iece p laced his great a rm-chair, a l ittle n egro fetched h is pipe, another brought tobacco, a t hird fire, a fourth a glass of water, a fifth s lippers; and in a few minutes he was comfortably seated, enjoying his accustomed l uxuries; w hile his guest retired to arrange his dress. O n the return of the latter, he found his host in the same p osition i n w hich he had left h i m ; and approaching h im, s aid, " I h ave perhaps been to blame i n d elaying so l ong to announce m y name and business." " Y our n ame, m y young f riend, I s hall be g lad to hear, whenever you please; as for your business, we

  
20

HARPE'S

HEAD.

w ill talk of that when we get tired of every other subject." " I am w ell aware of your hospitality, and that towards either a friend or a stranger it w ould be cheerfully e xercised; but neither of these c haracters can be c laimed b y Lyttleton Fennimore.'" T he o ld man started as he heard this name ; a c loud passed over his features, and his frame seemed agitated w ith painful recollections. These feelings he endeavored to suppress, as he replied, " I had rather you had borne another name; but that is not your fault." H e then rose, extended his hand to his guest, and e mphatically added, " M r . Fennimore, pardon an old m an, for not being able to forget, in a moment, that w hich has been a subject of bitter reflection for years. T he antipathies of parents should not be entailed on their c hildren. Y o u are c ordially w elcome to m y house     make it your home, and consider me as your f riend." T ea was soon announced ; and M ajor H eyward, as he introduced his guest to his niece, M iss P endleton, resumed his usual courtesy of manner, but his gaiety had e ntirely forsaken him, and immediately after this meal he retired to his apartment, l eaving the young people to entertain each other. W e need hardly add, that, p redisposed as the latter were to be pleased w ith e ach other, the evening passed agreeably ; and that w hen M r . F ennimore retired, he could not but acknowledge, that whatever might be the character of the uncle, the niece was one of the most agreeable women that he had ever seen.

  
HARPE'S

HEAD.

21

C H A P T E R I I. O N the f ollowing m orning, F ennimore rose early, and s allied f orth, but found that he had been preceded by M ajor H eyward, w ho was bustling about, without his hat or coat, in the sharp morning air, g iving orders to h is s ervants. The c loud o f the last evening had passed f rom his brow; the reflections of his p illow h ad been s alutary; a nd he now met his guest, w ith h is usual cheerfulness of countenance, and kindness of manner. " M r . F ennimore," s aid he, " I did not receive you, perhaps, as I ought, and I ask your pardon. I must be frank w ith y ou, for I cannot be otherwise. Things have passed between our f amilies w hich I h ave not been able to forget. But the ways of Providence are always w ise; i t was necessary for my peace that y ou should come h ere. I am too old to cherish an unsettled feud. L et the past be buried. W e are friends." " I k now so l ittle o f the particulars of the affair to w hich y ou allude," r eplied F ennimore, " that I c an say n othing, except that I desire to stand in no other r elation to M ajor H eyward, t han that o f a f riend. I h ad not thought of introducing that subject. M y business relates to a pecuniary transaction " " W e l l , w e ' l l t alk of that another time. A n y time w ill do for business. W e can settle that i n five m inutes. T here i s to be a barbecue t o-day, M r . Fennimore; we a re all g oing   you m ust go w ith u s." I n v ain d id Fennimore plead that his engagements

  
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HARPE'S

HEAD.

required his attention elsewhere   that he had no time for parties of pleasure   that he had no taste for such amusements, & c . " N o taste for a barbecue!" exclaimed M ajor Heyward. " Y o u surprise me, M r . Fennimore; no taste for a barbecue ! W e l l , that shows you were not raised i n V irginia. T ime you should see a little of the w orld, s i r ; t here's n othing in life equal to a barbecue, properly managed   a good old V irginia barbecue. Sir, I would not have you to miss it for the best horse on my plantation ! " " T alking o f horses," continued the cheerful old man, " reminds me that I c an show you a sight worth seeing ; " and without waiting for a reply, he led his guest to his stables, where the grooms were feeding and rubbing down a number of beautiful blooded animals. T hese were successively paraded, and the proud owner descanted upon the merits of each, with a v olubility that e xcluded e very other subject, u ntil breakfast was announced. " H as M r . Fennimore consented to j oin o ur party today ?" inquired M iss P endleton, after they were seated at the breakfast-table. " C ertainly, my d ear," r eplied the M ajor ; " M r . F ennimore would be doing injustice to us, and to himself, i f he did not improve such an opportunity of witnessing a festivity peculiar to our State. I a m s ure he would not be deprived of it upon any consideration." " I cannot resist the temptation," said Fennimore, w ith a bow which M iss Pendleton took to herself, while her uncle received it as a tribute to his favorite amuse.

  
HABI'E'S

HEAD.

2;>

m erit; and after a hasty meal, the parties separated to prepare for the excursion. T he horses were soon at the door, and the party proceeded, attended by several servants, to the place of m eeting. It was a gay and beautiful morning. T h e y passed over a high mountainous ridge, by a winding a nd rugged path, w hich at some places seemed impracticable ; but the horses, accustomed to these a cclivities, stept c autiously from rock to rock, or nimbly leaped the n arrow ravines that c rossed the road, while the riders s carcely suffered any inconvenience from the irregularities o f the surface. Sometimes the path led along the edge o f a precipice, and they paused to look down upon the broad-spread valleys, that l ay extended in beautiful landscape before them. The song of the mockingbird arrested their attention, as he sate a mong the branches of a t all tree, p ouring forth his miscellaneous a nd voluble notes, imitating successfully all the songsters o f the grove, and displaying a fullness, strength, a nd richness of v oice, w hich often astonishes even those w ho are accustomed to his melody. U pon r eaching the highest elevation of the ridge, they wound along its l evel surface, by a path w ell beaten a nd beautifully s mooth, but so seldom travelled as to be covered w ith a g rowth o f short grass. Its width was sufficient only to a dmit the passage o f a single horseman, and its course so winding that the foremost rider was often concealed from the v iew o f the last of the train. Dense thickets g rew on either hand, and the branches of the trees i nterlocking above the riders' heads, formed a thick c anopy, g iving to this romantic path the appearance o f

  
24

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a n arrow, serpentine archway, carved w ith a rt out of the tangled forest. V irginia, w hen she reached this elevated p lain, seemed to feel as i f in f airy l and, a nd, loosening her r ein, bounded away w ith the lightness of a b ird, g racefully bending as she passed under the low boughs, g liding r ound the short angles, and leaping her beautiful steed over the logs that sometimes lay in the w ay. F ennimore galloped after, admiring her s kill, a nd e qually elated by the i nspiring scene ; w hile M ajor H eyward, who thought it undignified to ride out of a w alk, at any time except when f ollowing the hounds, f ollowed at his leisure, wondering at the l evity o f the young people, w hich made them forget their gentility and ride l ike dragoons or hired messengers. S uddenly the path seemed to end at the brink of a t all cliff, and far below them they beheld the majestic Potomac, meandering through its deep v alleys, a nd apparently f orcing its way among piles of mountains. T h e c harms of mountain scenery were enhanced by the endless variety of the r ich a nd gorgeous, the p lacid a nd beautiful, the grand and t errific, that were here e mbraced i n one v iew. A t one place the t all n aked rock rose in perpendicular cliffs to an immense height, terminating i n bare s piral peaks ; at another, the rounded elevations were covered w ith pines, cedars, and l aurel, a lways i ndicating a sterile s oil, a nd a c old e xposure. T he m ountain sides were clothed w ith v erdure, in all the intervals between the parapets o f r o c k ; and the c lear streams o f water that fell from ledge to ledge, enlivened the prospect. Far below, the r ich v alley spread out its broad bosom, studded w ith the noblest trees o f

  
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the forest, the majestic tulip-tree, the elegant locust, the g um, the sugar-maple, the broad spreading oak, and the h ickory. T he numberless flowering trees were in f ull b loom, a nd their odors filled the air with a r ich perfume. T he river, with its clear blue waters, was f ull o f attraction, sometimes dashing round rocky points of the m ountain, and sometimes flowing c almly through the v alley ; at one point placidly reposing in a wide basin, at another, r ushing over a rocky ledge whitened with f oam. " H o w beautiful!" exclaimed V irginia, as she reined up her horse, and gazed, with a delighted eye, over the wide-spread landscape. " H o w exquisitely beautiful!" re-echoed Fennimore, as his admiring glance rested on the form of his l ovely c ompanion. Her deer-like animal, smoking with heat, and just sufficiently excited by exercise to bring every muscle into f ull a ction, to expand his nostrils and s well his veins   his fine neck arched, his head raised, his delicate ear thrown forward, and his clear eye sparkling, stood on the very edge o f the cliff. T he light figure of V irginia w as rendered more graceful by an elegant r iding-dress, closely fitted to her person, and extending b elow her feet. S he sat with the ease o f a practised r ider. But her c hief a ttraction, at this moment, was the a nimated expression of her features. H er bonnet w as pushed back from her fine forehead, her eye lighted up w ith pleasure, her check flushed and dimpled, her lips unclosed ; and as she extended her whip in the direction indicated by her glance, Fennimore realized the C

  
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most exquisite dreams, that h is fancy had ever formed, o f female loveliness. She turned towards her companion, as his expression o f admiration met her ear, blushed deeply when she discovered that his impassioned glance was directed towards herself, and then, w ith a little dash of modest coquetry, w hich is quite natural in a pretty woman of eighteen, laughed, and resumed her descriptions. But her tones softened, and her conversation, without l osing its sprightliness, assumed the richness and vividness of poetry, from an involuntary consciousness that a ll the y oung and joyous feelings of her heart were responded i n k indred emotions from that o f her companion. I n a few minutes they were joined by M ajor H eyward, and the whole party descended the mountain by a precipitous path, w hich led to a part of the v alley bordering on the Potomac. A rrived at the place of rendezvous, a n ovel a nd enchanting scene was presented to the eye of our stranger. A level spot on the shore o f the r iver, had been divested o f a ll its bushes and trees, except a few large poplars, w hich were left for shade, whose huge trunks had risen to a majestic height, while their spreading branches interlocked, so as to form a canopy imperv