University of Virginia Library

3. CHAPTER III.

—David Homphreys.

—Havard.

George Clarendon, the father of
our fair heroine, was a native of
eastern Pennsylvania, and only son
of a gentleman, who, to use the
phrase, was “well to do in the
world.” At an early age, he was
sent to school in Philadelphia,
where he received a good education,
and became acquainted with
a merchant's daughter, between
whom and himself sprang up an
intimacy, which, in course of time,
ripened into an ardent passion, and
was at last productive of a happy
marriage. Not having any set occupation,
he entered into partnership
with his father-in-law; and for
many years afterward, the firm of
Cooly & Clarendon was extensively
known and respected.

During this time, a daughter was
added to the family—the bright,
rosy, mirth-loving Kate, whom we
have just described, and on whom
both parents doated fondly, looking
upon her as an angel sent from
Heaven to minister to their happiness.
Years rolled onward, and
all went smoothly; and of course
Kate, who gave promise of making
a beautiful and intelligent woman,
was not neglected. As soon as she
became of a suitable age, she was
sent to school, and every means
possible taken to secure her a pol
ished education—which she, to her
praise be it said, was not slow to
profit by. At the age of fourteen,
she returned to her parents. At
fifteen, extensive preparations were
being set on foot for giving a
grand party, that she might make
her debut in society; but ere the
consummation of this event, the
firm of Cooly & Clarendon, to the
utter astonishment of every one,
suddenly failed. This was caused
by the failure of a large mercantile
house in England, with which our
Philadelphians had a too close
business connection.

After having honorably discharged
their debts, by other property
in their posession, Clarendon
and his partner found they had but
little left them; and the former at
once resolved to take what means
he had, and set out for the West
forthwith; there to embrace the
more sure, if not more profitable,
occupation of agriculture.

Having completed his arrangements,
he bid adieu to his friends,
and departed with his family, on a
journey of adventure to the frontiers.
His first stopping place was
Pittsburgh; but not satisfied with
the appearance of the town, he
joined a party descending the river,
and landed at Marietta Still dissatisfied,

he joined the party of
Major Stites, and was one of the
first who landed at the mouth of
the Little Miami, on the ground we
have before described.

About half, or perhaps three-fourths
of a mile above the mouth
of the Miami, and a hundred rods
west of this stream, was the spot
selected by Clarendon for his residence.
Here, soon after his arrival,
he erected a comfortable log-cabin,
whither he soon removed his wife
and daughter, who meantime had
remained at Marietta.

As must naturally be supposed,
it was anything but agreeable to
people brought up in the refined
manner of the Clarendons, and
used all their lives to luxury, to be
changed so suddenly from their former
enjoyments, to all the rough,
rude customs of pioneer life; and
from a state of security and ease,
be transported to one of danger
and hardship. But they had counted
the cost beforehand, and prepared
themselves for the worst; so that
the change proved less severe than
it might otherwise have done.
Happiness is not to be found in externals—it
lies within, and depends
altogether upon the mind—and as
the Clarendons, instead of fretting
and complaining of what they
could not alter, strove to look upon
everything as happening for the
best, and sought to be cheerful and
to cheer each other with words
of hope and encouragement, so
they soon found themselves in possession
of enjoyments beyond what
at first thought seemed possible for
them to obtain.

As for Kate, always light-hearted
and merry, she was not slow in
finding means to make life pass
gaily and agreeably, even in the
wilds of the frontiers. She was
exceedingly fond of the art eques
train; and that she might not be
deprived of all the priviliges to
which fortune had hitherto entitled
her, her father purchased the steed,
on which the reader has already
seen her mounted, and on which it
was her delight to scour the surrounding
country, accompanied by
the playmate of her youth, the
faithful Bowler.

Kate soon grew to like her new
home, and to be the favorite of every
one who knew her. Her frank,
cheerful, merry disposition and winning
ways, won the hearts of all;
and there was not a man, woman
or child, in the village of Columbia,
but spoke of her in the highest
terms of praise; nor one whose
face did not grow brighter at her
coming. She ever had a cheerful
word and a smile for all, either
young or old. She was the belle
of the village, by general acclamation,
and yet none were envious.
Whatever Kate did was perfectly
right; and as to the young men,
the greatest poltroon of them all
would have put his life in jeopardy
to gratify her slightest wish. She
was a queen, and reigned supreme;
and though England's sovereign of
modern days may possess more
power and splendor, yet Victoria,
in the height of her popularity,
never had admirers more ardent,
nor subjects more devoted, than
had simple Kate Clarendon.

Our fair heroine had but one
fault—perhaps this was not a fault,
strictly speaking—but if so, it was
a fault of circumstances—one of
which almost every pretty woman is
guilty—and one which, if not carried
to extremes, is certainly pardonable:
she was, in a measure, a coquette.
Among the villagers she had
many admirers, of whom there were
three, genteel young men, special
suitors for her hand, at the opening,

of our story. For these three, it
was rumored, Kate held a preference
over all others; but which one
of the three was most admired by
the fair girl, none could tell—not
even themselves—for to-day it was
apparently this one, and the next
day that, so that each was alternately
buoyed up with hope, and depressed
by disappointment. All
the gossips contended she had a
choice; but the difficulty lay in
finding out the favored one. Whenever
Kate was importuned on the
subject herself, she invariably replied
with a laugh, that she liked
them all, but that her choice was
neither. This, however, was not
believed; and those who strove to
keep a record of every event transpiring
in the world of Columbia,
were daily on the look-out for the
news of a wedding—of beholding
the merry Kate caught in the noose
Hymenial.

The father of Kate, was a man
some forty years of age, large and
well-proportioned, with a noble,
manly, handsome countenance, and
manners dignified and pleasing.
Among the villagers he was very
popular; and being a man of fine
intellect and education, he was
looked up to, by most, with much
deference and esteem. His wife
was a mild, quiet lady, of a sweet,
benevolent disposition, a few years
his junior, who also stood high in
the estimation of the people; so
that, among all the villagers, there
was, probably, no family that en
joyed a greater share of genuine,
heart-felt popularity, than the
Clarendons.

The residence of the Clarendons
was a well-constructed double
cabin, with puncheon floors and
clap-board roof. Their furuiture,
of course, was of the plainest description;
for in those days, and in
this section of country, it was impossible
to have other. They had
some good clothing, and a number
of small articles of value, which
they had brought with them from
the East. The cabin itself stood
upon a very slight knoll, and fronted
the west, surrounded by a tall
grove of beech, sugar-tree, locust,
&c.—with the exception of an acre
in the rear, that had been cut
away, and the ground turned into
a handsome garden of vegetables
and flowers. There seemed but
one fault in the whole arrangement;
and that was, that the dweliing
was too much exposed—its
nearest neighbor being at the distance
of nearly half a mile. This
was remarked upon by some of
the settlers at the time of its erection;
but Clarendon himself declared
that he had no apprehension,
and the subject was never
again referred to.

Time rolled on smoothly, and
the Clarendons, at the date of our
story, found themselves once more
in rather prosperous circumstances.
But as it is with Kate we have for
the present especially to do, we
will return to her forthwith.