The Forest King

by Hervey Keyes

  CHAPTER I.

  In the romantic days of the frontier settlers of Tryon County, therelived in the valley of the Mohawk River a young man by the name ofMayall. He was by nature strong, courageous and active, always foremostin pursuit of the Indians that lurked about the advanced settlements ofthe whites. Mayall was young and handsome, and would have beenconsidered a prize for a young lady of merit, who was not looking for acompanion that possessed lands and money. He seemed to be a favoriteamong the young ladies of the Mohawk Valley who dressed inlinsey-woolsey--I mean that class

  "Who slept on down their early rising bought, And wore the garments their own hands had spun"--

  but was looked upon with suspicion by some of the more aristocratic andwealthy, who possessed broad farms and extensive grants of land, andwished to trace the pedigree of their relatives to some old ancestralpile, surrounded with wide-spread manors.

  Mayall was a hero by nature, and had all the quickness of perception tocarry it out successfully; and yet he had cultivated the most refinedmanners of that wild, romantic age. He was fond of hunting, as theabundance of game and furred animals gave the hunter a rich reward.Mayall had reached his majority, and had become enamored of a beautifulyoung lady of a wealthy family, the only daughter and heir to a richinheritance, by the name of Nelly G., who returned his advances in thesame warmth of love and fidelity. As soon as the parents of the younglady became aware of Mayall's intentions and their daughter's attachmentto young Mayall, they commenced a furious and determined opposition, andrefused to allow Mayall to visit their daughter or even enter theirhouse. Mayall took the matter calmly, and was no longer seen at thehouse of the farmer, but found many opportunities to meet the lady ofhis choice at evening parties and places of amusement. Their love wasmutual, and every reasonable means was used to overcome the objectionsof the lady's parents--but all seemed in vain. They had promised theheart and hand of their daughter to the son of a wealthy farmer (adistant relative), who was void of merit, and one who was despised bythe young lady, on account of his awkward manner of behavior, and hisignorance of what constituted a well-bred gentleman. Nelly G. informedher father and mother that she chose a companion and protector withoutmoney, in preference to money and lands without a companion andprotector.

  One sunny morning, in summer's golden days, when the Valley of theMohawk appeared like an Eden outstretched in loveliness, and bowed insummer's rosy bloom, the father of Mayall's intended wife saw Mayallcoming with hurried steps towards his house, dressed in a greenhunting-frock and cap with a green plume shading his forehead, adouble-barreled carbine in his hand, with a tomahawk and hunting-knifesheathed in his belt, which was the favorite dress of a hunter whenrambling through the green, overgrown forests of the Valley of theMohawk, to prevent being noticed by wild game or Indians.

  Fearing he might have some message for his daughter, whom he did notintend he should see, he started hastily towards him, to intercept himand turn him back before he reached his house. He met Mayall somedistance from his house, and forbid his nearer approach.

  "I have a message for you and your daughter, which will freeze her youngblood and wring her heart with pain, and make your eyes start like starsfrom their spheres, whilst each hair upon your head will stand erectlike the quills of the affrighted porcupine."

  The farmer's courage failed, and his knees began to tremble and smiteeach other like Belshazzar's; for he had heard of the undaunted courageand manly bearing of young Mayall in times of danger.

  "Look yonder," said Mayall, as he pointed his carbine up the Valley ofthe Mohawk. "Do you see the smoke and flames that light up the concaveof the skies? That is the funeral pile of your friend and neighbor.Around that fire stands the savage band that have come to plunder andburn your houses and barns, lay waste your fields, and murder and scalpyour wife and daughter, Nelly G.; and now where can I find her?"

  "She is at the house," said the farmer, "and her horse is in thestable."

  "Then come with me," said Mayall; "there is not a moment to lose; fleefor your life, and the life of your wife and daughter. I will guard anddefend your property."

  Mayall ran to the stable, and in a few moments appeared before thefarmer's house with Nelly's horse, saddled and bridled, and called forNelly, who quickly appeared at the door in a plain homespun dress.

  "Mount this horse," said Mayall, "and flee for your life to the fort, aplace of safety."

  "Wait a moment," said Nelly, "until I change my dress."

  "No," said Mayall, "your retreat may be intercepted; there is death indelay. The Indians are near, your father and mother will soon follow youto the fort. Tell the commander to fire the alarm-gun, for the valley isswarming with Indians."

  Mayall kissed Nelly's hand and said, "My prayer is that Heaven mayprotect you. There is no time to lose in useless words."

  Nelly leaped upon the saddle, and the spirited animal took the nearestroad for the fort, and in a few moments was lost from sight by the thickgrove through which she had to pass. Mayall's eyes followed her lovelyform until it vanished in the sylvan shade, and then hastened to get herfather and mother on the way to a place of safety.

  Mayall, fearing that he might have been discovered by the Indians, madea hasty retreat to the nearest woods in the direction of the fort, untilhe disappeared among the shrubbery. Then, returning by a circuitousroute, hid in a thicket from which he could have a view of the roadleading to the farmer's house. He had scarcely reached his hiding-placebefore he heard the booming of the alarm-gun at the fort, which thrilledthrough his bosom with a joyful sound and gave a fresh impulse to allhis energies, as it echoed from mountain-top to mountain and glen, onall the forest hills that bordered the then wild Valley of the Mohawk,and seemed to say, "Nolly is safe."

  Mayall had but a few minutes to reflect on what had been accomplished,before he espied from his hiding-place five Indians coming up the roadleading to the house. Mayall fired both barrels of his carbine, bringingdown the two foremost Indians, and without loss of time had his gun inreadiness for two more. Then, looking out from his hiding-place, he sawthe three remaining Indians retreating in great haste, leaving youngMayall master of the farm and buildings. The inhabitants of the valleyrushed for the fort at the sound of the alarm-gun; but several wereovertaken by the Indians, and scalped and murdered in the most inhumanmanner. But Mayall kept guard over the farm and buildings. The Indiansmade quick work in plundering and burning dwellings, and murdering allthe helpless women and children that fell in their way, and then made aquick retreat towards Canada. After the Indians had left, and theterror-stricken inhabitants had returned to their farms and once-lovedhomes, only to find many of them a heap of ashes, the old farmerreturned with his wife and daughter, and found Mayall walking aboutkeeping guard over his farm and dwelling. He had buried the two Indiansand was enjoying a season of rest. Mayall greeted them all with thewarmest friendship, and felt happy when he saw them once more safe intheir own house, which he had saved from the Indians' torch. But theungrateful farmer and his wife treated Mayall with cold neglect, if notcontempt. The old farmer had seen his intended son-in-law and spent afew days with him at the fort, and renewed his promise to give him hisdaughter in marriage without her consent, and in spite of her mostearnest protest.

  And now, reader, put yourself in her place, and meditate awhile, and seeif you would have done as she did.

  Nelly was a wild, lovely girl by nature, and had added to her store ofknowledge many of the accomplishments of education. She had pledged herhand and heart to Mayall, and said she would go with him to some deep,unknown valley of the wilderness, before she would live with a man shehated and could not love, and informed Mayall that her father wasdetermined to have the wedding take place the next Wednesday. She saidshe once knew a lady who was separated from her lover, and yielded toher parents' choice, who lived in perpetual torment, surrounded by aprofusion of wealth. In a few years she pined away, and diedbroken-hearted, entered Charon's boat with her first love, and sailedove
r the River of Death together, to join their friends on the ElysianFields of Paradise, and left her parents and the man of their choicedigging in the mud and dust for gold. But that lady was not NellyGordon. She would sooner seek the wild wood's shade; for, "Better is adinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.""I would yield all due respect to my parents, remain single, and cheerthem in the winter of their declining years; make downy pillows fortheir aching heads, and ring their funeral knell; but, oh, misery! whenthey attempt to force me to take a partner for life, not worthy the nameof a man, for his property, I shudder at the thought, and my betterjudgment compels me to rebel against parental authority. They have gonethus far without my consent--have even invited the guests; and I assureyou the groom may come, but the bride will be absent."

  Mayall's mind was made up at a glance, for he had long known Nelly'slove and fidelity to him, which, he had returned with the kindestrespect, and said to Nelly: "If you dare trust yourself in my care, meetme at the large gate that leads to the highway as soon as your fatherand mother retire to rest, with such articles of clothing as you mayneed on your journey, and we will fly to some green valley of the West.I will see that your horse is in readiness. I have a friend that willaccompany us to Cherry Valley, and return with the horses before themorning star rises, which will prevent our place of retreat beingdiscovered."

  As soon as Nelly's father and mother were lost in dreamless slumbers,Nelly passed out of her chamber with noiseless steps, carrying herwearing apparel in a bundle, closely packed, and found Mayall and hisfriend in readiness, with three horses saddled and equipped for thejourney. The company were quickly mounted on three spirited horses, andreached Cherry Valley at eleven o'clock P. M.--a place Nelly had neverseen before. No cottage window showed the light of a taper; but thelight of the full moon fell in tranquil loveliness upon the roundedhill-tops, and the glittering stars added their beauty to the heavens,while the green forest and flowering shrubbery clothed the earth withbeauty, and the sweet-scented clover perfumed the surrounding air. Thecompany dismounted under a broad, spreading forest tree at the south endof the village, near which ran a little rivulet, that meandered ingraceful curves southward. Here Mayall and Nelly G. gave the hand oftheir friend a hearty shake, and an affectionate farewell, enjoining onhim the strictest secrecy as he started on his return journey to theValley of the Mohawk, which he reached just in time to return Nolly'shorse to her father's stable and his own to the pasture, before themorning sun dashed her light on all the western hills, and painted thesurrounding groves in all the glory of summer.

  The father of Nelly awoke with the morning light, and called for hislovely daughter to rise and behold the beauties of the morning. No voicegave back the welcome response. He called again. The voice that used tocheer him with her morning song was far away with her lover. Herbedchamber was as silent as the house of death. He rushed wildly abouthis outbuildings, calling for his Nelly. No answer came, as usual,floating on the morning breeze, to greet his listening ear. He returnedto the house. His wife had searched in vain for her daughter; but foundher most valuable wearing apparel was missing, which told a sad tale,whilst no traces could be found of her place of retreat. Next the stablewas examined, and Nelly's horse was found as he had left him the nightprevious. He rode to every place where he thought she would be likely togo, but no trace could be found. He inquired for Mayall, and was toldthat he was seen the evening before equipped for a hunting excursion. Hereturned home in grief and loneliness. His house no longer echoed to themusical voice of his lovely daughter. His wife, who had been the mostanxious for her daughter to marry a farm instead of a man of worth, nowbegan to murmur and find fault with her husband for his unkindness toMayall, who had saved their lives and the life of their daughter, andprotected their property. She could then see how nobly he had acted, andshielded them from the tomahawk and scalping-knife of the Indians; andnow their only daughter had flown to his arms for protection, and toreward him for his noble deeds of humanity--flown from a man she wasdetermined never to marry.

  "Has she not frequently told you she had rather have a brave and nobleyouth without money, than to have a coward she hated with his land andmoney--that, should his money be lost by misfortune, she would only havethe wreck of a man left? And now she is gone, perhaps we shall never seeher face again; and, what is worse than all, we have been the cause ofour own misfortunes by our own folly and blindness. Had we heeded herwarnings we might have enjoyed a pleasant life, with our daughter tocheer us in our declining years; and the brave young man to defend us."

  From cloudy turrets evening crept To watch the day's retreating light, Then o'er the heavenly pavement swept The trailing garments of the night, By God's own hand was quick unfurled; Then came the mighty roll-call of the skies, And Nelly, at her father's gate, Quickly answered, "Here am I!"

  On the appointed day the man possessed of land and money came to receivehis lovely bride--but, oh, what grief! the bird had flown to thewilderness--there to dwell in some green valley, there to build her nestand rear her young, far from the haunts of men, and cook the hunter'ssavory fare, and wear the beaver's richest furs, when sullen winterthere may frown.

  The day was turned into a day of sadness and mourning, and at eveningthe guests returned home gloomy and disappointed. A month of grief andloneliness passed away, and Nelly's father learned, from one of theearly settlers of Cherry Valley, that, on the day following the eveningthat Nelly left her father's home, she was married at Cherry Valley, bya clergyman of that place, to a young man by the name of Mayall, and hadnot been seen or heard from since. A search was made to discoverMayall's place of residence; but it all proved useless, as no trace ofhis place of retreat could be found. The father and mother of Nelly G.lived and died without seeing again the face of their lovely daughter.Soon after Nelly G. changed her name to Nelly Mayall her father andmother met with many reverses of fortune, their property vanished awaylike dew before the morning sun. The Revolutionary war broke out, aparty of Tories and Indians visited the Valley of the Mohawk forplunder, their buildings were burned, their property taken, and theyfell a sacrifice to the tomahawk and scalping-knife. After the war hadended, and one adventurer after another came to the Valley of the Adacato select homes, Nelly Mayall learned of the sad fate of her parents.She dressed her hat with the dark plumes of the birds of the forest, andfor a time mourned their sad fate. Time passed on--the changing beautiesof the forest scenery, the kind attention of her devoted husband and theprattling of her children, once more revived her drooping spirits, andshe was again Nelly Mayall, with all her youthful charms.