USA > Kentucky > Livingston County > Chronicles of a Kentucky settlement > Part 7
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The old man was so moved by Benton's apparent distress and the humiliation to which he had subjected him, in exposing his extreme poverty, that he ex- claimed, "Thunder and Blixen ! say no more about it, my boy," rushed from the room, and soon borrowed from some other friend enough money to pay the fees due Benton and for the "drams" ; then, hurrying back to the Clerk's office, he half dragged Benton to the bar of the hotel and made him take two " drams " with him, which was one too many for Benton, and, as he afterwards admitted, served him right by causing him a severe headache.
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43.7
CHAPTER VII.
Cave-in-Rock, and its Gang-Jim Wilson-Adair Appointed Deputy Sheriff-Benton, on Fishing and Hunting-Adair's Advice to Benton-Benton's Estimate of himself-Benton and Miss Ritchie-Warren Davidson-Adair's Confession to Benton-Death of William Adair and Joseph's Resolu- tion-A Kind Invitation.
T HE following day Horace Benton called to see his friend Adair, who, in the course of their conver- sation, informed him of the business arrangement he had made with Duncan, of his desire to obtain the office of Deputy Sheriff, and his reasons therefor.
" I think," said Benton, after listening attentively to all Adair said, "that you have acted wisely in determining to give up work at the bench ; and you could not have a better man for a partner to carry on the business of the shop. Nor will there be any trou- ble, I think, in your getting the appointment of Deputy Sheriff ; for Squire Howard can and will, I am almost sure, arrange that for you. But, Adair," he added, " have you seriously considered the dangerous nature of the office? For, I can assure you, it is dangerous -very !"
Benton then went on to speak of " Wilson's gang " around Cave-in-Rock, of their reputed crimes, etc.
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But to him Adair made about the same replies he had made the day before to Duncan.
Before proceeding further, it may be well to refer more particularly to the Cave-in-Rock, and to the gang that made it so notorious. "On the Illinois side of the Ohio River," says the history of Kentucky from which we quote, " only a few feet beyond the jurisdiction of the State of Kentucky, is a cavern, in a rock or ledge of the mountain, a little above the water of the river when high, and close to the bank. It is about 200 feet long and So feet wide ; its entrance 80 feet wide at the base, and 25 feet high. The floor was remarkable, being level through the whole length of the centre, the sides rising in stony grades, in the manner of seats in the pit of a theatre. Close scrutiny of the walls made it evident that the ancient inhabitants of a remote period had used the cave as their council-house. Upon the walls were many hieroglyphics, well executed, - among them representations of at least eight animals of a race now extinct, three of them resembling the elephant, the tails and tusks excepted. This cavern is connected with another more gloomy, immediately over it-united by an aperture about 14 feet wide, to ascend which was like passing up a chimney ; while the mountain was yet far above. For more than sixty years this has been known to boatmen as Cave-in- Rock.
" Early in the present century, a man, named Wil- son, brought his family to the cave, and fitted it as a dwelling and tavern-erecting on a sign-post at the water's edge these words, 'Wilson's Liquor Vault and House of Entertainment.' Its very novelty attracted the attention of boats descending the river, and the
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crews generally landed for refreshments and amuse- ment. Idle characters after a while gathered here, and it soon became infamous for its licentiousness and blas- phemy. Wilson, out of such customers in their neces- sities, formed a band of robbers, and laid plans of the deepest villainy-no less than the murder of the entire crews of each boat that landed, and the forwarding of the boats and cargoes to New Orleans for sale, for cash, which was to be conveyed to the cave by land through Tennessee and Kentucky. Months elapsed before any serious suspicion was created, and other months before the vague suspicions grew into shape and definiteness. But as no return of shipments were reported, and not one of many honorable men entrusted with cargoes of produce came back to pay over the proceeds and tell the perils of the trip, it first came out that no tidings were received of any boat after it passed this point ; and then that ' Wilson's gang ' of about forty-five men, at the station at Hurricane Island, had arrested every boat which passed by the mouth of the cavern ; and through business agents at New Orleans converted into specie the boats and cargoes obtained through whole- sale murder and robbery. Some of the gang escaped as soon as they found public vengeance aroused against them ; a few were taken prisoners ; and the chief him- self lost his life at the hands of one of his own men, who was tempted by the large reward offered for Wil- son's head."
The foregoing historical account is, however, inac- curate in several particulars. The Cave, as is well known to every boatman on the lower Ohio River, is not abore high-water mark, its entrance being often entirely submerged, and it could only have been used,
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as indicated, when the water was low. The man Wil- son, called the chief of the gang, never, it is believed, lived with his family in the Cave ; and it is certain that for many years before his death-the particulars of which we will set forth in due order-he lived on his farm on the Kentucky shore a few miles from the Cave, and near an important ferry across the Ohio River, where, it was reported, many an unfortunate traveller mysteriously disappeared. But no crime was ever traced to Wilson with sufficient clearness to cause his arrest and trial. That there were many murders and robberies about the Cave there was undoubted proof, and that Wilson was the chief of the gang was doubted by few of the citizens of Livingston County, in which he lived ; but the statement that a large reward was offered for his head is entirely erroneous.
But to return to the interview between Adair and his friend Benton. As soon as the latter had learned that Adair was prepared to encounter the dangers of the office of Deputy Sheriff, he-Benton-at once proposed to ride out and see Squire Howard on the subject, as the latter might not be in town for several days.
Adair thanked him, and added: " I wish you would. I would not trouble you about it, but I am not yet strong enough to ride out myself, and the sooner the matter is attended to the better."
"All right !" replied Benton, and, looking rather quizzically at his friend, continued : " And, as I am going out to the Squire's, can I deliver any other mes- sages for you ? "
" To the young ladies-yes," was the good-humored reply. "You may say to them, I hope soon to be strong enough to ride out and make them a visit ; and
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that they must hold themselves in readiness to go a-fishing with you and me. What say you ? Would n't you like it ? "
"Certainly," was the prompt reply. "I'm not much of a fisherman myself-am too lazy for that. It's only an industrious and thoughtful man who thoroughly enjoys the quiet and repose he feels when fishing. The lazy man is aroused by the excitement of the chase-by the absorbing watchfulness and activ- ity necessary when hunting ; and, by his exertions, eases his conscience for past laziness. But to go a-fish- ing with a pretty girl, and watch the play of her coun- tenance as she pulls out the little fish and makes the big scream ! Oh, it's glorious !"
This admission, by Benton, of his laziness, afforded Adair a good excuse, so he thought, for giving his friend a good talk, as Duncan had suggested. And he did talk to him plainly, earnestly, kindly ; told him of the high estimate he placed on his ability to achieve distinction and make a fortune ; and that he ought not to be content to drag along at the rate he was going, but should go to work earnestly and persistently.
Benton listened to him patiently and attentively, and then replied : "Adair, I thank you for all the kind things you have said about me, and for such frank and well-meant advice. But, my friend, you labor under several mistakes. I have weighed myself often and carefully, and you place too high an estimate on my abilities. I have some ambition to make a name, - little, however, to make money ; but I have not the self-confidence-the brass-the cheek-to push my way in a crowd or among strangers. I have genius of a mild type, but no talent, and no business capacity. I
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may here, where I know every man and have noted his peculiarities, give vent to my genius for provoking laughter and merriment, but in the busy marts of trade I would be considered as a clown or buffoon. Men might laugh at my jokes, but would never employ me to attend to their legal business. Besides, as I have said, I am lazy ; it's constitutional ; I can't help it. I could, like a fat chicken cock, by a desperate flapping of the wings, manage to mount to a low limb, but it would be to roost securely. I could no more stand a sustained effort than the fat cock ; I could no more labor on steadily to attain a name or fortune in the dis- tant and uncertain future than I could live on air." Then, suddenly assuming a serio-comic tone and man- ner, he went on : " Then there is another ' p'int ' that I don't mind mentioning to you, under the seal of secrecy. I-am-in-love; most desperately bad off ; a downright distressing case, for the disease has struck in and no amount of sweatin' will bring it out."
"Oh," Adair laughingly answered, "there 's a sovereign remedy for that disease : get married ; it's just the thing to stir you up."
"Just so-just so !" responded Benton. "I've thought of that remedy ; and I would n't mind taking a full dose of such sugar-coated pills-for they are said, you know, to make a fellow sleep, oh-so-so sweetly -- but then, you see, there are several 'slight' impedi- ments. In the first place, I'm afraid my wallet is too flabby to pay the doctor's bills ; and then the old folks don't want their 'dar'ter' to catch the disease from me. And, sir," he continued, " I have a-rival ! a strapping, big fellow with a heavy purse and fierce rolling eyes -- looks as if he had been fed on raw meat
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nearly all his life, and hints at a longing desire for an opportunity to inspect my innocent liver and lights ; with which useful articles I cannot so safely dispense as I have done with my heart. And as this bother- some rival got the start of me, and was patted on the back by the old folks, he succeeded in wringing from the fair lady some sort of an admission or promise, which she now laments over, and talks of blasted hopes, resulting from filial obedience and the sacredness of promises. Oh, Moses McDuff ! what is a fellow to do under such circumstances ? Come, Adair, you are a cool, dispassionate mortal ; can't you give me a cue or a grain of comfort ? "
Adair could not help laughing at Benton's recital of his woes, but he was sufficiently acquainted with his suit for the hand of Miss Ritchie to know that he was, in his odd way, telling him of a matter which was caus- ing the ardent lover serious uneasiness ; his laughter, therefore, soon subsided, and he said .: "Come, come, Benton ! I do not think you have much cause for depression. A case like this must necessarily be left to the decision and management of the young lady. If she really prefers you to your rival, it is almost certain she will have her own way. Parents, now-a-days, rarely force their daughters to marry against their will. As for this fierce rival of yours, there is an old adage that 'a barking dog rarely bites.' If he tries to force a quarrel on you-which is not at all likely-you will know how to stand up to your rack. There is nothing a young lady so much admires as pluck in wooing and winning her, and they all abominate a braggadocio. It would, of course, make matters run much smoother if you could obtain the full and free consent of the 7
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parents. On this point I have a suggestion to make. You have for some time been reading law, and could, I have no doubt, obtain a license to practise. Now, apply for that license as soon as possible ; then buy you a good horse and outfit, and attend the sessions of the Circuit Court in all the adjoining counties. Your expe- rience in the office of the Clerk of the Circuit and County Court here, and your skill as a penman, fit you for drawing all legal documents quickly and accurately, and you will, I am convinced, get more business than you anticipate. If you are known as a practising law- yer, instead of a Deputy Clerk of the Court, it will be a feather in your cap with the old folks. In the mean- while, tell the ' fair lady ' of your resolution, and, my word for it, she will manage the balance to your satis- faction."
" Well, to speak the sober truth," replied Benton, gravely, "I would, I am sure, have no difficulty in obtaining my license to practise law ; but, taking into account the expense of travelling the Circuit, and cost of horse, outfit, etc., I fear that the net gain from my practice would not equal what I am at present earning. But, I suppose, if I am ever to make a start, the sooner the better ; and the effect would, no doubt, as you say, be favorable on the old folks ; for, plainly, I believe that their main objection to me is that they fear I have not sufficient energy to make a good living for their daughter. As for my rival, I have no fears whatever of personal violence."
" I have," said Adair, " a fine young horse in my stable -- you have seen him-the chestnut sorrel-which is at your service for a year ; and if he suits you, and you wish at any time to buy him, you can have him at
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a valuation to be fixed by your brother, and on as long credit as you may desire. Moreover, should I obtain the office of Deputy Sheriff, I can, I doubt not, throw some business into your hands."
" That settles the matter !" said Benton, emphatic- ally, "I will get my license as soon as possible, and see out of what kind of metal I am made ! And, as I am to go out to see the Squire, suppose I ride the chestnut and give him a trial ? "
" All right ! I will have him ordered out and ready for you at any hour you wish to start."
" Let it be, then, at three o'clock ; that will give me time to go out and return by supper, after which I will call over to see you and report progress."
At eight o'clock Adair was sitting alone in his room. He had been trying to read so long as the light of day enabled him to do so, but his mind would wander from the page before him, although it was Pope's translation of Homer's Iliad, which, next to Shakespeare, was his favorite poetical work. But, now, although he sat at an open window facing the west, there was no longer light enough for him to see how to read, and he gave himself up wholly to reflection. First, about Benton's love and fears. Then, the question naturally arose in his mind, " What if some one should step between me and Laura ? This long illness is doubly unfortunate, for it has disarranged all my plans ; and, although delays are said to be dangerous, I must wait."
At that moment, there was a gentle tap at the door, and, without awaiting an invitation, Benton entered, and before taking a seat began.
" Well," he said, "the Squire thinks-is almost cer- tain, in fact-that he can get the appointment for you,
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and promised to try and see Mr. Hughes, the Sheriff, to-morrow. He, furthermore seemed glad to know that you intended giving up work at the bench ; and was much pleased at the idea of being of some service to you. I also delivered your message to his charming daughters, who told me to tell you that you must come out as soon as you could, and that they were certain a few days' stay in the country would do you much good. When I told them of your proposed fishing excursion, they readily assented ; and Mrs. Howard, who was present, up and told me of your having res- cued Miss Laura from the creek last summer. That was well done on your part, Adair, and I wonder a little that I never heard of it before. But that 's your style : 'Do good by stealth, and blush to find it fame.' As for the sorrel, I am half in love with him already ; he carries his head and tail proudly, gets over the ground rapidly and easily, and never stumbles."
" I wish I felt strong enough," responded Adair, in an abstracted manner, as if he were communing with himself rather than addressing his companion-" strong enough to ride out. This long illness and confinement to the house is very irksome. But, Benton," he con- tinued, rousing himself, " I must thank you for your services to-day ; and let us hope there is a brighter day in store for both of us, and that it is not very distant."
" Adair !" and as he spoke Benton looked his friend full in the face, " since I had the talk with you this morning I have felt more like a man than ever before in my life. As I rode along, to and from the Squire's, I turned and twisted the matter in my mind in every possible way, and came to the conclusion that the course you suggested is the best for me to pursue. And now,
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my friend, I would not be thought inquisitive, nor as prying into your secrets, but there is a matter pertain- ing to yourself and a certain young lady, about which I would like to speak."
"Then speak, and speak freely," replied Adair.
"During your illness," said Benton, "your mind repeatedly wandered, when your fever was high, and on several occasions you spoke of 'Laura.' Who this Laura was I never knew, nor should I mention the matter now, but since my visit to the Squire's and learn- ing of your having rescued Miss Laura from drowning last summer ; and considering, also, your acquaintance with the family before you came here, and the warm interest they all manifested in you during your illness, I cannot resist the conclusion that you, like myself, are -in-love! and-with-Miss Laura Howard ! Stop !" he said, seeing that Adair was about to speak, " wait and hear me through, for then you can judge best what reply, if any, to make. I have known Miss Laura since she was a little girl ; she is all she should be ; beliked by old and young. I know of no young lady in this county who has received more attention fron young gentlemen, and rumor says that several of them -and among them some very worthy fellows-have sued for her heart and hand, yet she has possessed the rare faculty of retaining their friendship after having declined their offers. Among her suitors there is one Warren Davidson ; you, perhaps, never saw him, for he has been absent in the South and in New Orleans for nearly a year. He is now about twenty-four or twenty-five years old. His father, who owned a fine farm and some fifty to sixty negroes, lived down on the Ohio River. He died about two years ago, leaving
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Warren, his only child, the richest man, I suppose, in this county. When a boy some seventeen or eighteen years of age, Warren attended a school near Squire Howard's farm, which was also attended by several of the Squire's children, Miss Laura among them ; and, it is said, Warren then fell desperately in love with her ; certain it is, he did, before leaving for the South, solicit her hand in marriage. What her answer was is not known, at least by me, but it was generally believed she had rejected him, or had put him off with an in- definite answer, and hence his trip and long absence. That she should have rejected him is to many a matter of surprise, for Warren is not only rich, but well educated, intelligent, kind-hearted, and decidedly good- looking. Now, this Warren Davidson has not only returned, but is now at Squire Howard's, where he arrived some minutes before I left ; and, I presume, is there for the purpose of renewing his suit. Now, I have thought it best to mention these matters, that you may take notice and govern yourself accordingly."
Adair, who had listened with almost breathless inter- est, trembled with emotion-which, in his weak state, it was impossible for him to suppress-as he replied : " Horace, my friend, I will speak to you plainly what I have never said to another. I have known, and I may almost say I have loved, Laura Howard from her early childhood. When I parted from her at Knox- ville, Tenn., where her parents then lived, I was a boy of twelve and she a lisping child, but there was a tie which bound me to that little child which I can scarcely explain to myself, much less to another. Years after- wards, when my apprenticeship had ended, although I had far to journey, I returned to Knoxville, hoping to
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see that child again. I was disappointed ; was told that, some ten years before. Mr. Howard had moved to Kentucky. That was all I could learn until about a year ago I was told that Mr. Howard was living near this town ; that brought me here. When I had seen the little child, now grown to what she is, my heart went out to her almost on the instant, and now I love her with all the ardor of which, I suppose, my nature is capable. But not one word of this have I ever breathed to her. I was too poor to marry ; but I have, since my arrival here, labored hard with this end in view. Moreover, I have thought it but honorable and right, before declaring my love, to establish my character in this community, that the woman I sought for a wife might know what manner of man I was."
There was something so earnest, so impressive in the looks and tones of the speaker, that Benton was affected as he had rarely been before. Here, before him, was a man who loved deeply, passionately, but who had labored long, patiently, unwaveringly, to show himself worthy of the woman he loved before asking her to de- cide the most momentous question of his life. A man, who, in love as in business, was governed by a sense of duty, and hence mindful of the obligations due to others, however much these might conflict with his inclinations or interest. He- Adair-had come to Salem a stranger and poor ; had courted no man's friendship or confidence, but, by diligently pursuing the even tenor of his way, had already won many friends, and was seemingly on the high road to fortune. The journey of his life had doubtless been a cold and cheerless one, and yet, just as he was coming out into the sunshine of prosperity, these troubles had come
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upon him-his long and severe illness, and, now, a formidable rival for the hand of the woman he had loved with such singular constancy. His love had been a steady light, compared with which most men's passion was flickering and feeble. But the oil of hope and constancy, which had hitherto fed so pure a flame, would surely not become exhausted and the light go out !
"Adair, my friend," said Benton, after arousing himself from his reflections, " what you have said sur- prises me-surprises me because I had not thought it in man's nature to be so constant. And, in telling you what I did, if I have caused you unnecessary pain or uneasiness, I am sorry for it. But I have an abiding faith that one who has so long and steadily been guided by one bright star will not now, as the day. seems dawning, lose his way nor find it blocked before him."
" I hope not," responded Adair, in a calm tone ; and then, after a short pause, continued : "Look you, Horace ! To you I have intrusted the one great secret of my life ! guard it well. I must have time to think over this matter before determining what course to pursue."
And the two friends parted for the night.
The following morning, when Adair appeared in the shop, Duncan noticed that he was restless, perturbed, alinost fretful ; and in reply to his usual inquiry, " Well, how are you this morning ?" received for answer. "Only so-so. I slept but little last night." Duncan then went across the street to the Post-Office, and soon returned with a letter for Adair, which he handed him. The latter was standing when he opened the letter, and after glancing at it for a moment dropped
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it upon the floor, uttered a low moan, staggered back, and would have fallen before Duncan could reach him, but for a high bench against which he leaned for sup- port. It was some moments-during which he repeat- edly passed his hand across his forehead-before Adair turned his eyes, dry and almost glaring, to his friend, and, while the muscles of his throat twitched convul- sively, said, in a hollow voice : " My brother is dead. Assist me to my room."
This Duncan did, and, after seeing Adair seated by an open window, turned to go, saying, "Tap on the floor if you want me," and left the room, without utter- ing a word of the great sympathy he felt for his sorely afflicted friend ; judging that at such a moment he had best be left alone to compose himself-perhaps to pray. And Duncan was right ! for the wrung heart, how- ever unused to prayer, often frames some cry for help or mercy and finds relief.
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