Crestlands: A Centennial Story of Cane RidgeBayne, Mary Addams
History
Crestlands: A Centennial Story of Cane Ridge
Bayne, Mary Addams
Kentucky -- History -- 19th century -- Fiction
"He wuz borned in Kenelworth, Pennsylvany; but his folks moved 'round
consider'ble. They wuz sort o' sheftless, I should jedge, an' never
stayed long in any place."
"Was he married?"
"He hed a wife in Philadelphy, though I hed never hearn him speak uv
her. After he wuz dead, I found in one uv his pockets a worn letter,
months old, frum her, dated Philadelphy; and I got her word uv his
death, though frum her letter I gethered thet they hedn't been gittin'
on well together, an' thet she 'peared to think he had misused her, an'
keered nothin' fur her. He wuz a reckless, drinkin', high-tempered,
rough feller; but, Lordee! how brave, when it come to fightin'! He
wuzn't feared o' old Nick hisse'f or eny uv his imps."
"What was his wife's name?"
"Blest ef I kin re-collect, stranger. It's twenty-odd year ago, an' you
see, I----"
"Was it Mary?"
"No, I don't think thet wuz it."
"Was it Sarah?"
"Yes, thet's it. Sarah--Sarah Jane, thet's it. I'm pos'tive it wuz
Sarah Jane. Did you know eny uv her people?"
"Yes, I think so," Abner replied, "but I'm still more interested in the
other John Logan."
"Well, sir, ez I said, I knew nothin' uv him, more'n whut I fust told
you; but, stop, Peter Stump wuz his comrid, an' he----"
"Is this Peter Stump living, and, if so, where?" was the next anxious
inquiry.
"Why, yes, he's alive an' a-kickin'; leastways, he wuz last Monday
three weeks ago, when I seen him at Pockville. He lives two mile south
uv thar, on the road to Richmond."
That night our much-tried hero went once more to the old box in the
garret, and took from it the miniature of his father, and the letter to
Mary, written the night before the battle. With these in his pocket,
Abner the next morning went to Pockville. He had no difficulty in
finding Peter Stump, and was soon in possession of information which
filled him with renewed life and joy. Stump recognized the miniature as
that of his messmate, John (or Jack) Logan. Stump remembered the other
John Logan, and said that in features and sometimes in expression the
two Logans were much alike, but that in complexion and disposition they
were utterly dissimilar. Jack Logan was of dark and sallow complexion,
had curly black hair, and was about six feet, one inch in height. He
was reserved, quiet, sober in his habits, and peaceably inclined. The
other John had a ruddy complexion, hair a shade lighter than his
cousin's, and a temper so fiery and quarrelsome that he was forever in
some broil with his comrades. He was a hard drinker, too, and a
gambler. He was nearly two inches taller than Jack Logan, and was the
tallest man in the regiment. Jack Logan, up to the beginning of the
war, had always lived in Kenelworth, but the other John Logan, although
born in Kenelworth, had lived a wandering life. Other facts which Stump
revealed explained the message in Jack Logan's last letter to Mary.
Stump and Logan had been close friends, and the former had learned from
his friend the reason of the hasty marriage.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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