The Last of the Foresters

The Last of the Foresters

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Last of the Foresters, by John
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Title: The Last of the Foresters
Author: John Esten Cooke
Release Date: January 2, 2004 [EBook #10560]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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THE LAST OF THE FORESTERS:
OR,
HUMORS ON THE BORDER;
A STORY OF THE
Old Virginia Frontier.
BY
JOHN ESTEN COOKE
AUTHOR OF "THE VIRGINIA COMEDIANS," "LEATHER
STALKING AND SILK," "ELLIE," "THE YOUTH OF
JEFFERSON," INC.

1856

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I.
--At Apple Orchard II.--Verty and his Companions III.--Introduces a
Legal Porcupine IV.--How Verty thought, and played, and dreamed
V.--Winchester VI.--In which Mr. Roundjacket flourishes his ruler
VII.--In which Mr. Roundjacket reads his great Poem VIII.--How Verty
shot a White Pigeon IX.--Hawking without a Hawk X.--Verty makes
the acquaintance of Mr. Jinks XI.--How Verty discovered in himself a
great fondness for Apples XII.--How Strephon talked with Chloe in an
Arbor XIII.--Verty expresses a desire to imitate Mr. Jinks XIV.--The
Thirteenth of October XV.--The Pedlar and the Necklace XVI.--Mr.
Roundjacket makes himself agreeable XVII.--Mr. Jinks at Home
XVIII.--How Miss Lavinia developed her Theories on Matrimony
XIX.--Only a few tears XX.--How Miss Fanny slammed the door in
Verty's face XXI.--In which Redbud suppresses her feelings, and
behaves with decorum XXII.--How Miss Sallianna fell in love with
Verty XXIII.--The Result XXIV.--Of the effect of Verty's
violin-playing upon Mr. Rushton XXV.--A Young Gentleman just from
William and Mary College XXVI.--The Necklace
XXVII.--Philosophical XXVIII.--Consequences of Miss Sallianna's
passion for Verty XXIX.--Interchange of Compliments XXX.--What
occurred at Bousch's Tavern XXXI.--Mr. Jinks on Horseback going to
take Revenge XXXII.--An old Bible XXXIII.--Fanny's views upon
Heraldry XXXIV.--How Miss Sallianna alluded to vipers, and fell into
hysterics XXXV.--How Miss Fanny made merry with the passion of
Mr. Verty XXXVI.--Ralph makes love to Miss Sallianna
XXXVII.--Verty states his private opinion of Miss Sallianna
XXXVIII.--How Longears showed his gallantry in Fanny's service.
XXXIX.--Up the Hill, and under the Chestnuts XL.--Under the
Greenwood Tree XLI.--Use of Coats in a Storm XLII.--How Mr. Jinks
requested Ralph to hold him XLIII.--Verty's heart goes away in a
chariot XLIV.--In which the History returns to Apple Orchard
XLV.--Hours in the October Woods XLVI.--The Happy Autumn Fields

XLVII.--Days that are no more XLVIII.--The Harvest Moon
XLIX.--Back to Winchester, where Editorial Iniquity is discoursed of
L.--How Verty discovered a Portrait, and what ensued LI.--A Child and
a Logician LII.--How Mr. Jinks determined to spare Verty
LIII.--Projects of Revenge, involving Historical details LIV.--Exploits
of Fodder LV.--Woman-traps laid by Mr. Jinks LVI.--Takes Verty to
Mr. Roundjacket's LVII.--Contains an Extraordinary Disclosure
LVIII.--How Mr. Rushton proved that all men were selfish, himself
included LIX.--The Portrait smiles LX.--The Lodge in the Hills
LXI.--Mrs. O'Calligan's Wooers LXII.--Verty Muses LXIII.--How
Verty and Miss Lavinia ran a-tilt at each other, and who was
overthrown LXIV.--The Rose of Glengary LXV.--Providence
LXVI.--The Hour and the Necklace LXVII.--How St. Patrick
encountered St. Michael, and what ensued LXVIII.--The End of the
Chain LXIX.--Conclusion

PREFACE
Perhaps this story scarcely needs a Preface, but the child of the writer's
invention comes to possess a place in his affections, and he is reluctant
to send it forth into the wide world, without something in the nature of
a letter of introduction, asking for it a kindly and charitable reception. It
would be unjust to apply to this volume the tests which are brought to
bear upon an elaborate romance. In his narrative of the adventures of
Verty and Redbud, the writer has not endeavored to mount into the
regions of tragedy, or chronicle the details of bloodshed on the part of
heroes--but rather, to find in a picturesque land and period such traits of
life and manners as are calculated to afford innocent entertainment.
Written under the beautiful autumn skies of our beloved Virginia, the
author would ask for the work only a mind in unison with the mood of
the narrative--asking the reader to laugh, if he can, and, above all, to
carry with him, if possible, the beautiful autumn sunshine, and the
glories of the mountains.
Of the fine old border town, in which many of the scenes of the story
are laid, much might be said, if it were here necessary, that Thomas
Lord Fairfax, Baron of Cameron, and formerly half-owner of Virginia,
sleeps there--that Morgan, the Ney of the Revolution, after all his
battles, lies there, too, as though to show how nobles and commoners,

lords