Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-11-15

anxiety.
Abou, The middle Of the night received a
visit from a Young man with whom had Tor
med an intimate acquaintance. He was the
only son Of gentleman Of large property IN
the south Of Ireland; but having formed an
attachment 10 beautiful girl in humble life,
and married her against the will OF his father.
he had been disinherited and turned Out oil
doors. The youth had soon reason to repent
of his rashness His wife was beautiful, virtu-
Gus, affectiona'e; but her want OF education aho
entire unacquaintance with those poiisned
manners and little elegancies OF lie to whlch
he had beer accustomed soon dissolved much
Of the charm which her beauty and artlessness
had at first thrown around him. After strug-
Cling for some time with poverty AID discon'
tent, he enlisted in regiment OF heavy dra-
goons; and being ordered to the Coniint"t,
left his wife, with an infant daughter, In a
wretched lodging in London. Chance brought
US together in Belgium; and similarity OIL
tastes soon produced a friendship.
Depressed as was in spirit myself, l was
struck with the melancholy tone in which tina.
night he accosted me- He felt presentimen,,
he said, that he would not survive the battle OF
the ensuing day. He wished to bid me farewell,
and to in,rust to my care his portrait, which,
with his farewell blessing, was all he had TO
! beuueath TO his wife and child. Absence had
renewed, or rather doubled, all his tondness
| for the former, and pourtrayed her IN alt The
wi,ching loneliness that mad won his boyish al
! ection. He talked of her while the tears ran
down his cheeks. and oonjured me, it ever
| cached England, 10 find her out, and make
known her case 10 his father. In vain, while
pledged my word TO the ful6lment OF his wish
es, | endeavored to cheer him with better hopes.
| lie listened in mournful silence to all could
suggest; flung his arms round my neck, wrung
| nv hand, and we parted. saw him but once
! again. 1t was during the hottest part oil ihe
| next and terrible dav,, when, with morse tha'
drowned even the roar of the artillery, Sir w.
| Ponsonby's brigade OF cavalry dashed past our
hollow square, bearing before them, IN that ire
| mendous charge, the flower oil Napoleon CHI
! vaIry Far ahead even Of his national reeimen nj
| | saw The manly figure of my friend. 1t was
but for moment The next instant he was
| fighting in the centre Of the enemy's squadron;
and the clouds Of smoke that closed IN masses
round friend and foe hid him from my view
When the battle was over, and all was hushed
blu, the groans of the wounded and the triumph
AMI Shouts and rolling drums OF the victorious
Prussans, who continued the pursuit during
the entire Of the night, ! Quilted the shattered
remains Of the gallant regimen. in whose ranks
had that day the honor of standing. The
moon was wading through scattered masses OF
dark and heavy clouds, when commenced my
search for my friend. The light was doubtful
and uncertain We, it was easy TO keep along
the track that marked the last career OF Pom.
soney shaddssn les! il sssFy se anu ss s9e
times lrod upon the cold and molionless heaps,
which now looked SO unlike the Fiery masses
Of living ,alor" that, a few hours before, had
comminsed with a conclusion more dreadful
than the earthquakes shock. Although | at
frs, felt certain conviction Of his fate, AFTER
wards began TO hope that the object Of my
search had, contrary 10 his prediction, survived
the terrible encounter. I was about to retire
when heap OF slain, in plougbed field, on
which the moon was shining clearly, a,
tracted my notice. Literally piled OF each 9TH
err, were the bodies of five cuirassiers; and lay
ing beneath his horse was the dead body oil my
friend. You may form some idea Of my aston
lshmcnt, on finding, by nearer Inspection, that
his head was supported and his neck enlwined
by the arms OF female, from whom also the
spirit had taken its departure; but you Can form
no conception Of the horror felt at beholding,
in this scene Of carnage and desola,ion, in the
very arms OF death, and on the bosom OF
corpse living infant, sleeping calmly, with the
moon beams resting on its lovely features, and
smile playing on It's lips. as il angels were
guarding its slumbers and inspiring its dreams!
And who knows but perhaps they were! The
conviction now flashed on my mind tina, these
were the wife and child Of nv unfortunate
friend; and the letters we afterwards found on
the person of the former proved that was right
in my conjecture. Driven aside by the gale Of
pleasure or ambition, or by the storms Of life,
the affections of man may veer; but unchange-
able and exchanging is true hear, in woman.
She loves, and loves forever This faithful
wife had followed her husband through land
Of strangers, and over The painless sea; thro'
the crowded city, and the busting camp, till
she found him stretched on the battle field
Perhaps she came in time 10 receive his parting
sigh, and her spirit. quitting its WORKOUT tene>
ment Of clay, winged i.s way with his TO Him
who gave ,bcm being. With the assistance Of
some of my comrades, consigned this hapless
pair to the earth, wrapped in the same militia
ny cloak; and en,elopiny the infant Tins dear
child Of my adoption, in my plaid, rcturoed
TO the spot where our regimen, lay.-A. PC.