Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1827-05-05

sell, she soon became ms only playmate.
Nor as they advanced from infancy to
childhood was the friendship broken that
had twined itself round their young
hea ts-.heir pursuits, their amusements
were still the same, and even the moody
humour of Mr.. Peters was softened in
favour OF Waiter Forrest. In whatever
instructions Agnes received from her
father, Wal or participated, and in all
his studies Agnes became partner -
To MIR. Forrest she was daughter, and
after he became blind, often did she set
for hours together by his side, reading
or warbling in his ear the ballads with
which her memory was stored-thcn
pausing to stroke back his silvcry hair,
she would throw her arms around his
neck and cover his face with her afiec-
tlonate kisses-at other times she would
lead him out to the open air to enjoy the
fragrance Of spring, the singing of the
birds and the calm sunshine, or guide him
to the residence Of her father, and there
leaving him, bound off to meet Walter
Oh his return to his dwelling, or to share
the occupation that detained him. There
was not spot ofgreen wood, nor hill,
nor dale, for several miles round, that
they had not trodden together, and oi
which they did not know the shady cov-
erts and secret recesses-amidst the
morning dew, at noontide, and in the
evening twilight, they were together
bounding over the green hills, sketching
the distant prospect, or seated on the
banks Of the Perkiomen, imparting to
each other their different branches OF
knowledge, or telling their early tale of
impassioned fondness.
Thus years rolled on till youth sue
ceeded infancy and childhood. At the
age Of eighteen, the person Of Walter
was tall and manly, and with the express
i've dark eye that shed bright glow Of
Intelligence over his open animated coun-
tenance, and the thick black curls that
shaded his high forehead, he might be
considered eminently handsome. Agnes
had bright laughing blue eyes, and nei-
thcr the beams of the scn, nor .he
breezes that wantoned among the clus-
tering ring.ets Of her glossy brown hair,
had been able to deprive her polished
brow Of its ivory tint-the glow ofhealth
was on her cheek, and there were
The ruby lip, the dimpled chin,
The bosom calm and pure within"
1t need not be said that they loved,
they could not have done otherwise
and their marriage was only delayed,
until Walter should reach his twenty-first
year.
Hitherto their lives had been past in
almost unrufiled happiness, but twelve
months again rolled round, the war Of
the revolution came like an evil planet,
and cast withering blight upon their
hopes. Patriotism was master passion
in the soul of Walter Forrest, and in the
inexpressible swelling ofa youthful spir-
it, with the sanction of his father, he
volunteered his services in the cause of
his country offer was accepted, and
with swelling heart he prepared to fill
the station of captain in the American
army. The parting Of the lovers cannot
be described, but the hope of fame sus-
tanned the spirits Of Walter, while Agnes
retired to shed almost her first tears of
sorrow.
Mr. Peters did not openly espouse
the cause of either party, but his preju-
dices were secretly in favor of the Eng
lish, and from the time of Walters de-
parture, he withdrew himself more than
formerly from the society of Forrest -
At length ambition obtained the mastery,
and removing his daughter to Philadel-
phia, which was at that time occupied
by the British, he openly appeared in
the character of an officer of the crown.
Captain Forrest still remained igno-
rant of this occurrence, when foraging
party Of which he had the command,
chanced to encounter part of Col. Pc
ters', and conflict ensued. The resem-
blance Of their leader to the father of
Agnes, Immediately arrested the atten-
ton of the young warrior, but he banish-
ed the idea, until chance threw them to-
gether, and the truth flashed with agon-
izing certainty upon his mind-for a mo-
ment he recoiled, but he could not pause
in the path of duty, and dashed forward
into the thickest of the battle" On, on,
my brave boys" cried he in the energy
of despair, and the next instant the
sword of Col. Peters was fourished
above his head, "Traitor! Rebel!" ex-
claimed he, but Walter with shudder of
terror, turned from tho eombat-for he
could not raise his arm against the father
of Agnes--his brain reeled, the scene
swan before him indistnct and dim, and
almost at the same moment, ball en-
tered his bosom, and he fell to the earth