The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1832-05-08

hope at length deserted W and we were
silent in despair.
We were, at last, reused by the en-
trance of a republican officer-one ofthe
guards of Carrier. l had noticed him
before my confinement and marked him
as I would some dangerous serpent.
The impress Of the demon was upon bis
countenance. had seen him once when
a group of pleasant farm-houses were
bursting into flames, ard the work Of
destruction going on, writing his SCARED
yisage into q smiie.--I had never seen
such smile before. 1t told of dark and
hateful passions--of exultation like that
of which an Internal spirit might be sup
osed to feel when soma new victim is
engaged to the unquenchabls Gre oftor-
ment.
He told Us no had orders to conduct
us from the prison. Eager questions
were made as to the design Of this COM
mand-He made no reply, but COM
manded the door Of our dungeon to be
thrown open. We passed out--many,
with joyful hope Of speedy release. and
the enjoyment Of their home. A band
Of soldiers received us and conducted US
into the open air.
Il was beautiful night Of moonshine.
The soft light rested on tbs hills a.
round W., silvering the pointed roofs and
Old spires that stood up among them.
The broad sheet Of the Loire lay before
Us, like a vein Of silver upon ground Of
emerald. Nantes--tbe once rich and
beautiful metropolis Of tho vendee, was
silent as sepulchre. Black smoke
curled up at intervals into the moonlight,
from the mouldering ashes Of fallen
dwellings. The hand Of the spoiler had
been there, the tide Of revolutionary
madness had gone over the fair city in
mingled wave Of fire aud blood.
We reached the waters edge. A low,
dark hulled vessel lay ready to receive
us. "On board, traitors 7" said the Of
fcsr who had guarded us thither. "Yos
are destined for Bellisle." marked his
features as he spoke. The same internal
smile was playing upon :hsm--but more
fiendish--mors revolving than ever.
Bellisls lay at the mouth ofthe Loire.
Tho outline ofits fortress was just visible
grim and ragged, towering to the sky.
The revolutionary banner was Tapping
above it, like bird Of evil, lowering over
its destined prey.
We were hurried on board the vessel.
which to our astonishment, was already
crowded with prisoners like ourselves.
The young and beautiful and high born
of both sexes were there. There were
many, very many familiar faces in that
group. seen d,mIy in the lamplight--
proud men and lovely women ] had
known in happier hours--but there was
no look of recognition given or received;
every one felt the pressure of some un-
shared and peculiar anguish, and our
meeting was in silence, broken only by
the thick cob and passionate burst of
tears.
A light hand fell upon my shoulder,
and q voice, to whose tones my spirit
would have responded from the very
threshold of eternity, announced my
name. I started at the sound. The
next instant was clasping to my bosom
the faifest maid of Nantes--the last and
brightest link in the broken chain Of my
affections. High souled md noble
hearted girl! ] see thee now through
the dark medium Of years. with a per.
ception as clear as If thou vert being
If yesterday. That clear cxpanse of
brow, so touched with intellectual pale
ness. and that eye so proud, and yet so
full of tenderness, are living before me.
Tho pencil Of memery 10 an unernng
one, when its powers are called forth by
an affection, which but gathers deeper
intensity from despair.
There are moments in life. when the
affectation Of indifference, and the con-
strained coldness Of ceremony, are for
gotten, and the deep and boiler feelings
Of tho heart itself are poured out to all
their freshness and original purity.
Such moments cannot exist in sunlit
places of worldly prosperity. They are
found in the shadowy path ofadversity-
or never. When the great and busy
world around us has proved but vain
and gorgeous deception, a mockery, rem
dered more terrible by its promise of
beauty, then il is that the fountains of
deep sympathy are broken up. and
hearts are mingled together in q love
which belongs not to earth.
il was so at this moment. Agnes and
myself had both tasted bitterness from
the same fountain. The crimcs-I
should rather say the virtues of our
parents bad been visited upon Us in ven-
gsancs. We were thrown together a, q
moment when every whim and caprice
Of our enemies became unquestioned au-
thority for deeds Of nbhorrent cruelty.
We knew that we were in the hands of