The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1837-10-25

hnu 10 crnWii the Wnnls, the cuslle, Tie
lbiuh-pIsce of every Audelsy since The con-
ques, of the Norman William, The boasted
Inheritance of warriors and statesmen, the
proud domain Of line which yielded not
IN pride oc power to Engleud's uoblesi,
stood u shivercd pile ofhlackening and dis
nantled ruin. There needed no historians
voice to tell the soldier, by what fell agency
such desolaiion had been wrought; the
mighty sons of the forest Which had stood
A unharnied for ages, ftlled from their sta
tions,-lest they should shield foeman
from the iron shower,-ihe pierced aud bat
tered walls, the ground ye, torn aud chan
neled by shell or shnt,--all marked The un-
relenting hand of war. Words could no,
have spoken more plainly TO The mind of
I Audeley,- his father had defended his dweI-
ling against the ironsides of Oliver,--defen-
ded it for the thankless tyrani, who had set
a price on the head Of his son defended it
but to perish with the honored hablta,lon of
his race, amidst the downfall of the cause
he had espouseJ. lie stood few moments
in silence hound his horse to solitary
trec, which had survived the wreck Of lis
PROSTATE brethren, aud passed under u
yawning archway into The scuthed aud roof
less halls. Tho ruin was complete, not n
staircase or n ceiling had escaped, NOT n
painted wall, not frctted cornice remain
ed To tell the visiter its tale of former mag
niIicencs. Even the eye of Audeley could
scarcely define the sites, or his memory dis
tlngu.sh the separate apartments, ouce so
familiar. lie sat down for while on the
base Of fallen pillar, and covering his face
with his hands, unused deeply ere long,
however, he was reused by a sudden and
violent rusiling from the dense thickct which
had encroached upon the precincts Of the
building he rose to his feet, his hand
glanced insinc,vely downward to the hilt
Of his rapier, and an inch or two Of the
polished blade was already flashing from
the scabbard, when in,blc buck, bursting
J from the branches Of the shrubbery, dnried
througha breach in the walls, md bounded
as If IN mortal terror, across the deserted
halls, before The very face of their master.
Tie gallant auimal had already traversed
the court, another instant would have seen
flying over the open lawn. when suddenly
be sprung high in,othe ujr with all his feet
and pitching forwards. pioughcd the soii
VIM Uls UIuIIutnS itiCISS-~IOltu fVNcI
and over fromthe speed Of his previous Ca
recr, even after Iifo had left The graceful
limbs, and before the close report of fire.
arms had announced he cause, was sIready
! lifcless. the whole occurrence did no, oc-
cupy the time consumed in the recital. Au-
deley had not moved. scarcely even thought
before the deer had fallen by the aim of his
unseen destroyer; he; was still gazing,
hardly conscious Of what had passed, when
the hunter made his appearance through
the same portal to which the deer was
bounding when arrested by the fatal bullet.
lie was man over whose head some
eighty winters had shed their SHOWS, with
ont imparing the activity of his frame, or
dImming the sigh, Of his eye. His form
was of the largest proportions usually at
taIned by the human race, and though
somewhat bowed by years, which had bent
without unhingIng his firm nerves, manIles-
ted the possession ofvast strength; his lace
burnt almost TO Indian redness by exposure
TO all wea,hers,-his long gray hair falling
down his bare neck in loose masses, min
gled with shaggy monstnches of The same
color,-hs dress of forest green, iurred at
the cape and cuff, the bugle at his neck,
the buslSins Of undressed leather, aud the
shore carbinc just discharged ia his hand,
proclaimed him the park-keeper Of some
noble proprietor. Francis Audelcy requir-
ed no second glance To discover the fo rm /
and csunicnance of an ancient vassal OF
his father the man, who had, iu his ear
liesi boybood, inflated him into all the mys- !
teres of wood and river; who had taught
him 10 shoot, with that unefring certainty
of aim which had had more than once pre-
served his If, among the swamps and for
ests of Virginia who would have followed
him through all the vicissitudes Of his peri
lous wanderings, had he not himself refused
TO remove the woodsman, even nj that PEE
riod far advanced IN his pilgrimage, from
the place of his birth. flls first sensation
was pure and unmixed nstouisbment ut the
sight of one still alive, whom he had left 50
many years before, older even at TINT time,
than the usual course of mortal life whom
he had long though, Of, but as one whom
he should never ngnin behold on this side
the bOurn from which no mortal traveller
returns his second, was Joy to find that
time aud war had spared one familiar face,
one friendly bosom full Of this feeling he
bad already made step or Two forwnrd,-
when the idea crossed his mind, that he
might obtain fuller iidIngs of past events by
n short concenIineni, than lie coald hope to
derive from the strong emotions, which he
well knew The announcement Of his name
must awaken 10 the brenstof so old aud de-
voted follower.
"a fortunate chance, my friend, he said
advancing from the ruins which bad hiilIer-
to concealed him, )" n fortunate chance, and
a quick shot" Tie old man raised his eyes
from the game at. vt which he had been
occupied, and, ate, qrie, but keen glance
at the speaker, slightly Lyrct his bonnet as
he replied, AYE sir, aye! It's well
enough afier fourscore years of toll and sor-