The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1842-08-04

ery mingled in one deafsning The smoke clear
ID away-the charge is over-the whirIwnd has pas
ed Horace and Albert are both down, and The blood
wells away from their wounds, and is drank up BY
he thirsty earth. .....
But few days after the eventluI battle of Waterloo.
Matilda and Sir Oliver, were alone In the drnwlng>
room Sir Oliver had read to his daughter, who was
now listening in breuthess agitation the details OF the
battle, and was now reading down slowly and silently,
the list oc the dead and manned.
Can you, my dear girl" said he, tremuIou'lY'
''bear to hear very bad newEl' 49, |
"She could reply in no other ~way than by laying |
her head on her fathers shoulder and sobbins out the
almost inaudible word, ''read," ,l l-. ....
Horace is mentioned as having been seen early in
the action, badly wounded and is returned missing
'HonibleI" exclaimed the shuddering girl, e'no'a-
cling her father the more closely"
Sand our poor friend Albert, is dangerously wound
ed too said the father.
Matilda made no reply, but as a mass of snow slips
down from its supporting as silent as pure and almost
as cold fell Matilda, from her fathers arms nsens'Oiy
on the floor. Sir Oliver was not surprised, but much
puzzled. He thought that she had felt quite enough
for her lover, but too much for her friend.
A few days after, Belgian officer was introduced
by mutual friend; and pressed to dine by Sir o-
iver As he had been present at the battle, Matilda
would not permit her grief to prevent her meeting him
at her fathers table. Immediately as she entered
the room the officer started and took every opporu
nity of gazing upon her ntently, when he thought
himself unobserved. At last he did So so incautous-
ly and in so particular, that when tho ser>
wants had Withdrawn, Sir Oliver asked him If he had
ever seen his daughter before. "
AssuredIy not, but most assuredly her resemblance,
said he. and he Immediately produced the miniature
,ha, Horace had obtained from his mistress
The first i'm preston of both father and daughter
was, that Horace was no more, and that the token
had been entrusted to the hands of the officer by the
diving lover; but he quickly undeceived them, by inH
forming them that he was lying desperately, but not
dangerously, wounded, at q farmhouse on The con'
nent. and that in fact he had suffered severe amputa-
ton. -....
"Then, in the name of all that is honorable how
came Won by the mlniaturel" exclaimed Sir Oliver
20. he had lost it TO notorious sharper, at gam"
ing house, al Brussels, the eve ofthe battle, which
barper offered it to me- as the said he gentleman from
VIII ON he won it would never pay the large sum OF
money for which it was left in pledge. Though
~1
admired the painting and saw that the jewels were
| worth more than he asked for them, purchased it,
really with the hope ofreurning it to its first propretor'
if he should feel any value for it, either as family pic
ture or as some pledge of affection; but have not
| had an opportunity of meeting with him"
| "What an insult" thought Sir Oliver! '
| LWhat an escaped" exclaimed Matilda whsn the
officer had finished his relation.
| Ineed not say that Sir Oliver Immediately repur"
chased the pcture and that he had no further thoughts
of marrying his daugh gamester.
'Talking of miniatures" resumed the officer "a
yery extraordinary has just taken place.
miniature has actually saved the life of gallant young
officer of the same regiment Horaces, as fine fell
low as ever bestrode charger
.IIs names' exclaimed Matilda and Sir Oliver 10
gcthor.
Js Albert, and is second in command; high fellow
that same Albert.
'Pray, Sir, do mo the favor to relate the particulars
said Sir Oliver; and Matilda looked grateful at her Ia
ther for the request. ...
go do not know them mnutey" said he, 'bul
believe it was simply that the picture served his bosoI
as sort of breast-pIae and broke the force OF mus
kel ball, But did not however prevent him from rece
wing smart wound. The thing was much talked
for a day or two, and some joking took place on tn
subiect but when twas seen that the ralerles gay
him more pain than the wound the subject was drol
ned, and soor see ned to have been forgotten"
Shortly after, the officer took his leave.
The reflections of Matilda were bitter. Her mir
ture had been nfamously lost while the mistress
Albert. of that Albert whom she felt might but ia
family pride, have been her lover, was even in efig
the guardian angel of life she loved too well.
Months elapsed, and Horace did not appear; Sir o
YER wrote him an intelligent letter, and bade him co
slider all intercourse broken off for the future. lie
turned melancholy answer, in which ho pleaded gu
ty to this charge-spoke on the madness of ntoxiC
,ion confessed that he was hopeless, and that he
, carved to be so; in word, his letter was so humb
SO despondng, and disPirited that even the insult
Matilda was so!tened and shed tears over his blight
homes And here we must do Horace the justice
= saw, that tho miniature merely left in the hands
the winner, he being stranger as deposte until
next morning, but which the next morning did not
O low him time to redeem, though II rent from hlm
limb. and left him as dead on the battle field.
he not gained, his miniature would not have been
i n a sharper the summons TO march would have fou
him At his quarters his harassed steed would no. hi
d Ga;ed him in the charge, and in all probability,
:, mb would have been saved and his love preserved
r "A year had elapsed, and at length Albert v
u annonucsd, He had heard that all intimacy had b
'aat IIp k,k,