Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1842-12-10

saddle, spurred at full speed away in the
direction of the British army.
The following day, the country for miles
around the cottage was echoing with artil-
lcry and the roar of musketry. Two con-
flcting armies were engaged in deadly
contest, close at hand in the scene of death
and horror, Annette had father, broth
Grand shall we say tia lover: for
though her patriotic feelings made her cast
him off, her affections still retained his
image in her heart. On all sides, columns
were charging, engaging, retreating, and
the tide of battle now rolled this way and
that, and still came in the direction of the
road that led past the cottage.
Annette was part Of the time fearfully
watching the clouds of smoke that marked
the progress of the combatants, and part
Of the time on her knees in prayer for
those she loved--and was George Lee ex-
cluded from her petitions! Let each maid
ems own heart answer.
Nearer and nearer come the sound of
artillery, and the roar of the battle! She
stood with her aged mother and gathered
neighbors, upon the green beneath the elm,
! in painful expectation. The smoke Of the
/ battlefield rolled onward, and now they
could hear the shouts of the soldiers in the
fight. Their position commanded view
of mile along the road, and soon they
behed scattered troops flying across it, at
its extremity, and disappearing in the
woods. Then came a squadron of horse,
broken and retreating; and then artillery
drawn at full gallop, came into the road.
The American flag flew from stats stuck
on the gun carriages, and Annette knew
that her countrymen were defeated. Loud
er and more fearful now grew the uproar
of battle beyond the wood, and regiment
after regiment, broken and terrified, filled
the road and were retreating along it
towards Chester, and past the cottage.
Annette's anxiety for her countrymen, and
for her father and brother, would not let
her quit her post; and the tide of battle
came rolling past her--a terrific spectaclel
The dragons galloped by, each horseman
riding by himself, with his reins thrown
upon his saddle bow; then came the artil-
lery laundering along, followed by a multi
tude of soldiers without order, flying at the
top of their speed.
"Oh, shame, shame" she cried with hot
tears in her eyes; ''oh! that were man
and in the saddle, methinks my single arm
would retrieve the day! Where is Wash
ington? He certainly cannot fyp'
As she spoke, she heard on her right
down the road, loud, commanding voice,
calling on the retreating men to rally She
turned and beheld Washington hmself,who,
hearing of the giving way of the right
wing, had come up at the head of a regi-
ment to sustain it. His voice and presence
now instilled new life into the flying SOL
diery, and they soon rallied in the road,
and presented front to the columns of
British that were pursuing. General Howe,
seeing this demonstration of resistance,
and knowing Washington to be there in
person, withdrew from pursuit, satisfied
with having routed the wing. The Amer
lean troops then slowly retreated in good
order towards strong position on the
heighths not far off.
Annette was delighted to see that among
those who fled were neither her father nor
her brother; but she was panied to dis
cover among the pursuers her own false
lover, who, seeing her at distance, refined
up his horse and turned aside, hoping to
! escape her notice. When she saw this,
! she resolved she would not only Danish
him from her heart, but from her thoughts
But the resolutions of maiden in love
! are made only to be broken, especially
t when the lover is the object of them.
1t was about eight o'clock, the evening
of the battle, when Annette was seated in
' her door, listening to every footstep, ex
= pectng her father and brother, 1t was
2 pleasant night, but the time was a sad one
She fancied the winds waited to her thu
means of the dying and wounded, from
/. the fields around where the fight had been
/, and her heart was full of forebodings O.
evil to those dear to her. All at once she
} heard the approach of horses feet, and
starting up with solicitous expectation
for she knew neither her father nor brothe,
/ were mounted-she waited nervouSly the
r advance of the horseman along the road
5 He came at a slow pace, and as he drew
g nearer, she discovered by the light of the
e moon that he was an officer, and that hi
horse was wounded. Instead of passing
the house towards the town, he turned uE
), to the door and rode towards her. She
was too familiar with scenes of danger
J and the incidents of those warlike times t.
r feel alarm, and waited quietly his approach
l to the door-stone.
;. "Good evening, maiden" he said, with {