Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1845-01-17
voL. XVI

not to show her agitation, nor did sho undeceive
the speaker 10 the time when her lover sailed
iShe adrotly turned tho conversation.
Won't you walk ing she said, tho nights are
> getting chiley. Father and mother are yet up,
| believe
No, thank YOU said tho young man moving
off. Il must be going. Good bye"
i Ellen watched him with flut,ering heart until
he had disappeared in the darkness, when she
burs, into tears. But suddenly dashing them a.
way with her hand, sho entered tho house, and
cautiously the door of hor little room.
Tho family had all retired. Taking pen and
ink she wrote. with some agitation; few lines,
and placed them where they would DO seen the
first thing in the morning.
This will tell them whore | have gone,' she
said still weeping. 1T would not do to wake
them they would not let me go. But how
can stny hero. when he is in danger?' She
paused and unused. Yes! it is too late to over
take him at the wharf. | must go down to the
river and intercept him: God will be my protec-
tor
With these words she hastcncd to attire herself
in her bonnet and cloak, and then kneeling down
she prayed for few minutes silently, after which
she rose, wiped the tears from her eyes, and set
forth unattended on her long and perilous walk.
/ Moro than she started, as she wound her
way through tho solitary forest, at Tho cry of n
! night bird; and and then unknown
| noise, or drstant shadow assuming suddenly the
appearance of a human being, would cause her
knees to totter, but, fter leaning for space
/ canst tree and sumnoning aid from on high by
a hasty prayer, sho would recover confidence and
I 20
! At length sho reached tho shore of the river.
after more than an hours travel. Sho recog-
nized tho place at once, and following tho bank
soon arrived at solitary farm house. All was
still around and she did not wake the inhabitants
for they were suspected Of being unfriendly to
the wings SO she merely Embossed boat which
s!lo found living the water-side and entered it,
waited brcathcssly for the appearance OF her low
crs sloop.
4 quarter of an hour passed, which seemed
an ago, and yet no signs OF tho vessel were Visl-
BILE.
| Surely. it cannot have passed. she said INK
iusiy. Yet tho wind is fair and the tide is
strong
i Another elapsed which her alarm magnified
into an hour; and at last she burst into tears.
! lie has passed, and shall never see him a
gain she sobbcd, .Ohl God Of mercy, spare
his life!' and claspng her hands convulsively she
looked up heaven.
Suddenly sound met her which she mis-
took for tho cracking of a block. She started up
in tho boat, every feature of hor face radcnt
with hope and looked eagerly toward the bend Of
the river above But sho WIS doomed to disap-
poiutmcnt. For five minutes she gazod IN vain.
1t was only tho signing Of the wind she sob
bed, gain oy ercouc by tears. ooh! what shall |
!do?-what can | do? she said pitcously, wiring
ing her hands
u Aua at once the apparent sound Of the sheets
tra,ersnr their iron guido broke the stiffness, and
and this time sha not mistaken brushing
sto tears hurricdly from her eyes she was able
to discern the shadowy form of 4 soop rounding
the point in the river above.
| 1T is hint is him. she exclaimed agitatedly,
and falling on her knees. with glad tears, she re-
turned thanks to God Then hurriedy and nor
vously taking tho oars. she pushed otf INTO tho
stream, and suffered tho boat to drop down with
tho tide. As sho expected, tho sloop soon over
took her.
Boat ahoy. cried a we'll known voice, that
made her heart leap, as the stout vessel came
surging down toward her.
4 .James--don't you know me! she artlcuiated
I family. all the modesty of ner nature suddenly
aroused at percciving, for the frs, time, the
appa rent indelicacy Of her behaviour.
4 sEilen!' cried tho voice from the sloOp IN a tone
Of surprise, and Immediately tho vessel was
rounded too, and the athletic arms of her lover
lifted her dock; for overcome with shame sho
! could neither stand nor look up.
what is tho matter dearest' said her lover as
he held her in his arms. has any thing happened
at home? Speak--don't you know how you a.
! arm me-
His anxious tone recovered for Ellen her conf
dence and she fastened to tell him what she had
hea I'd.
Il could not said she, with her face hidden on
his broad breast. stay at home, and leave you to
this peril. Father is old. and was AFRAID he
/ could not be here in time--
! God in heaven bless you. How can ever re-
pay you for this9 But must find shelter for you
in the cabin, for time IS TO DO lost are al
ready in sight of Hogan's place. and It IS too late
to retreat Even if we anchor they will come at
ter US: but now that know their ntentlons,t there
is nothing to fear and our best course, therefore
is to disarm suspicion by going on
Ellen would have demonstrated. but, at that IN
slant. the moon broke forth, and large boat was
seen pulling out into the stream some distance
down the river. She suffered herself, therefore,
TO be led into the cabin, where she waited, with
breathless heart. tho termination OF the contest
| Tradition tells how, in few words. their lea
IA of the nttack