Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1845-04-10

""' she uiu not hoNce the approach OF third
party, IN the person OF young man of the
neighborhood, whom popular rumor declared
TO be one of her suitors
Good evening, Elem he said. you are
late out to night
AN! Is 1t you, James? Good evening :,
and she frankly extended her hand. will
you walk in'
mo ! thank you'll haven't minute to
stay.-Ihere was short silence, when he
added have you seen Hogan, lately He
has come back, suppose you know
Mo- did not know it, said Ellen, her
heart beating violently.
81 believe he and Briggs are not good
ir'ends.-.hogan swears he will have revenge
on MN, though don't know for what Do
you"
:, Ellen read the mans heart in those words.
lie was rejected sutton, and snspectng her
love for Briggs, he had visited her express
ly TO torture her by this intelligence.
slow knew you this !" she said. affecting
as much caimness as possible. 'Have you
seen Hogan lately''
ne was ABOUT TINS morning, but has gone
down the riverto his old place. They say he
mas dozen men there, refugees may be like
himself. BY the by, have YOU seen Briggs to
'NoiN SaiiCN WIFI morning tlue.'
Ellen turned pale at this intelligence, for
woman's quick wit perceived at once, by the
meaning tone of her visl,er, that Hogan had
determined to waylav her lover, and that her
informant, from a feeling of base revenge. had
come TO apprlse her OF 1t, after he thought it
would be too late for any notice of the at
tack to be conveyed to Briggs. She had the
presence of mind not 10 show her agitation.
c ho r,nIo al
time when her lover sailed. She adroiy turn
ed the conversation.
wont you walk in ? she said; 'the nights
are getting chilly. Father and mother arc vet
up, believed
No, thank you,' said the young man, NOV
ing, q must be going. Good byep
Ellen watched him with Hutterine heart
until he had disappeared in the darkness, when
she burst INTO tears. But suddenly dashing
them away with her hand, she entered the
house and cautiously approached the door of
ner little room. The family had retired. TAX
ing pen and ink she wrote, with some agi,a-
uon, few lines, and placed them where they
"ould be seen the first thing in the morning.
rms Will tell them where I have gone
she SAID still weeping. cit would not do 10
wake them, or they would not let me go.
But now can stay here when he is in dam
ger" She paused and mused.-sYes il is too
late to overtake him at the wharf. Unjust 90
down the river and intercept him. God will
be my PROTECTOR
With these words she fastened to nitro
herself in her bonnet and cloak. and ,ben
kneeling down, she PRAYED for few moments
silently, after which she rose. wped tho ,ears
from her eyes, and set forth unattended ON
her long and very perilous walk. More Than
once she started, as she wound her way thro'
the solitary forest, at the cry of a night bird.
and now and then some unknown noise or !.
distant shadow assuming suddenly the an
pearance of human being, would cause her
knees to totter, but, after leaning for space
against tree and summoning aid from ON
high, in hasty prayer, she would recover
confidence and go on.
AT length she reached the shore of The r;v.
or, after more than an hours travel. She re-
cognlsed the place at once, and following the
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
unloosened a boat which she found living bv
the water side, and entering it, waited breath
lessly Tor tine appearance of her lovers sloop.
A quarter of an hour, passed, which seemed
an age, yet no signs of tine vessel were visible.
Surely it cannot have passed. she said
anxiously. yet the wind is fair and tide
strong.'
Another interval elapsed, which her alarm
magnfied into an hour and at last she burs,
into tears.
'He has passed, and | shall never see him
again. she sobbed. 'Oh God of mercy.
spare his life y and claspipg her hands con-
vulsIvely, she looked up to Heaven.
Suddenly sound reached her ear, which
she mIstook for the creakng of block. She
started up in the boat, every feature Of her
lace radiant with hope, looking eagerly to-
ward the bend of the river above. But she
was doomed TO disappointment. For five
minutes she gazed in vain.
Vt was only the signing of the wind,' she
sobbed, again overcome by tears ooh. what
shall do What can do?' she said nj
tiously, wringing her hands
All at once the apparent sound Of the sheets
traversing the iron guide broke the stiffness
and this time she was not mistaken. Brush
ing the tears hurriedly from her eyes she was
able to discern the shadowy form Of sloop
rounding the point in the river above.
SIT is him 1t is him y she exclaimed aoi-
tatedly, and falling on her knees with clad
tears, she returned thanks to God. Then
hurriediy and nervously taking the oars she
pushed oil into the stream, and suffered the
boat to drop down with tile tide. As she ex-
pected the sloop soon overlook her.
Boat ahoy y cried we'll known VOICE
that made her heart leap, as the stou. vessel
came surging down.
'James-don't you know me " she articu.
lated falntly,all the modesty of her nature sud
denly aroused at perceivng now, for the frs
time, the apparent indelicacy of her behavior
ELLEN p cried the voice from the sloop. in