Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1847-04-01
From Graha,a's Magazine !.
THE OATH OF MARION.
A STORY OF THE REVOLUTION.
CHAPTER /.
by CHARLES }. PETERSON

Every knows best how buckle his own belFALsrAFT
. DO you get the pass, Macdonald 2 said a
young man, looking up, as his servant entered the
room Of lodging house in Charleston in the latter
part OF the year 1880.
Yes, sir and the baggage and horses are ready
the reply OF stalwari youth whose dress be-
tokened a condition removed from that OF an ordi-
nary menial partaking rather of that Of familiar
tho humble companion. i think we can give them
;he slip, sir-Lord how | wish for crack At
these fellows aud once with Marion, we'll not
long want an opportunity.
BE in waiting for at midnight, then,' said
the first speaker; and, as Macdonald retired, he
threw himself back again in his chair, and fixing
his eyes on the floor, resigned himself to the alb
siraciion out Of which he had been reused.
Howard Preston, the hero OF our story, had just
returned from Europe, where he had been fulfilling
the iniuncions Of his fathers will by course Of
study and travel until his twenty fourth year The
first great sorrow Of his life had been his parting at
sixteen with the only child Of his guardian. Kate
Mowbray, then lovely little girl, who for years
had been his pet aud playmate. Many were the
tears she also shed at the separation, and faithful.
" did she promise not 10 forget her boy lover
Such childish preferences usually end with youth ;
but it was not so 10 the present instance. With
every letter from abroad came gift from Kate,
which she repaid with some trhe worked by her
preached womanhood, these presents were no Ion
ger returned. aud Preston, piqued at what he
thought neglect. gradually came to eonhne himself.
in his letters home, TO cold inquiry after her
health, instead of devo,ing, heretofore. two,
thirds OF ths episile to her. Yet he never thought
Of America without thinking of Kate and when he
landed at Charleston. month before our tale be-
gins, he was wondering into what kind OF woman
she had grown up.
LID In If
when shown into her fathers magnificent psrlor
and this, combined with his astonishment at seeing
a graceful aud high bred woman announced as his
old playmate lent air of GOODNESS and enbarrass.
mcnl 10 his greetings. Whether it this or
some other cause, Kate, who advancing eager
ly, suddenly checked herself, colored. aud put on
all her dignity The interview. inauspiciously
begun, was short and formal, aud to Preston, al
least, unsatisfactory. He had expected, in spite oil
their tacit misunderstanding, that Kate would meet
him as rapturously as Of old, forgetting that The
child had now become a woman. He overlooked
Also the effect his own restraint might have pro
! duced Thus he returned TO his lodgings, dissails
fed and angry, half disposed TO dislike. yet hall
compelled to ADMIRE the beautiful and dazzling
creature from whome he had Just parted. The truth
was, Preston, though hitherto Ignorant of it, hac
loved his old playmate from boyahood This haC
made him feel her neglect acutely, and this haC
led him secretly to hope that her welcome on biz
return would heal the past No wonder he wen
/ home angry, yet quite much in love as ever
! Preston and Kate often met after this, but the
seemed destined 10 misunderstood each other
Kate was really ignorant Of the mischief she ha'
done. She had come down 10 meet him with
heart full Of the memories Of other days, and,
truth must be told little nervous and anxious hos
he, OF whom she had so often thought in secret
would receive her. His proud demeanor had chill
led her, Nor on subsequent occasions were thei
interviews more satisfactory. Indeed Kate was pu2
4 zled and yexed at Prestons manner No on
. could at times, be more interesting yet no on
was so often naughty and disagreeable, Kate sigh
ed to think how changed he had become then sh
was angry at herself for signing.
Kate was accordingly wayward as Preston
and who, indeed, had greater excuse Rich, an
well born, beautiful aud high spirited. she pos
tiyely the reigning belle in Charleston during III
whole of that gay winter. To complexion del
catey fair, and a person Of the most exquisite pre-
positions, she united those graces Of mind and MAJ
ner, which, in that courlly day, were considere
the unerring accompaniment of high breeding
Report awarded TO her numbers Of unsuccessf
suitors but all had tacitly resigned their claims
favor OF Major Lindsay, an English officer oil mob
Z blood, between whom and an earldom there W;
> only single lie. Gay and splendid in person an
; equpage the Major no sooner laid seige to Il
: heart Of the heiress than her less favored suite
gave over in despair; aud what between loungn
I most OF his mornings away in her paror, aud a
: tending her abroad on all occasions, he speedi
! came 10 have the field nearly altogether to hmsel
e The arrival Of the major anticipated that Of Pre-
q ton about a month, and when our hero returned,
i found his rival almost domeslicaled at Mr. Mo,
o bray's house. Jealousy revealed to Presto
the secret Of his long hidden love but il ma.
him heartily hate The major The two genlleml
o seemed perfectly to understand each other b
the Englishman knew better than his rival how
I" suppress his feelings, and accordingly possess,
y every advantage over him in superior ease and Sc
= command. Had Kate wished otherwise, she cou
not but have given the largest share Of her atenti,
j. TO the graceful, brilliant and composed man
J. fashion, rather than 10 his more irritable aud wa
y ward rival, whom fancied slight, in word or loo
D was sufficient TO make dumb for whole eyenn
{ Depend on il, the worst possible use 10 which
'e lover can put himself is 10 be sulky.
~ Perhaps it was the enmily he nourished agar
l. bis more successful rival perhaps il was the natu
a, indignation of frank and noble heart against G
\. preston; perhaps, which is more natural, il "
"A both combined, but Preston had not been long
a. home before he formed the resolution TO take d
O. with his countrymen in the war then going o
;sl and the sudden appearance Of General Marion
~ the Santee, where he began partzan conf
20 with the invaders, opened 10 him a favorable "
h, for carrying out his design which he only postpe
ed until he could part from Kate on better tern
He laitered himself that she herself was secretly
Il the side Of the colonists, for her father had on
held commission under the provisional COVE