Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1847-02-10


contract IN energetic efforts. She was the
wife Of q Hessian, Johannes Blenhest, who
was soldby his government tosfhes English
king, and heswas doomed osserve without
knowing The. merits or dement's of the
cause he was to combat. His, poor wife
left her home.lands and followed her hus-
band to the wars in America, that she might
minister to his wants and stand by his side
at the hour Of danger and death. Her
guardian form lowered necessarily from
couch to couch imparting what aid and
consolation it was in her power to contri
butte. She alone heard the cries for water,
the means of thu dying for one drop to
quench that burning thirst of theirs; with
yet lingering ray of hope, and it shone
like star over dark sea ofdespair. All
others had failed to obtain relief-all other
efforts had been fruitless. SHE NOW WOULD
TRY. 3ssf3 ~ saAg@i4 laDt
A fond husband plead with earnest en-
treaty that she should desist,- the attempt
was madness. She faltered. But then
came the groans of men IN deep agony all
around her-she must, she pould 20.
"Johannes, "-she said, laying her soft,
fair hand upon his massive shoulder, while
| tear sparkled in her lovely eye,-'Jo-
hannes; what if get but little water--a
dipper full! The comfort, the consolation,
the Joy afforded by that mite to those suf.
fering souls will repay me a thousand,
thousand times. Upon my death-bed |
could not reproach myself for having made
the attempt to appease the fame Of such
deep woe. Pray for me, while hasten "
She sprang along the adventurous path
to that dreaded shore, her eye radiant with
the liveliest hope. 81 cannot fall" her
lips uttered. Johannes, kind man, follow.
cd as far as he dared---a step farther and
perhaps he were within the reach of some
over-stretching shot He stopped and
watched the fate which awaited the loved
one of his manly heart, with ali interest too
Intense for human nature to long withstand.
Already his wife stood at the brink in fill
view Of the death,dealings guns, upon the
other side. For moment she cast an i'm.
ploring look that way, asifshe would speak
lorbearance to the iron-hear,s Of the A.
merican soldiery, and then to Heaven, to
invoke Divine aid and protection. With
her right hand she dashed the parched YES
sci deep into the hurried waters, and they
sprang in with ripple and eddy and glitter
ing spray. Quickly she brought it forth
brimming and dripping with the cool, thirst
allaying beverage. The struggle to clear
the open shore and reach the closely shaded
bank was hard; her demeanor was troubled,
for her confidence failed, and with it hel
strength-that strength most needed in thi:
, leventlul moment. Her foot slipped, and she
: stopped low to save that precious treasure fo
i which she had jeoparded all-her pail o
water. A sharp crack was heard, and a rud
! tidy CLEAN flight neither eye, land her snov
: white bosom was stained with blood. A
! that luckless moment the ball was drectet
! whizzing to her pail; but the vessel ha,
! fallen, and the swift bullet had pierced he
! heart. 81 The returning water from her fal
i len pail carried in its current the ruby tin
J Of the victims blood. She fell quiverins
in death in full sight Of her husband, VIII
!. had not moved his constant eye from he
! every motion. Hesaw her life-blood trick
,, le out and stain the earth at her feet--h
), saw her totter and fall--an instant yet an
= he enclosed in his arms, a lifeless, angel
: like corpse. .....
: ] A groan, that rose deep from his wount
,f ed heart, gushed from the husbands lips
= as he frantically kissedthat brow Of oil
= = baster, fast fading from. the hues of life
!, as he felt the warm blood ,bathe his hands,
q as he felt that the last link bound that hi
j. to this earth was broken He bore Il
20 :. lifeless form to the camp, in silence, ute
q ing no expression of that deep grief whic
70 filled his SOUL to overAowing. He was
II soldier, among soldiers, and no gun WI
h. discharged atthe retiring man. For wh
;s. m need of it? What wound so great, SO dee
j. so severe, could they intlict, though y
!. meant, as the one this poor man had |
y. ready recieyedl The noble Vermonte
Iy trailed their weapons in the dust. !. ~
NJ VT Her heart was peace--her action tt
he of kindness, coincidence and love. Eve
~ heart Of the war.like Hessians felt that
q peace-angel had fled-that watched at tn
fadl pillows, that soothed and comferted the
nd through this wearisome seige. They ne
4 Tor forgot other--though dead, she yet Ii,
IL in their memory. A little mound "
4. raised where the unfortunate woman "
at buried. and it was bedewed with the te,
nj Of the sympathetic Hessians. 9.
.ge u = 2 n -
re. VIRTUE.--The everlasting hills Y
the crumble to dust, but the influence of a 6