Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-07-09
curse Is on mel
CHAPTER XVII.

over, and spring again bloomed amid the groves
and gades Of the Wissahikon. The day was Sc.
rene, the air balmy, and the earth, glad with the
ycrdure Of the trees, the music Of the free streams
and the perfume Of wild flowers.
Two young maidens Of different stations in
life, as was seen BY their attire, were seated upon
the porch Of the mansion upon the heights Of the
Wissahikon, and as they gazed abroad upon the
face Of nature, and drank in the wild delight Of
sky and forest and stream, while the fragrant air
was playing amid the tendns Of the wild vines
that climb along the pillars Of the porch they
forgot that the house by which they were seated
was desoate, that its occupants were scattered a.
bout, and the silence Of its halls but rarely dis.
turbed by the sound Of human speech.
Thelighi haired maideng glanced at hermouning
robe, and thought Of those who slept in the
church-yard; the sparkle Of the ring on her fin
ger met her eye, and then her mind was far away
amid the scene Of baule, and her fancy wan
derod with him who battled in the ranks Of war,
and who fought against the gloom that was upon
his soul.
The dark haired maiden glanced at the blue
sky, and al the forest sweeping in all lis yerdure
along the height Of the opposite hill; she listen.
then her Thoughts were with the hardy soldier,
whose frank bearing and rustic manlness had
won the admiration and affection Of her young
heart in many a ranble under that blue sky, amid
those green shades, and beside the luiIing mur.
mur OF the quiet stream.
At a short distance from the porch, tall and
robust farmer was engaged in cleaning the wa ks
of a small hower.garden, from the mass Of weeds
and wild grass accumulated by time and neglect.
His plain Quaker coat was resting on the poiling
Of the garden fence, and with his muscular arms
unbared, the farmer piled the spade with every
mark Of alacrity and vigor. Ever and anon, he
would pause in his employment, and turning his
honest visage TO the heavens, he gazed al the
deep azure above, then al the forest around, and
finally his glance would rest upon the forms Of
the madens seated upon the porch, whom he re-
garIed with look Of quiet compacancy, that
told Of mind sobered by experience, taking de.
! light in the calm innocence, the guileless con-
verse and the ardent hopes of youth.
liue farther on, a shining faced negro, with
his arms, black as ebony, stripped 10 the elbow,
was engaged in trailing wild vine along an ar.
Dor, while his shrill clear whistle broke merrIv
upon the air, interspersed with snachcs OF dit
ties Of every kind and order Of poe;ical merit,
which he usually wound up with the loud "Hah-
a.whah," pecuarto the Ethiopian race.
"This spot is more pleasant TO thee. Miss Ma.
ran,' exclaimed the black haired maiden, turn
ing to her fair companion. This spot is more
pleasant 10 thee, Miss Marian, than the loyelness
Of the mansion on the ridge road-is't not Miss
Marian!"
a thousand feelings, dear Marjorie, combine
to make this scene one of the saddest as well as
the loyeIiest ever looked upon. cannot Turn
my eye 10 a flower, spear of grass, shrub OF
a tree, without the vivid revival Of some memory
of The past. Old faces, and well remembered
forms swim in the air around me-voices that
once awoke the echoes Of these walls again
sound in my ears-iriends dearly and fOndly be.
loved, are once more around me-and all the
woe, the sorrow and care Of the world are for
gotten"
"Hos thee heard of captain Tracy lately, Mis-:
Marani"
"Yes, Marjorie. But his letters are sad anC
gloomy, and he seems 10 be warring a bitter con-
test with the dark remembrance Of The past. H.
! has not mingled with the scenes of battle since
5 the afruy OF Chew house, and theterrble event
that so fearfulIy wound up day of bloodsheC
and horror"
"'Twas sad thing, the death of major Tracy
How strange! Thut The assassin should neve
be discovered"
"a fearful mystery is around the whole affair
Marjorie. Who it was that fired the shot, whe
ther The hand Of the murderer was raised in re
yenge of private wrong, or from mere partisan
e enmity, has never come 10 light. These ar
S times Of strife and turmoil-and all The sympa
: thies that bind men together in times Of peace
seem sundcred and broken apart"
:, "But tell me. Miss Marian, did thy letter.
o speak of-oE-Iieutenant Heh! Is he still will
r captain Trocy!"
THE captain is sill by the side Of the com
n mander-in-chief, though he mingles not in tn
Il strife of battle. His letters speak of Harry Hei
If in the kindest terms. His qualities of free
open frankness. and a speech perhaps sonewha
:, too blunt and rugged, have proved benefcent I
= Herbert and in The company of his honest rienc
= he finds frequent relief from the sorrow tia
!. weighs upon his SOUL"
h CLEAN Of pleasure frightened in Marjorie
S black eye, and warm glow flashed over he
. cheek. She was about 10 reply, when a lou
E shout broke from the negro 'Chawls de Fusl,
anu hS was oCCH uouClIS dUOul inc Iti"u III 6NSi
r variety of grotesque attitudes and fantastic pos
lures, that his lively imagination suggested.
f "Why friend thee is surely demented!" ex
, claimed the astonished Quaker.
/ "Nlassa Smiley, Massa Smiley dye hear dat a
# laf! regular haw.huw! Datam Harry Het'
d laf-sure's my names Chawls de Fus! Mas
sa's comm home! Lor bress sus-Garra-mighty
c Dat am a fac"
e Marian and Marjorie startedup from their seats
/. the Quaker eaped over the garden fence on Il
e the lawn, and the whole party listened eagerly t
d the sounds of horses hoofs. which came eeboin