The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-10-03

OOCS Inc ldtuCl vi hCi hillc IGDci
always leave you to do the honors of his tav-
ern His faith is tolerably strong consider
ing your age and comeliness. Come, mygood
madam, tell me, have you locked him in the
closet, hid him in the cuddy. or stuffed him
under the bed? He has served his mob Con-
gress, and his rebel leaders well enough to re-
ceive some attention at my hands.
Il am happy to say, sir returned the lady,
my husband is beyond your reach, and de-
cline for him the ate ntions you speak of As
to whether 1 have placed him where You sug-
geSt, / presume you will soon find when you
commence your usual round of forcing locks,
tearing open beds, and burning houses
For George, madam, proper answer from
a rebels wife to an officer in his majesty's SER
vice p said Tarleton, with mixture of humor
and mock severity of tone. And what if
ing and obstinate rebels complain who put his
my good hostess, but have now no time to
parley or play at cross questions with spirit
ed dame. Work is before me, and work is al
ways first with those under my orders
AT this instant the corporal again entered,
and, lifting his cap, approached to where his
officer and the lady were sitting At the sight
III luSuilcIi AuIs. NlOOTo GOulu UOl TCDTSSS
a slight exclamation. She started back, whilst
the fire Of injured feeling and outraged delica-
cy burned in her lustrous eyes, and suffused
with deep crimson hue the checks just now
Pallid almost from the reflection in whose
dread presence she stood. All these were not
unobserved BY the quick glance of Tarleton,
who, beyond doubt, had felt his chivalry awak-
ened by the manner and spirit Of the woman
before Gim.
pray, what is the matter, madam ? he ask
ed. And what causes you such feeling at the
sight Of my oflicer?'
Unabashed, and nerved by the full flow of
resentment which turks in woman's bosom
when smarting beneath the ranking of insult
and outrage, Mrs. Moore recounted with feel
ing emphasis the gross language and the often
sive allusion which had aroused and embitter-
ed her feelings as wife and mother. As she
proceeded, the rigid frown which contracted
the brow of Tarleton, and the fury which
,parkled from his fierce glance, told that wo-
man had found protector, and sent cold
shudder to the heart of the brutal offender.
When asked if he admitted the fact, the
trooper could not articulate, so firmly had fear
and conscious guilt clenched his teeth and
when, in the rage Of passion, and with the full
sway of a British commanding officer, Tarle-
ton strobe forward and struck him. the soldier
covered and and shrank beneath the blow like
slave. This was not all. Tarleton caused
him to unclasp his sword-belt, and then break
ing the weapon before his face, ordered him to
the rear under arrest.
These facts being substantially true, serve to
relieve in some measure the odium which is
generally heaped on the name and memory of
this distinguished, though cruel Briton. On
this occasion he certainly behaved as gallant
and high-souled officer, jealous of the reputa-
ton of his service, though his harsh and sum-
mary chasti:emept of the offender in the pres
ence of lady, scene so unsuited to female
softness and delicacy, showed in strong view
that impulsive and fierce disposition so charac-
teristic of the man.
This being done, Tarleton resumed his nat
ural humer, and proceeded with bis inquiries,
as though nothing of an unusual character had
happened. And indeed such scenes in the
British army, which i'll the French or Ameri-
can service would have aroused hurricane of
resentment among the JUNIOR officers and pri-
Yates, were by no means uncommon, and &C
count in part for the rufiian dispositions of the
soldiery when unchecked by rigid discipline
tHow, madam said Tarlcton, since it seems
| shall not now have the pleasure of conduct
ing your husband as prisoner of war to my
comm handing officer, l must trouble you to
breakfast my squad with portion of these
dainty supplies, which doubtless your good
man has left to be distributed to the rebel ar
my, who know so much better how to run
than how 70 fight
DO they indeed p said the matron, embold-
ened to satire, perhaps, by the consciousness
of being in gentleman's power, and not that
of rufian, as he had been represented.
Doubtless we poor Americans have been dup
ed by false rumors; but few weeks since we
had news that his majesty's troops fully equal
led them in the first, whilst our poor soldiers
proved their knowledge of tho last quite to
the satisfaction of CORVALLIS and his Off
GERS
'Ah, you allude to that ridiculous, heller
skelter affair ar your Cowpens,' answered
Tarleton, no way confused. We'll, madam,
did my part, as you doubtless heard, and his
lordship hopes soon to get this mob enclosed
in pens something more substantial than where
we last had them
Report says retorted the lady, now cruel
in turn, that we have an officer in the Amer
lean ranks who does not much dread close
quarters in the battle, even though he finds
himself face to face with a very redoubted
adversary
POUNDS, madam, you tempt ME to anger by
such ridiculous trade answered he, some
what moved, but not out Of humor. If ever
can get sight of this namesake Of your old reb-
ell chief, / will leave on him mark by
which he can boast TO some effect of an en-
counter
Sin that case again said the lady, archly
smiling. you and he from what we hear, will
be ther fairly al quits, for it is said he has al
ready balanced that score.'
The latter par! of this conversation is Civ
en- On testimony not considered altogetherre-
liable in our courts of judicaure, though if
the report, which has since received the sane
ton of history. be true. that Tarleton had
lost his fingers in hand 10 hand fight with
Col. Washington, it is fairly presumable that
The rumor was then rife. On this occasion
he was gloved and booted, as already re-
marked, and the wound. if ever inflicted was
not Of course visible.
CHAPTER Ill.