Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-07-12

known staircase. The rough greeting o
yer. and a demand complied with. | in
ouired after Manuela. ''She is with friend;
in the mountains grumbled the old wo
man. -.
1t was ten o'clock. With four other non
commissioned officers belook myself. M
iron lamp in hand, to the room allotted us
Jose and the patrona had been long asleep
The soldiers Jay for the nlSst paft in the
death-like slumber Of the atrene fatigue
upon the chairs and I'D tile kischen. Inc
floor Of our room was Of tiles, affording "a
cold, uncomfortable resting place. AS tc
bedding, it was not to be thought Of.
Whilst examining our dreary lodgings,
one ofmy companions pointed out an open.
ing in the wall, closed up with square fla1
stones, laid upon each other, but not ce.
mented. Judging frem the external aspect
of the house, we coniectured this condemn
ed doorway to lead into another apartment
The suspicion that beds or wine were
perhaps concealed there, induced US TO re-
move the upper stones, and when enough
of them were out to allow Of ingress my
comrades hoisted me up to the opening,
through which I.held lamp and saw pas.
sage with several doors. Taking my bay.
onet and haversack, | bid my comrades
remain where they were, promising an
equitable division Of the spolls, | clim bed
over the wall. Shading the lamp with my
hand lest a ray should meet the eye Of old
Jose, moved along as neiselessly as pos
sible, whslst behind me my companions
poked their heads through the opening,
and made eager and curious inquiries as to
what | saw. In one corner found a pile
Of sleeps wool, which threw out to serve
as bed. In the room found some rude
furniture, broken and worthless old shriv.
elled goat skin, empty casks and the like.
| was about to cease my investigation,
when | noticed woodeo partition cutting
off the end of the room. There was q door
in it, which opened, whilst my comrades
were busily spreading out the wool. II
revealed an alcove, containing a. clean
white bed, in which some one lay.
Hastily shading the lamp gently clos
ed the door. But perceiving that the per.
son in the bed, whoever it was, did not stir,
| ventured nearer, and beheld mass OF
long black hair spread out in rich waves
over the snow white sheets. The sleeper S
face was turned to the wall; another glance,
and recognized Manuela. My heart throb-
bed violensly.@ Itzwas a hardz6ghs@ hasdsr
than that on the 4th July. Shs lay SO Sill
and unconscious, breathing so softly, and
her dark hair twining so temptingly over
the bed-clothes, like snakes out of paradise.
But upon her partially unveiled bosom lay
the silver cross, and the lamp-light shone
upon the words, t'Mary pray for mel" ST.
lentiy | shut the door and returned to my
comrades. Upon my assurance that had
found nothing worth looking after, the
stones were replaced in the opening and
we lay down to sleep But have often
slept more soundly upon bare titles. than |
did that night on Jose's wool.
At daybreak the diana called US, as usu-
al, under arms, to wait the return Of the
morning reconnaissance. After that, va.
rious duties occupied me fer some hours.
| had all the difficulty in the world to ap-
pease Manuela's mother, who showered
upon US, 10 the astonishment of the whole
company, every malediction the Spanish
language affords. The old lady had found
the wool scattered about our room, and
naturally concluded that was not the full
extent of our depredations. Manuela now
made her appearance, bathed in tears-her
presence in the house being already un-
known,so her mother supposed, to all of Us.
1t was again evening. The thunder roll
ed, and heavy summer shower poured
down in torrents, when, as ascended the
stairs, a flash Of lightning showed me Jose
equipped and grt for the road. Manuela
hung sobbing round his neck, and bid him
God-speed. On my appearance, the old
peasant darted through the back-door; and
second flash gave me glimpse Of his
brown cloak as he strobe over the garden
fence and disappeared across the country.
An hour later our drums beat for unex-
pected departure, and the soldiers hurried
ou. of the house. ! fingered an instant,
and, with my arm around Manuela's waist.
told her, in few words, my discovery oil
the previous night. Her cheeks burned
like flames, and she raised her great dark
eyes timidly and gratefully 70 my face.
"May God repay it to your sisters and
mother!" were her words. 81 said you
were not like the rest. But your home is
far hence, and ifthe war spares you, poor
Manuela will soon be forgotten"
"Give me something whereby 10 remem
Der you, Manuela. A kiss, if you will
''Take this cross. / give it to you
Wear it in battle, as my brother Antonio
does his, and show it him if you meet him
in strife. May it shield and accompany
you to your distant home, and remind you
sometimes of the poor Navarrese maiden. .
pressed the sweet girl closer to my
breast, took a farewell kiss, and whispered
"Adieu, poor Manuela!" Just then, through
the half open door, appeared the unclear
countenance of the Piedmontese. He grin
ned with rage and disappointment, and dis
appeared at Manuela's cry Of alarm.
Ten or twelve leagues southwest from
Pampeluna lies the fortress Of Lerin, perch
ed high upon the summit ofa hill. Thence
few weeks after the preceding scene, the
second division Of the foreign legion start
ed suddenly ut midnight, the object of the
mysterious march unknown even to the Of
fcers. When the column had reached the
bottom of the road that zig-zags down the
hill, peasant, tied, by precaution, to one
Of the horses Of the advanced guard, con
Quoted them rapidly across the Era. .throu oh