The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1849-08-16


sister, the very reverse of him iii every
thing but her strong and generous feelings.
Frail as the flower that is born ana matu-
red in a single night, her very face remin-
ded one of her early grave. 1t was of
that delicacy and almost spiritual transpa-
rency, which makes you shrink as you
think of the ficst shock of life. You look
around in vain for some shelter for such a
flower. Her eye was large, and the very
soul of tenderness, telling without disguise
and painfully distinct, that affection was
her life. Next in birth 10 the young
soldier, all her extravagant feelings and
yearning affections had centered in him.
His bold and often reckless conduct had
caused her many pang as they played
together in childhood, while his generous
love, as he would come and fling his arms
| around her neck and kiss away her tears,
had bound her TO him with cords of IRON
Sne loved him with that utter abandonment
of heart, with which being constituted
as she was, always loves; and he returned
it with all the strength of his brave young
heart. She was all faith and timidity; he
was all hope and courage. Thus had
they passed their childhood together, and
when they came to part her heart shrank
like a smltten blossom to the blow. AS
he glanced over his rich uniform and his
sword flashing by his side, deeper flush
mantied his cheek, and a prouder feeling
beamed in his e} e, while all over her spir-
ltual features, came the hue of moral fear
and unutterable dread. Her head sunk on
her bosom, and the big tear drops fell un-
restrained and fast at her feet. Al first, he
attempted TO laugh away her fears, but
seeing that his railery Jared painfully
upon her heart, he too burst into tears, and
folded her 10 his bosom with all the holi-
ness and strength of a brothers. love.
They parted, and her sweet but rare
laugh was sill less frequently heard.
will not follow him through his evenlful
career in Spain. Like all soldiers he
I'learned to like his employ yment. and with
the love of 1t came the loss of those SEN
sIiive feelings that had been the beauty of
his early character. Being bold and
energetic fellow, he was often entrusted
with dispatches to different parts of the
army in the midst OF battle. AT the bat
tie OF Talavara, while Mackenzie was re-
firing in magnificent order and consumate
skill before the advancing French, he was
sent to that officer with an order from the
Marquis OF Wellesley. 1t was midnight,
and the route he was TO take was one of
great exposure, being swept by the enc
my's artillery. Tne frequent flashes of
the cannon tnat blazed on his path, were
the only lamps to guide him as he gallop-
ed over the uneven field. We will not
say his bold young heart did not beat a
tribe faster, as the darkness through which
he rode was suddenly made dazzling bright
by the artillery whose roar caused even
his well trained war horse to start, while
the earth was ploughed up In every dlrec-
ton by the shot-but we viii say he did
not falter or hesitate, but delivered his or
der safely and well. On his return, just
as he had entered on the place OF danger,
a cannon ball struck his horses flank,
shattering 1t to fragments, and sending the
blood and entralls all over his face and
uniform. He himself was thrown several
yards, and for moment lay stunned by
the blow. When he recovered, however,
he boldly crossed the field traversed by
the shot, and arrived safely at Yelling
/ tou's S tent. As he stood with cap in hand,
J pale and covered with blood and flesh,
the Duke thought for moment he was
terribly wounded, but as he listened TO his
account Of the matter, he warmly complI-
mented his gallantry.
From that moment he became still more
anxious to distinguish himself, and III
several instances nearly lost his life. A
| sword cut over his left eye had left scar,
of which he was as proud as he would
( have been Of two epaulettes. No curl
was ever allowed to TALL over II, and he
was half vexed to think that the skiltul
surgeon had,sured the wound so etiectu-
ally.
At length, after year or more of hard
| fighting, he returned to England, before
| Wellington joined the allied forces on the
continent. 1t was hurled visit, but a
memorable one to his sister, now grown
still more delicate than before. She fold
ed him again and again in her arms and
| wept as il her heart would break. Many
| long night had she lain awake, imagIn-
| ing her brother now in the headlong and
| ruInous fight, and now pale and wounded,
gasping on the plain. The terrible scenes
| of battle she had SO often pictured to her.
self, had shattered her over delicate frame,
and she had become doubly sensitive;
while the scenes of blood he had passed
through and the roughness of camp life,
had blunted his feelings, and made her
childish terrors annoying and foolish
Yet he loved her as his idol, and when he
parted from her, he tied her miniature
around his neck, That separation was