Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-03-17

busily engaged in copying private letter;
but started as gentle tap ut the door an
nounoed strange visiter.
"Who Is therel" said the General, in
low respective tone.
"What is wantedf'
Il bear a present, which has Just been
left with strict orders to be delivered to
your exccllency alone"
'Eutcr. Thisis strange hour fora pres
ent From whom does it comet"
Il know not" said the soldier, as he
laid neat square box on the table, and
placing key ON the card which was fas-
tened to its top, departed.
"Open it, daughter; | have not time"
said the General, as he again turned his
mind to a military report.
"Oh, guess who 1t is from. tits like
his handwritingl" she said as she glanced
at the card upon its top. "But what pres
ent could he have destined for the father of
Doloros!"
"He-whoml daughter.
"Father, the superscrption is, think,
IN the handwriting of Eduardo Escudero,
and he has in his delicate way sent you
some superb present. III warrant me"
"Well, well, open the box, my child, and
satisfy your curiosity
The lady took the key and turned it in
the lock, but, as she raired the lid, the re-
poit of volley of pistols almost dealenod
her, and with one wild scream she reelcd
and fell fainting to the floor, amid cloud
of smoke from the now open box. In an
instant the President sprang to her side,
"Oh, God, my daughter is slainP' said
he in agony; but his heart was cheered a.
gain as she spoke
"No-oh, not slain, my father, but he
he would have slain you 10 win met" and
again she tainted.
BY this time the room was filed with
soldiers and officers, drawn thither by the
report Of arms, and hasty examination of
the internal machin for such it was, ex-
planned the plot against their generals life.
A row of pistols had been SO placed along
the box. that any one standing in front off
to open it, would receive the contents in
his body. 1t had been sent 10 Rosas at
this late hour, in expectation that he would
openit himself.
Narrow had been the escape Of the
daughter. She had stood beside, instead
of IN front of the box, when she opened ii
but the hand which her lover had once
been permitted to salute, was now stained
IN several places with blood, where the
balls had grazed; her fair arms and laced
sleeves We're blackcned with the smoke
but worse than all was the wound her
heart had rcce..ed in the discovery Of this
horrible attempt upon her fathers life by
one whom she had loved and trusted, and
who would have made her an orphan to
hasten her marriage. But she had named
him to her father, and within one hour
after the discovery of the plot Eduardo
was arraigned before a dr1m-head court
martial. Her danger, confession, and the
discovery lad so thrown him off his guard,
that when interrogated he made no denial.
Brief Nas his lrial He was sentenced to
be shot on the Retro. or military plaza, at
sunrise. With naughty composite he re-
ceived his sentence, for he yet dreamed
that shc--she who was all-powerlul with
her iather--lovcd, and would intcrcede to
save him. But he knew not her high
sense of duty. In vain he sent to seek an
interview with her Her answer to his
message was brief, but she would dcicn
no other
"Tell him to make his peace with God
There can be no pardon on earth No,
not We're he my brother !"
And when, at the mornings first light,
the weeping mother and sisters of the con
demned, knelt at her feet and prayed for
one word Of intercession (for they knew
that even yet she could save that son and
brother, if she would but ask his life of her
father, when in agony Of their souls they
spoke Of his youth and beauty, and
bravery, all now about to be buried in the
tomb of disgrace,) with cold, stern look,
as II her hearts inncrmost VEINS were fro
zen, she answered, "hc would have made
me fatherless'
And, while in that energy Of despair
which will not listen to refusal, they yet
knelt in their tears and supplications, the
first ray of the morning sun, cast its soft
hight upon her pale cheek, aquick rafting
volley Of musketry was heard from the
direction of the Retro As its sound struck
her ear, she gasped; her tall, graceful form
quvered ike the aspen leaf to the gale;
she struggled towards the window, and,
as the smoke rose lightly towards the sky,
over the spot there now lay the corpse
she murnured hoarsely-
God have mercy on his soul i" and
tainted.
Dufyhad triurnphed over love and mer-
cy, but terrible had been the struggle.