The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1852-10-02

IicAiA AHC SOlStIdlltS tudt udu 50 IUiS I
bowed down her lightsome Spirit. TIL,
night was warm, and her window hao
been raised, curtain hung before it
waving TO and fro, as the wind came
stealing in through the aperture. Fo
long time had she sat in deep thought
when she was suddenly startled from
her med dItation by the dropping of q
small pebble at her feet, 10 which wa:
attached billet With eager hands she
tore 1t open and perused its contents
Her eyes kindled and the rich blood
suttused her cheek, as she traced upor
the paper the characters which she
thought his dear hand had penned.
He wishes again to meet me in the
garden by the wicket" she murmured'
he tells me that he has much to say
that will not admit of delay. | must go
but ah! how my poor heart throbs as
contemplate meeting him, of again be
ing clasped 10 his bosom. But, ah, me
| feel an underlined foreboding. Why il
he so secret? | am foolish thus to give
way to false doubts" And without far
ther reflection she stole forth. s..-,..
The night was intensely dark, and the
air without seemed yet more sitting
than that within, for the clouds in heavy
masses filed the air, blotting out the
moon and twinkling stars. 1t took bu,
moment for her TO reach the appointed
rendezvous, and then the form of man
could be dimly discerned, waiting hel
approach s- ~
1T is me, mistress Dora." said a
harsh voice, though the speaker tried tc
use soft tone.
1t cannot be you, Backet-what can
you want here? | had thought TO meet
another, | would be alone" said she.
II will be plain with you," was his
immediate rejoinder. & You must GO
hence, | cannot now tell you where, but
you must never more meet Sanford
Grayson.n
%. my God! yeucannot be so cruel
as to take me away from him; yon dare
not commit a crime like thaim and
burying her face in her hands, she sob
bed convulsively. The mans heart
aust have been as hard as adamant.
for he was not touched by her sorrow.
"Fy, fy, have done with such non
sense. | am no woman, TO be affected
by tears;" and grasping her arm, he al
tempted TO draw her through the gate ;
with d shrek for aid, she darted towards
the mansion, but ere she had gone
many rods she was in his arms, with a
bandage bound firmly over her mouth.
The rest all seemed TO her like some
hideous night dream.
OH! how, Sanford raved, when he
found that she, whom he so loved. was
gone. He was told by the artful Anna
of her suspicious that she had eloped
with her servant; that she had noted
many things in their department To-
wards one another, that indicated no
good; and the false woman went so far
as TO tell him that she had surprised
them in private interview. His heart
was nearly broken, yet his face was
calm when in her presence but the
moment that he was alone, his agita-
ton was fearful; yet doubts of the truth
of what he had heard would find lodg-
ment in his breast. But the further
evidence of their criminality was too
damning. A note was shown him, pur-
porting TO be from Backet TO his mis-
tress, telling her of his intentions of
leaving her service.
With many kindly words Anna sought
to pour balm into his wounded bosom !:
she did all that the most devoted could
have done in the hopes that he would
turn to her. and in a moment of graft
tude commit himself; but no, her hopes
proved fallacious; she had made false
deductions; he was not one to be thus
swayed, or love so lightly.
Weeks, as have before said, passed,
and not trace of her place could be
and now we find him in the
opening of our tale, wandering far amid
the wilds of the mountains. The glen
thathe had entered was deep and dark,
for the moonbeams came not there; only
at times could he catch giimpses of the
sky, aud the twinkling stars, though
The branches of the giant trees tha,
overhung its path; but suddenly he
discerned the faint rays of a light
through the vista of the dell,
and his apprehensions were at once
aroused by the sight. He well knew
the whole country was infested by par
lies of rowing Indians, and bloody rene
gades, and be doubted not that he was
1ow near some encampnient of one of
hese bands.
Dismouutiug from his steed ne. .se-
cured him in retired place, and then
sith great care crept forward TO dis
cover whom he had for neighborS-
though VIXEN be had first discoVefed
he light, he thoaght Il % be but short
listance away, yet he now found that
,e had judged wrongly, ter a long time
vas he In reaching il. Stealing upon
large rock thai interVened between |
I'm and them, he looked down upon the |
Gene. There at his feet was white
nan, and two indians the three were
eated around fire, before which a
oint Of deer was roasting, from which
hey from time 10 time cut slices with
heir hunting knives.
The renegade, for such Sanford knew
i'm TO be, was one of the most villain
US looking men that he had ever met.
lis features expressed coasseness, cru
4 IL Al