The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1853-11-23

then," said he, checking t rising
warmth, "thosc royal'sts will then
no longer lord il over bower and
hall, and that worthless fellow, Gull,
ford, will have better employment,
trust, than abusing harmless man
rs | amor tamperiny with my nc
grocs."
"Nay, Edward. do not believe such
tales. He can bear no i'll will towards
yous; idle and worthless he is, but
am sure he is not malignant, and
hope he is not ungratcful. He can
not have forgotten all he owes to your
kindness, during the sad distress of
his family last autumn" Mary said
this earnestly, for she knew her hus-
band was not prone to suspicion.
lie shook his head. 81 have not n
particle of faith, my wife, in his
good feeling toward us; you may Judge
OF it when he has been trying to induce
even our faithful Cyrus to desert us,
and join the British"
"And only Cyrus?"
ooh! he tempted them; all; and |
have no doubt some of them will yield
to the booty he promises them"
"Bootyn" Mrs. P turned
pale. "I1e surely wished them to dc
part peaceabIy," said she, gasping, for
that was a fearful chord to touch.
Her husband saw her alarm, and
with assumed carclcssncss smiled as
he answered, "Nay, Mary, even have
so much charity us to he willing to
think that he desires nothing more
than my ruin. lie will urge these
poor devils to join the British and then
take especial heed to secure good
part of their wages; and he will care
little for Mcir sutlcrings or my dis
tress. But come, let us go in; The cv-
en!ng has grown chilly. must re-
tire early, for | shall arise with
the dawn
''Ifit plrascs God to protect us from
evil during the night, my dear Ed
ward" said his wife, in q low and sol
emu tone.
"Truc," replied he, bending his
head With res,sss,s an-s: teit> 6 a!'
hJ7 an early hour they retired to
their chamber; and wcaricd by a
day of bodily toll, and with mind op
pressed by apprchcnsions which he
had only venturcd to hint to his wife.
Mr.. - soon sunk into M nnre
trcshing sleep. But to Mary there was
no rest. Her heart was aroused; and
what Charm can Iull the mother and
the wife, when she trcmbles for the
objects Of her love. She could not
sleep; she sat with her infant in her
arms. until sheer fatigue compelled
her to lay his soft check on his piI-
low. She watched by his little couch
until her husband awokc from trou-
blcd dream, and then to convince him
that she was not indisposcd, she trim
med the lamp, committed herself and
those who were more dear than self, to
Him who ''ncithcr slulub rs nor
sleeps" and tried To rcposc. But ev
en- OH her pillow fancy was busy a.
round her. She started at every
sound; strange noises seemed to ring
in her ears, she thought she heard
shouts; wild cries; then she distin.
guIshcd low murmurS. as of whisper.
ing beneath her windows. Again and
again she started from momentary
Slnmber to say, sis it the night that
has no morrow" At length, about
midnight, she was thoroughly reused
by a sound in which imagination had
no share. She distinctly heard the
rapid and regular advance Of horse
mon. She listened, and Just when
they must have reached spot where
the road was iorkcd, the sound died a.
way. Brcathlcss, yet relieved, she
was about again to rcclne her
head, when it returned; but, gently,
and as if fearing to alarm, she grasped
her husbands arm, and called upon
him to arise; and ere he had hastily
dressed himself, n rough voice hailed
"the house" and in a few moments the
front door was furiously struck by i'm
patient hands. Mr.. p implorcd
his wife To remain where she was; and
taking a light, had only reached the
door which led into his parlour, when
an entrance was forced by his rude Wis
sitors, and with n shout Of triumph he
was seized and hurried into the
room. lie found himself in the midst
OF aparty of armed men, carefully
wearing Grape Over their faces, and
from their noisy and tumultuous man.
ner it was very evident that they
were under the influence of louor,
Whilst an eager and important debate
apparently occupied part of the nun.
Der, and completely drowned his at.
tcmpts to be heard, he was calm
enough to scan the forms and listen to
the tones of those who were near him.
and in spite Of the disguise something
every now and then escaped that was
familiar to his eye or ear. He turned
to look on him who had seized and