Butte record., 1854-10-14
A ROMANTIC STORY.

/ midst OF the conflict, az the armies were
| hurled on each other with fearful force,
two officers Of the same rank became
enga ged in desperate personal con-
| tilct. Their swords flushed with incon-
ceivahIe rapidity now one advanced,
and now the other; each bending the
whole tn ught Of his soul to the single
adversary before, and growing unmind-
ful Of the din around hun. They heed l.
ed not the crash Of artillery, the rapid
clang Of arms, the loud sh'ek of pain,
nor the wild cry of despair. Bat it
soon became manifest that the lovolst
officer, though somewhat inferior to the
other in weight, WAS the better swords
man this the American perceived, and
resolving at all hazards to conqu his
foe, he beat down his guard, clos d in,
clasped him in his firm embrace and
made him prisoner.
When the captor and his prisoner met
after the battle, it was observed that
there was a gtrang personal resemblance
between them They were both youth
ful, high minded and eh'yalrous gentle
men, and a strong unanimity Of FEELING
existing between them, with respect
already implanted by their respective
bear Eng in the combat, familiar ac-
quaintance sprang up, which gradually
grew into friendship, and ended in a
severe and ardent mutual attachment,
- ch,vn1 -o,,e ~, ;tr n.f,r,, a., - :, ,.,,,o,,
tic in lis origin. Some little time after
the bottle, the American officer return
ing home On Through, requested and
obtaiaed his captive fiiand 10 accompa-
ny him.
i hey travelled ike brother knights of
old, ach pledged to the others defence,
aud bound to on-.der all alike as com
mon friends or common enemies. T..eir
route lay through district Which was
the sanguinary Geld Of many bloody col
lIolons, and carsed By prowling delach-
laents Of h les, who exercised ROBBERS
prl,iledge Of warlin, on all whom it
pleased tn ir fancy to eon>true into foes,
or WHO tempted their avarice, or excited
their vcngeance. One day, the two
heroes were suddenly oyertaken by
shower and throwing their cloaks over
their shoulders. they retreated under
the shelter of group Of trees. Sud
denly there appeared on the road par
ty of tories, who with drawn swords, nd
shouting over their anticipated plumber,
dashed towards the spot where stood the
two friends. The high-souled Ameri-
can resolved not to fall into tie hands
of those whom every instinct Of his ma
ure, and every impulse of his virtuous
mind, stamped as men TO detest and
ioathe, and as singing asp, iu the bosom
Of ms country and the heroic Briton,
scorning the N tivcs that actuatcd them
an alth ugh to make himself known
was but to obtain safety and freed M,
also resolved to defend himself to the
last, and fall OF live the lie d of him
by whom he had been SO generously dis
linguished. But their cunning and their
valor achieved for them a glorious tri-
uiuph. With waving swords, and with
signals to the rear, rs if urging c. mpan-
ions behind them to follow, they spurred
iheis horses, and b"th together d shed
upon the approaching enemy The fury
OF their onset, the determined vigor
with which they whirled their weapons
above their heads, and their shouts for
their supposed companions to follow,
alarmed their opponents, who offered but
feeble resistance, and then fl d rapid
ly, leaving the field to their victorious
ensmy, whom they outnumbered by ma
ny fold
With more adventures, that more eff
fectually linked their friendship, they
arrived safely at the home Of the Amer
can officer Here the Englishman was
welcomed aud in the home of his friend
he found those who generally admitted
into their confidence and frien ship one
who had become so attached to one of
its promising members In course of
his solourn here, some remarks were
dropped which led to inquiries, and t. e
father of the American, to the unming-
led joy of all parties, discovered that
the two officers were first cousins Their
striking personal resemblance thus be-
came accounted for, and perhaps their
involuntary and mental attraction may
be attributed to the same cause.
Il z. L..