The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1854-12-20

t:n0t long to Hve,. that must soon glorl-
i ousI ysfall in the service of my country;
bat feel presentiment within me
strong and unshaken, that shall not
i sink into that welcome rest, to which
go, before nay hand has struck down that
u fend In human form, who has made me
/ the heartless mourner that I am
! Twice have sought him out in battle,
/ aud twice has he escaped my sword !;
but when we meet again, their is some
thing in my heart that tells me he shall
die The hope of that hour has sustain-
! ed me until now. But for this, and the
tender years of my children, that claim
a fathers care and protection, I would
! have long since laid down life which
I is but burden. But enough of this
Mike, / shall detaia you no longer
God guard you, and restore you safe to
the camp. Beware, be vigilant, and
throw not yourself in the way of danger,
Farewell, my brave boy, / shall feel i'll
at ease, until you return again. /"
i Pressing the hand of his conrad, Con-
yers turned his horses head and depart
ed Mike paused and gazed after him
as he rode away, bearing himself prond,
/ ly on his bounding charger, as though
1 no raving sorrow flew with him on his
j course.
s..Alast poor Gonyers.n muttered
/ Michael as he turned 30 leave the spot.
I" As gentle as the dove, but as brave
as the lion; the smile of Eden is ever OF
his brow, while its serpent is guawing at
1 his heart" Thus solilequizing, he turn
ed away with saddened brow, and pro-
cceded at quiet pace until he had clear
ed the crazy bridge which spanned the
river, and picked his way along rotten
and broken caase-way which led through
the oozy swamp; and then giving the
rein to his horse, he plunged through
the dense forest through which his ront
Hay.
/ Itwas already past the hour of noon
when he separated from Conyers; and
fearing lest night might overtske him
before he reached-the end of his journey
he permitted his noble stead to meas
ure over the ground with rapid strides.
lie had not gone far, however before
! the heavens gave tokens of an approach
ing storm, by signs which might have
passed unnoticed By a careless observer,
but which one SO attentive as Michael
could not, but remark and interpret
Alright The wind, which had slept for
the last twenty-four hours, began to
spriug up from the east, In short ftful
puffs, and casting his glance to the
westward, dull hazy atmosphere just
| upon the horizon, taught him ere many
1 hours should -elaPse 10 foofk ffer----sae- of
I those yielont gales to which the southern
country is so subject, about the incoming
of autumn. Meantime the declining
sun was kindliug up one-half the heav-
lseI.s.
:. Not as in northren chimes obseuSeiy bright,
But in one cloudless blaze OF glorious light
But accustomed as he was to all the
signs of the heavens, the deceitful glare
of the burning sun did not lead him to
err in his representations. Anxious to
reach his journeys's end, before the
anticipated storm should burst upon
him, he checked not the speed of his
willing horse, but suffered him, uncheck-
ed by the rein, noiselessly and heetly to
scud along the Harrow bridle-path that
wound through tho forest.
The eyes of the brave young trooper
| grew BRIGHT, and pleasant fancies nestled
around his heart;as he hastend away ffcm
| the toll and confinement of the camp, to
4 meet once more the beautiful and idoliz-
ed Dora Singleton.
/ Lovely indeed was the maiden whose
heart followed the young soldier to the
camp, and whose joyful smile welcomed
his glad returnings A dark-haired;
black-eyed creature, of scarcely the me-
diain height, with a complexion pale,i
yet Hondrously fair and transparent,
aud a form of more than ordinary grace,
and of exquisite proportions, she was the
very being to bring a host of lovers to-
her feet. Cordial in her manners,
proud, Tivacious, and with that dash of
coauetry IN her nature from which no
really beautiful woman is wholly exempt,
the sphere in which she moved was de-
lightnl, yet q dangerousicentre of attrac-
/ ton.
Her father dying when slle was but q
mere child, herimother contracted sec
ond matrimonial alliance which was soon
Terminated by her death.I and at the age
of twelve years, Dora was left to the
guardianship Of moody and unsocial
tstepfather, with whom she continued to
reside up TO the date of our story. In=
hcriting from her father, an ample, and
/ CfSn q SplcAblu 4OISuihc, St WltuOut ISl-
sative or friends, in whose sympathy she
could confde, the beautiful woman, now
irs her :eaE, felt II sitrt utter
isolation and toniiness of heart SO pain.
ff;,l to even the manly and self-depend-
ent, but especially SO to a warm-hearted
and sympathizing woman, whose heart
yearned for the friendship and affection
ate companionship of her sex, even as
/ the dying gazelle In the suitay desert,
1 longs for the bubiing fountain and the
| grateful shade. The mode and the cir
cuslstaaces Of her life had, however, i'm
pressed upon her character somewhat Of
/ the noble and generous traits of the he
rcine Naturally of proud though
gentle spirit, her very habits of seclu-
|. sion, which in another might have pro-
duced painful diffdence and timidity,
had added strength and self-relianee to
her character,
Her sorrows, poor creature, had of
/ late been greatly multiplied by the dis
fractions which ensued from the contest
/ with the mother country. Entering
! with all the ardor of heroine into the
4 feelings and sentiments of the patriotic
and bold defenders of liberty, so soon
as she could comprehend the principles
upon which they based the resistance to
| the mother country. She unfortunately
4 encountered the bitter opposition of
4 Isaac Wharton, her step-father, who,
though desirous of remaining neutralin in
j the contest, yet at heart favored the
cause of the royalists, and ridiculed and
\ l.. \ a I'll :