The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1854-08-16

looking out upon the scene before her.
suddenly the neighing of "a horse reach.
ed her ears from the road which pass.
ed along at right angles to the avenue
about half u mile distant. Again the
sharp shrll neigh rose upon the air
like the clear blast of clarion, and
Dora imagied she could almost hear
the tramp of her lovers steed along
the firm and trodden highway. She
gazed intcntly down the long avenue,
taxing her eye-sight to the utmost to
distinguish the horse or rider through
the gloom rs he pnsscI Inc poilt where
the evenue intersected the highway.
II is the daXalle essheuad'rIltYe,come j."
Sin'rTnuFod the maiden, rs w whh her
hand she shaded her eyes tr0tSsthe
strong glare of the moon, and gazaa
intently down the avenue. A momeht'
more and she beheld the moonlight
glistcning upon the sleek coat ofa pow.
ertul animal, MS he turned on'from the
highway, and entered the avenue lead
ing to the house.
God be praised, it is indeed he"
sine exclaimed, as she recognized the
well known steed Of her lover. "Nii.
chael comes" and retiring to her Cham.
Der, she relighted her lamp, and waved
1t thrice joyfully at her window, to
tell her lover that she had watched for
and discovered his coming. Then
cass'ng herself upon her knees and
burying her face ir. her hands, wept
tears OF thankfulncss and joy, for tn.
safe return Of one who was dcarcr to
her heart than life itself.
Some ten or fifteen minutes had
elapsed, and this beautiful woman
still knelt with her face buried in her
hands; when suddenly rustling was
heard among the leaves of the oak
that grew near her window to the
right of the portico, and slight jar
ring among its boughs, and a grating
against the trunk, such as would be
caused by one climbing from below.
She rose to her feet, and glance
through the open window served to re.
veal +" he- ths Hs~-e'er L.-..I-e..-
man, who had assembled the tree to the
height of the window, and was now
making his way along u bough that
projected to within tow inches of one
of the corner pillars of the balcony.
In her surprise. her first impulse
was to scream aloud, but the voice of
her lover, whose quick eye had already
discovered her, disarmcd her fears for
herself, and she now began to be Sc
riously alarmed for tho peril in which
his seeming rashness had involved
himself.
The limb upon which he vas slowly
making his way to the balcony was
near thirty feet from the gravclly court
beneath, and seemed quite too frail to
support even the weight Of u slender
STRIPPING, much less one of the robust
frame of Michael but while she stood
pctrlfied by asLonishment and terror,
great was her delight to find her lover
gradually nearing the column, then
casting his arm around it, and finally
releasing his hold of the bough, leap
lightly to the balustradc, and at length
stand safe and secure upon the balco-
ny. With a cry of joy she flew
through the open door, and falling into
his arms, relieved her oycrrouglt feel.
ings by flood of tears.
" am comc," were the first words
OF her lover, as lie pressed her to Ills
bosom, "but as seldom as we met.
dear Dora, ] find the country SO unsafe
for me, that we must meet to part al.
most in one breath"
Not so soon, trust, Michael, :"
answered Dora hastily; 81 have SO
much to say to you, and am so unhap-
py here, that would follow YOU TO
the camp, and be even your servant
there; rather than we should part again.
hope, my dear Dora" answered
Michael, rs he led her from the balco
ny into her chamber, that old Isaac
Whorton has not forgotten the kind.
ness due you?,'
Not that, Michael. not that" she
responded quickly, us she marked the
flush of anger aud surprise that flashed
over the earnest featufcrs OF her lover,
"but our ncighborhood is no longer
what it once was. Traitors walk
openly abroad now, and even here in
this stronghold Of whiggery as it once
was, but five miles distant from this
very spot, the tories arc to have q
grand meeting on the day after to.
morrow"
"llah say you !" replied Niicha-
cl eagerly, while CLEAN of Joy flashed
from his eyes. "Where meet they,
and how heard you news SO important
and welcome Us this .
Welcome indeed to me it is far
otherwise !" responded the fair woman,
while her cheek grew shade paleir.-
I" | myself heard their lcaders.pfidcr
this very roof,when they Loastiugly
told of the preparations they bad made
for tho rendezvou of-theif ragged fol.
lowers Gt the old field on Tarcute. n
grand supper is to he prepared for
their traitorous guests. New weapons
are to be distributed TO their Eollo,y.rs