Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-09-12
EVENING STAR.
A ROMANTIC STORY.

4 ROMANTIC STORY
AT the battle of Eutaw Springs, in the
midst of the conflict, as the armies were
hurled on each other with fearful force,
two officers of the same rank became en-
gagged in desperate personal conflict.
Their swords flashed with inconceivable
rapidity; now one advanced, and now
theother; each ben,iing the whole thought
of his soul to the single adversary before,
and growing unmindful of the din around
him. They needed not the crash of ar.
tillery, the rapid clang of arms, the loud
shrek of pain, nor the wild cry of des.
pair. But it soon became manifest that
the loyalist officer, though somewhat in
ferior to the other in weight, was the bet.
ter swordsman this the American per.
ceived, and resolving at all hazards to
conquer his foe, he beat down his guard,
closed 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 strong personal resemblance
between them. They were both youth
full. high-minded, and chivalrous gentle
men, and a strong unanimity of feeling
existing between them, with a respect
already implanted by their respective
bearing in the combat, familiar acquain-
tance sprang up, which gradually grew
into friendship, and ended in a sincere
and ardent mutual attachment, as chival-
rous in its nature as it was romantic in
its origin. Some little time after the
battle, the American officer, returning
home on furlough, requested and obtained
permission for his captive friend to ac-
company him. g.
They travelled like brother knights of
old, each pledged to the others defence,
and bound to consider all alike as com.
mon friends or common enemies. Their
route lay through district which was
the sanguinary field of many bloody COL
lisions, and cursed by prowling detach.
ments of tories, who exercised robbers
privilegeofwaro on all llwhomit pleased their
fancy to construe into foes, or who tempted
their avarice, or excited their vengeance.
One day, the two heroes were suddenly
overtaken by q shower, and throwing
their cloaks over their shoulders, they re-
treated under the shelter of a group of
trees. Suddenly there appeared on the
road party of tories, who, with drawn
swords, and shouting over their anticipa-
ted plunder, dashed towards the spot
where stood the two friends. The hig gh-
souled American resolved not to fall into
the hands of those whom every instinct
of his nature, and every impulse of his
virtuous mind, stamped as men to detest
and loathe, and as singing asps in the
bosom Of his country; and the heroic
Briton, scorning the motives that actua-
ted them, and although to make himself
known was but to obtain safety and free.
dom, also resolved to defend himself to
the last, and fail or live the friend of him
by whom he had been so generously dis
tinguished. But their cunning and their
valor achieved for them a glorious
triumph. With waving swords, and with
signals to the rear, as if urging compan-
ions behind them to follow. they spurred
horses, and both together dashed 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 fled rapidly leaving
the field to their victorious enemy whom
they out-numbered by many fold.
With more adventures, that more efec-
tually linked their friendship, they ar
rived safely at the home of the American
officer Here the Englishman was well
coined, and in the home of his friend he
found those who generously admitted into
their confidence and friendship one who
had become so attached to one of its prom
ising members. In the course of his So
iourn here, some remarks were dropped
which led to inquiries, and the father of
the American, to the unmingled joy of
all parties, discovered that the two Off
GERS were first cousins. Their striking
personal resemblance thus became ac-
counted for, and perhaps their involun-
tary and mental attraction may be attri-
buted to the same cause.
The 10y of the American family in dis.
covering a knsman SO lofty In virtue,
and possessed of all generous qualities,
and one who brought to their circle high
talents and brilliant parts, that daily
won upon their hearts, was greatly aug
mented by the appearance of an attach
ment springing up between the found
cousin and the sister Of the American.
This lady was amiable and highly ac-
complished, and charmed by the bearing
of the generous stranger, she soon yield
ed to him more Of affection and admira-
ton than was due to cousin. He also
was moved by her beauty and her many
amiable traits, and thus they became
betrothed, to the undoubted satisfaction
of the brother. The Englishman had
been as effectually conquered by the
beauty of the sister as by the superior
strength Of the brother. He was pri
soner, soul and body, in the conqueror's
family. The reader may be assured
that what We write is not fiction, though
1t sounds marvelously like legends OF
knishtly love and conquest in the olden
time. The facts of the story are given
by DR.. Caldwell, author of a Life of
General Greene" who knew the parties
when boy, and saw them often.
But, alas our romance becomes trag-
edy. The stern front of Mars breaks in
upon the scene, and Fate, with bis iron
hand, rends the happy picture; The
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