Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-03-12


woman of italy"
"Or the lass of England !"
"Or The graceful Hindao girl"
This laughing scorn gf the British officer:
stunr the handsome Refugee to the quick.
"Hark We" he cried, half rising from his
seat, with flushed brow,sbut deep md deb
crate voice, to.mprrowsl marry Il wife: AT
American girl! To.night,sat midnight too, that
American girl viii, join tbe dances in the next
room. You shall see heH You shall judge for
yourselves Whether lhs American woman i:
not the most beautiful in Ehe world
There was something m the manner of The
young Refugee, more than in the nature Of his
information, that arrested The attention of bis
brother officers. For a moment they were
silent. Z
"We have heard something of your marriage
Captain" said the gay Ensign, but we did not
think it would occur 30 suddenly! Only think
Of it! Tomorrow You will oe gone--setlled- -
verdict brought in-sen,e1ce passed--d married
man, But iell me! Hoy will your lady-love
be brought to this houseto.night! thought
she resided within the Rebel lines 2!
"Shc does reside theres But have sent 4
messenger-a friendly Indian chief, on whom
can place the utmost dependence-to bring her
from her present home, at the dead hour of night
through the Forest TO this mansion. He is to
return by l2; it is now lhlf.past !"
"Friendly Indian!" echoed The veteran Colo.
mel; Rather an odd guardian for Il pretty wo-
man Quite an original idea of Ducnna,
vow!' y
"And you will match ihis lady against all the
world for beauty!" said the Major.
"Yesl and if you do not agree with me, this
hundred guineas which I lay upon the table.
shall serve our mess" fur wines, for Il month
to come. But if you do not agree with me-as
without doubt you will-then you are to re-
place this gold with II hundred guineas of your
! own"
agreed. 1t is a wager" chorussed the Colo
; mel and the two other officers.
thronged by fair ladies' anegay officers, attracted
! from the room by the de6ete--as that young re.
! fugee stood with one hand upon the pile of
gold, his ruddy face grewysuddenly while as a
shroud his blue eyes diated until they were
each encirclcd by 4 line of white enamel the re-
mained standing there as if frozepto stone.
why, Captain, what tfhe matter" cried the
Colonel. starting up in$ arm, "do you see Il
ghOs; that you stand g"@g there at the blank
! The other officers alsd started up in alarm
and asked the cause otssllts singular drrncnnor,
but still for the space vf a minute or more, the
Refugee Captain stood there, more like Il dead
man suddcnI Iy recalled to life than living being;
The moment passed. he sat down with Il cold
silver; made strong effort rs it TO command
his reason and then gave utterance to 4 forced
! laugh
"EIa, ha! See how I've frightened you," he
1 k,.N hat ot,
hollow laugh again.
| And vet, half an hour from that time he free
! " confessed the nature of the horrid picture he
! had seen drawn upon that blank, walnscotted
wall, as if by some supernatural hand.
But now with the wine cup in his hand he
! turned from one comrade TO another, utterng
some forced jest or looking towards the door
way, crowded by officers and ladies, he gaIly in
v,cd them to share i'll this remarkable argyll
ment: Which were the most beautiful women
in The world.
! As he spoke, the hour struck.
Twelve o'clock was there, and with it Il fuosleE
and then bold Indian form came urging through
the crowd of ladies' ihronging yondcr doorway.
Silent, his arms folded on his war blanket, Il
! look of calm stpirsEl on his dusky brow, the
/ Indian advanced aouy The room and stood at
the head of the table. There was no lady with
him.
! Where is the fair girl She who is 10 be
the bride tomorrow ! Perhaps the Indian had
left her in the next room, or in one Of The other
halls of the old mansion, or perlaps--but the
thought is foolish one--shc has refused 10
! obey her lovers rrqurst--refused to conc and
meet h'rI.
Ther. was something awful in the deep 81
ence that reigned through the room, IA The soIl-
tary Indian stood there, at the head Of the TABLE
gazing silently in the lovers face.
4" Where is she 2" at last gasped the Rufuger.
" She has not refused to come Tell ma has
any accident brfen her by the way! know
| the forest is dark and the wild path most difficult
tell me- where is the lady for whom sent
Won into the Rebel rnes2"
For a moment, as the strange horror uf the
lovers face was before him, the Indian WAS s-
lent Then, as his answer seemed trembling
on his lips, The ladies in yondcr doorway, the
officers fron the ballrooR AMI the party round
the table formed Il group round the Two central
fnures-that Indian standing at the head of the
table; his lips parted, his face ashy, his clenched
hands resting on the dark mahogany Of the
table.
The Indian answered first by action, then by
word.
First the action: Slowly drawing his right
hand from his war blanket, lie held it in the
light. That right hand clulched with blood
stained fingers, n bleeding scalp ami long and
glossy locks of beautiful d. rk hair. Then came
The word "Young warrior sent the red man
for the scalp Of the palefacea squaw itere it
is"
Yes-the rude savage had mistaken bis mes
sage Instead Of bringing the bride to her
lovers arms, he had gone on his way determn'
I'd to bring the scalp Of the victim TO the grasp
of her pale faced enemy.
Not even n groan disturbed the deep silence
of that dreadful moment. Look there The
lover rises, presses that long hair-so black, so
glossy, so beaulful-to his heart. and then, as
ihough Il huge weight, falling on his brain and
crushed him, fell with one dead sound on the
floor.
That was his bridal eve!
Now tell me. my friends, you who have heard
some silly and ignuraut pretender pitifully com.
plain of the dcsitutou of Legend, Poetry. Ro-
nance, which cIlaracterzes our National tlisto-
ry-tel me did you ever read = tradition of
England, or France, or Italy, or Spain, or any
other land under the Heavens that might in
point of awful tragedy compare with the simple
history of David Jones and Janc M'Cree! For
it is but Il scene from this narrative, with which
you have been, from childhood and that have
given you.
When that bridegroom, flung there on the
floor, with the bloody scalp in bis bands, arose
to the terrible consciousness of lifc--lhe words
trembled from his lips, in a faint and i husky
whisper: