Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1857-10-02
Giterarp Selections.
RALPH LEONARD;
OR, RION AND HIS MEN
a Tale of Revolutionary Times.

revolution, lew men spread more terror
among the ranks of the English soldiery |
than General Francis Marion. Unlike
most of the other officers of note belong
ing to the continental establishment, who |
came out, as a British colonel once ex-
pressed it, and fought like christians |
and gentlemen in the open field" Marion
preferred another course of action. Ly-
inc secreted among his men in the
swamps and almost impervious forests of
the South, he would sally forth by night
with his well tried band, scamper along
The moon-lit plains, and making sud-
den and unexpected rush upon the enc
nv, spread confusion and dismay among
ri. ranks.
Athe period of which we are writing
there were two parties in the Carolinas,
Imposed to the war and loyal to King
Gorge, aud were known by the title of
Tories the others ready to stake their
al upon the great game of independence
and known as Wings.
A feeling of bitter animosity had be-
come engendered in the breasts of those
TWO parties against each other, and acts
ofcruely and wickedness were as COM
mon as the withered leaves upon the
forest trees in autumn.
Ralph Leonard, the hero of our tale,
was fine young man of about twenty
five, with an easy, dignifed carriage, an
interesting intelligent countenance, and
a smile as sweet as his frown was terri
ble when he had occasion for anger. He
belonged to the wing party, and hated
the tories with a bitterness which in
creased with every act of atrocity on
their part and made him a most formi-
dable enemy to their success. In the
early part of this war he had joined the
fiery Marion as a private, but his talents
we're quickly apprehended by the Gen
eral, and he was taken as his aid with
the nominal rank of Captain.
Willet Lounsbury was a man Of about
forty, with coal black hair slightly sprink-
ledwith gray, an erect and martial figure
and bright keen eye that gave a bold
expression to his swarthy features. He
was Stunned by large portion of the in
habitants, and he often expressed his con-
tempt for all around him with bitter sneer
Most people had sort of awe Of him,
and seemed rather TO wish TO cWltivate
his feeling, than to do away with it by
any act Of courtesy on their part. He
was Grabbed and curlish TO a degree, and
used to roam about the fields in a suller
mood, muttering to himself, and growing
about something or other continually, a;
though he was discontented with himself
and all the world around him. He wa;
unmarried, for his unsocial habits were
not well calculated to win the confidence
Or affection of any female, and so h
lived on in loneliness on a small farm
left him by his deceased mother, rathe
summed and, avoided by his neighbor
distance. In the neighborhood wher
young Leonard and Lounsbury reside
there dwelt an opulet planter by tn
name of Hewitt, who owned a largt
number of slaves, and became noted t
all the country around by his hospitalit
and his courteous bearing. Many wer
the visitors who frequented the colonel
mansion, and at times it seemed NOR
like large hotel than the dwelling of
quiet country gentleman. Whether tn
smiles of the planters daughter had any
thing to do with the drawing thither (
SO many people, leave it for my reader
todetermine. to
Mary Hewitt-thou vast sweet gil
Mary with thy bright black eyes. tn
finely rounded form and dark brow
hair, that hung in ringlets around he
oval brunette cheeks. Yes, thou wa
pretty, else why did so many young me
call to envuire after the health of II
colonel' Surely they must have felt g
uncommon deep interest in the old gel
Aeman's welfare, did they not ? Al
wny' before the breaking out of the wi
II ud young Ralph Leonard use to sper
- many winter evenings at the mansion
n was 1t to talk with the colonel about Il
cotton crop? All, Mary, suspect til
'uoa hast much to answer for =! Tho
o'ignt black eyes l fear, look too deep
"'o the heart of my young hero, or
would not be hanging about thy home.
H. It was the beginning of the year Ia
6 @na the war of the revolution W
Uenching the fields of America in bio,