Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1857-03-19

baton upon her swain. Do but ask A
bert if am not in the right?'
The appeal that she made to Alber
which ought to have assured her fathe
of the purity of her sentiments, fright
ened him into a suspicion of lurking al
feetions having crept into her bosom.
Affairs were at this crisis when Ma
poleon returned from Elba, and burs
like demon of war from thundc
cloud, upon the plains of France, an,
all the warlike and valorous arose anC
walled her in with their veteran breasts
The returned hero. lifted .up his =
right. hand IN - 4ofces o
ll1sa4tee ;fushed with him to battle.
The regiment Of our rivals was order
ed to Belgium. After many entreatic:
from her father, Matilda at length con.
sented to sit for miniature to an emf
nent artist, but upon the express stipu
lation, when it should be given to Hor
ace, that they were still to hold them
selves free. The miniature was finish
ed, the resemblance excellent, and the
exultation and rapture of Horace COM
pletc. He looked upon the possession
of it, Notwithstanding Matildas stipula-
ton, as an earnest of his happiness
He had the picture set most ostentatious-
| ly, in the finest jewels, and constantly
wore it on his person; and his enemies
said he showed it with more freedom
than the delicacy of his regard to Matil-
da should have warranted.
Albert made no complaint. He ac-
knowlcdged the merits of his rival ca
gerly, the more eagerly as the riyalship
was suspected. The action at Quirta
Aras has taken place. The principal
body Of the British troops are at Brus-
seis, and the news OF the rapid advance
of the French is brought to Wellington;
and the forces are, before break of day,
moving forward. But where is Horace?
The column of troops to which lie be-
longs is On the line of march, but Al
bert and not Horace is at the head
The enemy are in sight Glory's sun
bright face CLEANS i'll the front, whilst
dishonor ana infamy scowl in the rear.
The orders to charge are given, and az
the very moment that the battle isabout
to join, the foaming, jaded, breathlcss
c0urscr Of Horace strains forward as il
with Il last effort, and seems to have but
just strength enough to wheel with his
rider into his station. y faint huzza
from the troops welcome their leader
On, &c brave, on!
The edges of the armies join. TIE
shout-thc groan, and the
vollying thunder OF artillery, m;ngle in
one deafcning roar. The smoke clears
away--the charge is over-the whirl-
wind is past. Horace and Albert are
both down, and the blood flows away
from their wounds, and is drank up by
the thirsty soil.
Bat few days after the cventful bat
lie of Waterloo, Matilda and Sir Oliver
were in the drawing room. Sir Oliver |
had read to his daughter, who was sit
ting in brcathless agitation, the details
of the battle, and was now reading slow
ly and silently the list of the dead and !
the MANNED.
''Can you, my dear girl, 'saidhc trcm-
ulously. ''bear to hear very bad news? p
She could reply in no other way than
Oy laying down her head on her fathers
shoulder, and sobbipg cut the almostin-
audible word ''rcad.
Horace is mentioned as having been
Early in the action, badly wounded, and
$ returned missing"
''HOrribleE' exclaimed the shudder-
ng girl, and embraced her father more
loosely. .+
'And our poor friend, Albert, is dan
serously wounded too said her faith
Matilda made no reply, but as a mass !
# snow slips dcwn from its supporting :
silently, as pure, and almost {
$ cold, fell Matilda frcm her fathers
rms, insonsible upon the floor. Sir ,
oliver was not surprised, but much puz- t
led. lie thought that she had not felt
.lite enough for her lover, but too much +
or her friend. \ few days after, a Bel j
ium officer was introduced by amutual
riend, and was pressed to dine by Sir {
)ilSer. As he had been present at the !
attic, Matilda would not permit her
rief to prevent her meeting him at the f
able. Immediately on her entering the t
oom, the officer started, and took every
pportuuity of gazing on her intently, t
hen he thought he was not observed.
It last he did 50, so incautious!y, and !
n a manner so particular, that when the
ervants had withdrawn, Sir Oliver ask
d him if he had ever seen his daughter ,
efore. ....
''Assurcdly not, but most assurcdly {
said he, and he immedi-
tely produced the miniature which Hor-
&c had obtained from his mistress. y
The first impression of both father and c
aughter was that Horace was no more I
nd that the token had been entrusted t
} the hands of the officer, by the hands
f the dyiug lover; but he quickly un-
eceived them, by informing them that v
e was lying desperately but dangerous d
Y wounded, at farm house on the con- q
nent, and that in fact he had suffered q
mputation. G
''Then in the name of all that is hon Il
rable, how cameyou by that niniaturc?'' ?'' b
Sir Oliyer.lI .arris ..g "- t
o, he had lost it to notorious sharp {
r, at gambling house at Brussels, on 2
lie eve Of the battle, which sharper of t
red it to me as he supposed the gen :
eman from whom he won it, would Il
ever come to repay the large sum of il
oney for which it was left in pledge, a
hough I had no personal knowledge of V