Weekly Clarksville chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 185?-1857, 1857-05-01
aMight | inquire what it is2"


terey, through the darkness2" f.
ssYou mean the Bishops Castle? ..
eyes, that is to be our point of attack
we storm it at day-break."
''It is . dangerous undertaking. -ar,
"True, Lieutenant We have the honor
of being selected for "forlorn hope. -
You understand the term; we shall march
to certain death---we shall find a grave
beneath those walls. / shall at last meet
the death have so often sought in vain. "
Sought, Captain r. repeated in as
constituent, gazing in his face, which wore
a look of calm resignation. s;d1 5n
"You are surprised that ] should wish
to die, he continued, in the same mournful
strain. at exeites your wonder that one
SO young as l am--for / am only twenty
fve-should have grown weary of this
life: All! my friend, the heart may grow
aged in day, and when such is the case,
the young frame that enshrines it cannot
reconcile it to the world" r'"s
'You have met with some bitter disap-
pointment," l suggested, (which long
brooding over. has tainted your mind
Danish it from your recollection. Happi-
ness is yet within your reach, if you will
strive to clasp It'll" ~
"Alasl my friend he cried, "you know
not what lost You would fain admins
ter comfort to me; but you know not the
extent of the wound you probe. I feel
that tomorrow will bring the crisis of my
fate. We can neither Of us sleep. If you
have patience to listen, will recount to
you the events which have so changed my
being, and, if you ever return to our ma
tive soil, you can tell my friends my story,
and my fate"
Iexprcssed my willingness to listcp, and
Archer proceeded at once: alS
II am native of Boston, my prefes-
sion is that of a lawyer, yet / had no ne
cessity to practice it, for was left an or
phan at twenty, with an ample fortune. e.
II did not fall into tho course of dissi-
patton common to young men who are left
their own masters at an early age Rear
ed in the path Of honor and integrity by a
wise father, | remembered and treasured
his connsels long after the lips that uttered
them were crumbling into dust.
"The old lawyer under whom studi.
ed had niece; she was the heiress of &
fine estate, which was unjustly withheld
from her by male relative. Her uncle
had given her home, and instituted &
suit to recover her property,
"Delia Hallet was seventeen when
first beheld her, and thought her tht
loveliest of her sex. / will not attemp
to describe the charms which made me he
slave, suffice it to say that l loved her will
my whole being.
II sought every opportunity of securing
her society, and our acquaintance sool
ripened into intimacy; my love was toll
and accepted. Della promised to be m.
wife, only on one condition, and that was
if she gained her lawsuit, as her fortun
would then nearly equal my own.
II endeavored in vain to combat thi
resolution. She was firm against all m
entreaties; she acknowledged her love 70
me, but, in the same breath, she told me
9 should never call her mine SO long as sh
remained beggar, uT
81 left her with the determination to ex
ert all my energies in her cause, woul
prove myself worthy of her by winnin
her. Animated by this idea. / at once o.
, fered my seyices to be her guardian; the
were joyfully accepted. We labored tC
gcther. The trial day came-the cas-
was severly contested-the result gave Y
decided victory. / bore the news of on
q success to Della a'aH.
II have no thanks to speak" she SAT-
laying ner manu- III MINT, tnls - JOui ~
ward. 4-ta ..
"The wedding day was fixed. With jo..
1 waited the approach of this eventi'
: period. Time passed slowly to my eag'
anticipation. The eve of the day cam
was sitting in my Office, when serval
brought me the alarming intelligence TIL
E Della had disappeared, no one knew whetl
= er. At the same time he placed in n
q hand note addressed to me, in her wei
4 known handwriting l tore it open vii
r trembling hands, 1t contained these ft
words which have since then been indclib
Il engraved on my heart:
"EpwARD---Forgive me for having