Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1857-10-02

In little lane leading from the mansion
af Colonel Hewitt to the highway, two
young persons might have been seen
walking arm in arm towards noble
steed that stood ready saddled and bri-
died and hitched to huge poplar, which
threw its long shadow to the ground. 1t
was about nine o'clock in the evening,
and the moon was shining down bright
ly through the crisp wintry air, and its
rays fell like shadows of liquid silver on
the frozen waters of many glittering
stream, and lighted up the countenances
of the two individuals as they strolled
down the lane. There was something
almost radiant in the beauty of the fe-
male as those silvery rays fell upon her
features, while the face of the young man
looked rather solemn and care-worn.
And so, Ralph, you have decided to
enter the army and join the valiant Ma
rion ?" said the lady, whom the reader
will have no difficulty in conjeCturing
was none other than Mary Hewitt
" Well, sorry as I am to part with you,
1 cannot but commend your resolution.
The country now requires the service of
every arm that can WELD a sword, and
dearly as I love you. I cannot let my sell
fish feelings detain you from the right
path and from your duty"
8" All, can I forget thee, Mary ? But
as you say, I must go when my country
needs men. The tories are mastering
their forces and are committing depreda-
tons throughout the State; and last night
I heard that the villain Lounsbury, had
Joined the loyalists. IF I ever meet that
fellow, will
q suppose you did not know he was a
rival of yours p
. Not I, indeed. supposed he was
callous to female charms"
" It seems you were mistaken, then
No longer than the night before last he
did me the honor TO come here and make
me an offer of his hand. As for hi:
heart suppose he has none to give"
"Ifhe has one it is of steel. But wha
answer did you make him ?"
d" Oh, you know well enough, Ralph
But in my refusal l was as gentle ant
courteous as we'll I could be. 1 did no
wish to wound his feelings too much"
And he appreciated your delicacy !?
" Iudeed, he did not. He few into
violent passion, turned almost black il
the face with rage, swore he would mar
ry me sometime or other, and left in
towering passion"
Mary, that Lounsbury is a danger
GUS fellow. He meditates mischief, an
, it would be well for you to be upon you
guard. If he has, as reported, gone Of
and joined the royalists, he may have /
in his power to do you lasting injury
You must, therefore, be on your guard.
Z" l shall be watchful, love. But it
getting chilly here, must go back to tn
house, for father vii be wondering whs
has become of me. Good night, an
may God bless you, and return you
safety to my arms"
The next moment the steed was ga
y Looping along the highway, bearing ii
- erect and stately rider, while the ia
= young girl hastened back to her father
q home.
e No sooner did the spot become silel
d than the person of a man was seen d
e scending the trunk of a large poplar trC
e under which the lovers had been CO..
to versing. It was none other than VIII
ty Lounsbury, and he had been concealt
re amongst the branches of the tree, an
Is had overheard every word that had bee
re uttered. A rife was hung over
shoulder, and in a black leather gird
he was stuck brace of heavy horse-pisto
y and as he came out from the shadow
of the tree, and the moonbeams fell up,
rs his face, there was something diabolic
in the working of his features. So, Sc
RI. muttered he with an oath, Il have foul
" out the reason for the aversion of Ma
n Hewitt to myself. And he calls me
or villain. does he F.? He'll find out that i
st have the name I'll have the game
en- well. And as for that little brunei
he minx-if she does not become NJ
an Lounsbury, it viii be because there is
n chaplain in the royalists corps to ma
nd her so :" And with an imprecation
ar started off over the fields towards
nd forests, whose dim outlines could be j.
n? distinguished in the silvery moonlight
ne In the depths of that forest the roy
lat is or tories, some six or seven hundr
'se in number, had formed an encampme