The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1858-09-29

from the woman of his choice, wo,.,i =;
umPh that he perished by the meanes,
feIon's death.
George Nortley and Martha WoodvilIe
were the pride of two different villages in
the interior Of the United States. Their
tale was one, perhaps, Of too irequen, oc-
currence.' They saw each ether, loved,
and were engaged-aLd that engagement,
was approved by mother ever solclous
Tor her daughters happiness. Her IA
ther had rejoined the stars, and none had
ngh: TO interfere aught against those
congeniai spirits. The bridal day was ap.
pointed, and time, smoothing his wrinked
brow leaned on the anchor of hope, and
smiled benignly upon the bliss Of human
| hearts.
The song which Martha had been sing
ing on board the vessel WAS one penned
10y WortIey in the days OF his happy
courtshlP. Her guardian, Mac Dole, was
person whom she had been taught to
respect and look up to with reverancr.
for lie had ever been considered virtuous
arn'abie and worthy man. He violently
opposed Wortley's suit, and succeeded in
extortlng promise from Martha not to
wed without his consent lie had other
objects in view than Martha's happiness
lie had sold his honor, and those talents
which should have been devoted TO his
country's good, for British gold, aud that
power demanded some one as hostage.
and he would not turn from his course Of
vilainy. AS such u hostage i,e delivered
up Martha Woodville to men whose hon.
or he knew not. Such was the cause of
her presence on board the enemy's vessel.
George Wortley was tried as a spy, be.
fore men whose minds had been embi;-
tered against him by the tales of Mac
Dole. lie did not deny tie charge, aud
was sentenced to the yard arm with a
respite I'LL the next morning a. sunrise.
Martha, who had broken from the hold
OF her guardian, ran upon the deck and
fell IN Wortley's arms, shrieking,
Save him save him.
Mae Dole, who had pursued, was in
the act OF forcing her from the embrace
of her injured lover, when The Admiral,
with voice of sternness exclaimed,
Mac Dole, beware
Tie baseuess Of Mac Dole burst upor
him at once, and he felt that WortIey was
! ~-angsd na~"- ue ~oked Of him tho
history Of his life, which was told with
as little warmth as possible. The old
Admiral grasped his hand, pitied, and
shed tear for Wortley's fate, knowing
| that he could not avert il.
AT the strong solicitation OF her lover,
and the sympathetic good old Admiral,
Nat l.,
to distant vessel, for grief had rendered
har nearly passive. George was left 20
| prepare for his fate, and received all the
kiUdness;he could have wished in his sit.
uation-one Of the state ro)ms having
been allotted to him.
The day OIL board the Admiral's vessel
| passed away III silence, for everything like
unbecomlng mirth was repressed The
night had come on, and Mac Dole was
sulIenly pacing the deck, for there he
knew he was hated aud despised, although
on The vessel he wore sword, the EN-
blem Of an officer he dared not own
his native land.
The hunchback boy, who had witness.
ed everything that had transpired; siII
kept himself concealed, grasping a rusty
knife that lay on the deck, and which had
been in use by the sailors in cleaning their
fish, rushed upon Mac Dole, gave him
fatal stab, and with hysterical laugh
heaved him into the dark blue waves.
lie then quickly descended the side Of
the vess el, and with feelings Of JOY that
he could not repress, loosened The boat
and in an instant was under the windows
Of the state room where Wortley awaited
his coming doom. Finding the easement
would not give way to gentle pressure,
he raised one of The oars ard dashed the
window to pieces.
George sprang and hailed the hunch-
back AS his deIiverer, lowered himself into
the boat, and with beating heart direc.
tel their course TO the American shore. -
They had proceeded bu, short distance
when ono of the smallest guns in the
Admiral's vessel hred to Iceward. Wort
ley's flight had been discovered, and all
the boats were lowered and in bot pur
suit. Every nerve was strained by the
hardy sesmen, who seemed faithful 20 their
luty, and the bright starlight of the
evening soon pointed out tho boat ol
Wortley and his hunchback companion,
moving comparatively slow TO the land Of
their fathers and liberty. a volley ot
musketry VAS fired from the pursuers
when the poor hunchback boy fell strug
Cling into the boat. Wortey stood rp
determined to die the death Of soldier
that his memory should not be brSnned
with the ignominy Of a felon's fate.
The seamen, IS if conscious of his in.
teution, threw in another voIIey; when a
piercing groan came from the boat and
Wortley fell back while his blood dar
.kened in the pillows The shattered boat
rapidly filed with water, and soon sanI
down to moulder with the sea covered
weeds. Brief was the close and tragica
tho result. A storm came rapidly on
the heavens darkened to inky jetness, il
lumel at intervals, by vivid flashes o