Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1860-08-09
My child " he gaspcd family. Mary

You--you will protect her--she has no friends
now-none in the wide world =
i will protect her I cried Harry, with feel
! ing, for glance of the wounded man was
sufficient TO convince him that life was at its
last throbbing.
| Thanks dying fathers tha-r A gut
tcring sound in the throat--a few almost i'm
| pcrccptiblc breathines--a sudden bubble o
| blood from the wounds as thrown out by the
last throb Of the hcart-and then Harry
| Woodward looked into the face of the dead!
He had looked on many such, slain in strife
| OF battle or the struggle Of hate, without a
passing thought But as he seated himself al
| the oars, and turned the bow of the loat up
the stream, he could not keep from gazinl
upon that face, ghastly in its gore. 1t was
| a fathers face, the father Of lovely girl
whom he, in dying had consigned TO his care.
Who could tell what fond hopes and bright
prospects for his child had been suddenly
| blasted in that dcath-chillcd brain2 The
heart that loved was fast growing cold, and
she--so young and fair-was fatherless friend
| less now! Her name was Mary.
Mary! sweetest name of woman name Of
the mother of Jesus the spirit of music, the
type of virtue, the symbol of religionp
SO wrote that gr, American romancer-
George Lippard. And so let every poet sing
to tho end of time, for they should sing moth
| ing but truth.
| Henry Woodward felt it as he ncared tic
shore and behed h. peering anxiously iron
the chapparel, watching his approach with
oh, what tumutuous emotion
is he quite dead p she asked, in n tremb,
ling voice as the boat grated npon the beach
'He u.s. said Harry, in choakcd accents.
She did not weep--only convulsivc sol
shook her frame, as she turned away from the
| ghastly spectacle.
IIc was still alive, however, when reach
cd the boat continued Harry. 'IIe lived
long enough to thank me for saving you, tc
tell me that you were now frcudless in the
world, and commend you to my care.
promised to protect you he thanked me, and
died.
ALAS alasr she murmured as the tears
began to flow, Il am indeed left alone to the
world
No lady said Harry. Whatever may be
your station or lot in life, you shall ever have
friend in Harry Woodward--I am but a
! free ranger of Il 9 Team Border, but I have
an humble home and plenty in it, where you
shall be cared for and respected
The maiden did not reply. but her soul
looked through the chrysalite worlds of grief
that pended from her long, dark lashcs, and
spoke her gratitude.
They buried him here in the sad waters of
the Neuces-Mary and Henry-and thcr ta-
king last look at the resting place, and
hearing the last requiem Of the gliding waves,
they starred for the rancho, some three miles
distant. On the way, Mary Osgood told the
ro,nor I,, ,o,, -, biotnru opIttha mo pnor
of her fathers death and her own captivity.
She was a native of phia-Henry's
native city--and, her mother dying few
months previous, her father became almost
inconsolable at her loss and resolved to seek
some place of solitude far away from the
scenes which ever reminded him of the loved
and lost For this purpose they had come to
the western wids--Kary accompanying him
in the hope of proving consolation to his
declining years. They were proceeding up
the river in boat when they were attacked
by the guerilla Mexicans who murdered her
father, and were about to sacrifice her to a
base and moro terrible fate.
They soon reached the ranchea neat board
establishment, surrounded 10y picket fence.
Mary was surprised to find everything so neat
and in a comfortable condition for there was
indeed little wanted to perfect tho home of
Henry Woodward.
At lIarry's summons an old negro woman
came bustling in from the kitchen, and star
ted back, with grnning teeth and dilatcd
eyes, as Eho hchcld Mary.
Here, Dinah I've brought you new mis-
trcss, said Harry, laughing at her discomfi-
ture. Il want you to prepare the best room
in the rancho, and obey this lady III every
respect rs you would me!
de Lor' brcss dc man what am got obcr
himv CALCULATED Dinah, as she glanced from
the beautiful Mary to her master.
ATTEND to your duty, Dinah, without
questioning, said Hcnry, turning away.
A year has rolled away, gentle reader, Ma
ry Osgood has wept out her grief for her faith
cr, has grown used to the life of rancho;
has become acquainted with all the rough
rangers, who frequent it, to gather round Har
ry, their leader, and who check their rude
jcSts at her approach, call her their pet: and
would fight for her to the last gasp of life.
There's bright cheerful smile on her hand
some face, and old Dinah obeys her with a
willingness that shows a ncgro's love and de-
yotion. How happy she looks too, when from
the door steps she views Henry coming in the
distance returning from hunt that had been
reproachcs him for his protractcd stay and
rewards his return with kiss. How anxi-
eusly, too, she takes leave of him, when, at
the head Of his bard he starts upon the trail
of some marauding party of Indians, or in
pursuit Of a robbing bandit
There are many strange things in this world
but it would have been the strangcst of them
all if Mary Osgood had not learned to love
her delivcrer and benciactor, young and hand
some As he was: or that Harry could live so
long under the smile of ono so pure and fair
as she without feeling the first attachment Of
the soul. And SO it turned out.
They were seated alone one evening in the
door way of the rancho. Harry had just re-
turned from a long hunt, and seemed unusu-
ally fatigued.
How weary you look to night, Harry
said Mary, resting her hand familiarity on
his shoulder. why do you take such long
hunts when it is unnecessary? You have
been away for whole week! ] 81 all scold
you if you do so again
lie i, okcd up into her beautiful face and
eyes for moment, and then said with a smile:
will your
4 will indeed said she naiveIy.
We'll ! will promise not to do so any more
on one condition, said Henry, looking scri-
Gus as he twincd his arm about her.
And what is that"
THAT you become my wife"
'Harryp Mary started suddenly and turned
dcathly pale: then the color came and went
on her check, her glance raised and dropped
aud she trcmbled.
why not Mary?' continued Harry. Have
we not spent a year together? Arc not Our
natures-our education one? Have not our
fortunes been cast in these wilds? And are
we not happy here? And
Harry She fell forward and buried her
face in his bosom.
Love you, Harry! love you! she cried, as