The Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1861-1862, 1861-12-14

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s,oa ez' RAVENNA, OF
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furtis bride. So the days stole by, until the
time came when at last the Government AVA
kened and began to seize in its iron grasp all
those suspected or proved to be traitors.
q One night the moon was silyering with her
pale rays, alllthe wooded shore of the Poto-
mac, the air was still and puer as If it had
never been blackened with smoke or cloven
with cannon balls. Once again Henry was
on sentinel,s duty; he was one of the picket
of soldiers who were guarding the road that
led away towards Manassas; his beat was a.
long aIlOnely lane skirted with bushes and
deeply shaded by oyerarching trees. Back
and forth he had marched in his monotonous
round for enc lonely hour that had been brght-
ened oncly by dreams of Clara. 1t was past
midnignts and all but the guards on duty
were sleeping quietly. No sound disturbed
the stiffness but the faint ehirping of the sum
mer insects and the. long sigh of the wind
through the tre,s. Harry was Just thinking
how peaceful was everything but his own SOL
dierly figure, when a faint rustic caught his
alert ear. He listened intently; again the same
indistinct noise, and he caught sight of dark
object srouching in the shade of the bushes.
In an instant he had brought his piece to
bear, with sharp
"Who goes there?" '"&.T'% 5'"f '.a
No answer, and with lcycllel gun, he cried
again. =, .,,.,,,., t.-.-..,,,5 ,.., -,.,,, .......
"Advoncc and give the countersign or I fre!'
Then with arrested aim he heard O low
shrek and eaughtSthe words, ii MOI 3t4osaj
., "Harry, Harry. Harry 4, ., ,-....... .r...
Fl dropped his musket in utter amaze
ment; he knewsonfy towell that voice, and
srrang forward !ta sg-Gishi. * ars z7G raf
"Clara! in Gcd's name, how came you here?'
A slight figure glided to his side; it was
her iihdeed--pale as a gost, and, wrapped in a
long dark cloak she was trembling SO that
she could scarcely articulate. He could only
support her on his arm, at the same tins CLAN
cling wsrily about in desperate sread of some
marital foe. s,,,-re -....7 e, ..
"Spcak, Clara, he. exclaimed; ain Hea-
von's name, toll. me how You came here ?"
... ."".Oh. III rry," she gasped, my uncle they
are after him he will be seized and thrown
into prison. / have told him l would save
him; he IS here with me, Only let us go
past ID, s...... 4, ......... ..,...t .......
Ncy3r:.'' exclaimed Harry, though even
as Shc spoke al the horrors Of his position
| hshel upon him.. He knew that even to
+, talk with her one instant while on guard was
violation of his duty and yet, how sum-
mon his comrades, and expose his pure darling
to their rude jcsts "Oh, Clara he groan-
cd, you know not what you ask leave me
and go back to your home" ''5'
i"No," she answered firmly. Harry, have
you forgotten all you promised You have
said You would do anything asked"
Anything but this" 'fHt 's.~..'f
But surely, you will let my poor uncle
60? / owe him so much, and | have sworn
! to save him now"
"Hcw did you cross the river without a
pass ?'' asked Harry, with sudden hope.
/" In an open b0at, We twoalonc. Now
Harry, let me call him and let us go free"
"No, never.' repeated Harry. "If YOU
call your uncle, summon the guard fcl
your sake dread to do so. Leave me, then
Clara, and go away as you came"
"Thcn give me the countersign," she bsg'
gcd, imploringly. 81. s...t.a- sq.
"No, Clara, how can YOU ask me to com
nit such an infamy p
"You do not love me-" she sobbcd, drawing
away from him. = .,. - p ..,...-,.,
al do" replied Harry, solemnly; AZ love
yon .So~c than my life, but not more than m,
hoGo. ."agfzg ss $3.50 ~ YalE t
| ClHr, was sobbipg now convulsively, ant
only shook her head
7"You are soldiers daughter, Clara yot
ought not to ask of mo what will surely cove
my name with disgrace" .a. ..
As he spoke there was a sound of quicl
footsteps approaching. Clara sr;ang again t'
his side. 9''-'' SO %. ",''--
Forgive me ~ she murmured. At tn
moonlight. Aarry levelled his gun, for h
knew those were hostile bayonets. Close be
hind him, tall, dark figure glided across tn
road & eg
i "Back ~ he cried, and ,leyelling at tn
nearest intruder, fired. A score of cracking
shots replied; sudden agony seized him
he heard a woman's shrek, long and shril
and then blackness swept over his senses.
1t was days before he recovered any con
sciousncss The wound was very severe, an
for long time thought to be fatal. He wa
, for hours delirious, and in all his raving Clara
image haunted his disorlered brainHe saw.
/ her calling upon. the enemy to, fire upon hin
he fancied her bringing up rank after rank {
y glittcring muskets that his single arm mu'
vanquish; he called on her again and agai
9 in the widest. tones to take his life, but spar
r his honor. When at last he recovered h
t senses, what A sad awakening It was Clai
: was gone, and he dnrst not ask anything abou
!! the events Of that terrible night. One aftel
noon he was lying with half-closed eyes, sadl
4 wishing that the bullet SO nearly fatal ha
! quite taken away his wretched life. He neve
doubted that Clara had betrayed and left hin
and now that she was gone, what had he
hone for s.so aS saas isG w s0er
= n He fell into, haif-dose of utter exhaustion
3 The room to which he had been conveye
was in one Of the great hospital, but apartfroI
,f the main building. He no longer require
! watchers, and to-day he was alone. He slel
e uneasily until the long warm afternoon hi
' faded away, and then he walked with lon
y sigh to mental misery and bodily pain. II
' sensitive ear seemed to catch responsive sig
u He listened; surely he was not alone. A viii
/; figure was kneeling by his bed. was it his 81
$ ter? He knew she was expected.
]; "Mary,' he whispered family. p
r.ta The bowed head was raised, and Clara
9 brown eyes met his own.ga ID ii
! "Claral" he asked bitterly; you here? ha'
you come to look at the ruin you ha'
i brought?" = ~
J. l3l"Harry,' she bid, seizihg his hand. and, d
It spite his feble pras, carrying it to herliT
"I swear to yeI'. .ag there is q Godin gheave
I knew not Of thpt surprise. ii see,'.., IL. 5pd