St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1863-05-14
"Nevcr, by heaven p cried I 'snot by
word, not by look"

""Nevcr, by heaven |" cried I !; ''not by
q. word, not by a look"
"But there may be other witnesses Of
this transaction, and" she paused mo-
ment, and then resumed-"In the CELL
tre turret OF the castle above US are de-
posted certain papers, which l am resol-
we'd to demolish with the fame of this
lamp; otherwise cannot rest in peace"
off that be all, / will accomplish it,
Give me the lamp"
-" You, captain ?''-and she shuddered
As she spoke.
"Nay, dearest Dorothea, hesitate no
longer; time presses"
The maiden wrung her hands and wept
aloud.
<"Do you fear" resumed I, scarce know
ing what said, "that I should examine
the papers, and betray their contents ?'''
81 confess that is my fear" she replied
lingeringly.
s"Shall l then swear not to do so %
"No, but promise by your honor, by
your love for me, that when you have as
cended the turret, and found the packet
which is placed upon small box on fat
stone near its top, you will-without look
ing for any inscription-irstantly burn
both box and packet, and watch their
gradual consumption to ashes. Eo you
promise this?''
IL do, on the honor Of soldier ?"
The agitating occurrences of the night
had thrown my mind into state of chaos
I was incapable at the moment of any con-
neeted train Of thought, and my predomi-
nant feeling was the renewed hope Of at
length attaining Dorothea's heart and
hand.
| seized the lamp from the grasp of the
heroic though trembling girl, having once
more climbed the precipitous steep gained
its pinnacle without accident l felt dizzy
for moment on reaching the level from
whence the unfortunate Rusen had been
dashed but with uudinching resolution
waded. over broken stones aud rubbish until
Its winding-stair was imperfect and d.
lapidated, and l was half dead with fa-
tigue ere I had reached the top. The fresh
air however, which then blew unimpeded
over my head, did much to revive me,
and at length approached the mysterious
packet. 1t was deposited on stone which
projected a little from the wall.
True to my promise, l averted my eye
whilst applying the fame to the objects
mentioned. The paper however; having
probably become damp, would not readily
ignite, and Was thus unwillingly forced
toturn and look toward the stone whereup-
on it rested. when perceived its surface
to be-ccmpletely blank!
An icy coldness shot through every vein
as made this discovery. Meantime, the
paper had taken fire, aud as it blazed, emit
ted sundry sparks as if from gunpowder;
and having communicated to the box be-
meath, Immediately huge column Of blue
fame assembled, steadily, high into the
air.
My mental perceptions became clear on
the instant. All traces of confusion van
ished from my brain, and the whole truth
was at once developed With sudden i'm
pulse and supernatural strength, I drew
the stone from the wall, hurled it, box and
all, into the void below but it was to late
the signal was given: From the SUM-
NIT ofevery hill, far and near, fires arose,
as if simultaneously, tossing about their
flames like so many hell-spirits, in the
blackness Of night, replying to each others
call. The. next moment were heard the
drums OF the infantry, and the trumpets
of the dragons, and these we're quickly
succeeded by the thunder of small arms
and cannons which echoed from valley to
valley '.. .:'
J How descended, first the turret, and
then the rock, I have not the most distant
knowledge. Tearing myself from the out
stretched arms of Dorothea, I sprang like
a maniac into the village. Alas j! / just
arrived in time to see my brave fellows,
surrounded and overwhelmed, cut to pieces
by armed peasantry. Every where around
was shouted the signal cry-"N IS time :!
ON that fatal nj ght the Tyrol was lost to
Bavaria!
Struck by bullet fell; and when,
after great and protrscted suffering, I was
once more enabled to conceive what pass
ed around me, I found the mountain land
restored into the arms Of Austria, and rec
ognized in my nurse its heroic patriot,
Dorothea; who-hostilities having ceased
and no further national jealousy existing
between us-shortly afterwards became
my wife. .''2 -. il.
r A soldier dying of a lung disease in one
Of the Washington hospitals, had bis
ter applied between his shoulders Ly a
surgeon. The poor fellow looked waggish-
ly at the doctor, and grimly asked if a
man had to have stamp on him before