The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1863-03-31
wAR AND ROMANCE.

s
place. The work Of the destruction
was efiectaaIly done not a structure
which could shelrer a rebel head was
left standing in tho region for several
miles around. Among other habiia-
tions destroyed was that of Mrs. Har-
ris, 4 eilon lady, young. comely, and
/ possessed of external attractions h the
shape Of hundred and fhy niggers,
which she had eonriyed 10 save from
the prescn, opperation Of the "decrce"
by sending them up the Yazoo river.
But Mrs. Harris was a rebel, intense,
red-hot IN her advocacy Of southern
rights and her denunciation Of north
ern wrongs. Although she bad not
taken up arms against the govern
mcni. she was none the less subject to
the indiscriminaiing swoop OF " he
proclamation her niggers, according
to That document, were free, and il the
coufcderaey failed she could only get
her pay for them by establishing her
loyalty 10 a court Of justice. lIer 10y
ally to the Yankee nation i--not she |.
She was spnnky, as widow Of thirty
can be-. She could ;, G Old Abe and
every other Yankee in the happy land
Of Canann beiore she could acknoSl-
edge allegiance TO the Washington
government Nevertheless. being all
she ossessedof this worlds ,aluabirs.
she would like TO save tllos nisscrs.
Nothing easier" suggested Cspl.
Edward w Sutherland. ~ tie )
ram Queen Of ihe West, who, attract
ed by her swapping black eyes c'sag-
ed ia friendly sarian vilh ilir
lady, after burning her house ,lown
Nothing easier in the eorI'f nj z
am"
"lIo@ %. captain ,you doh'l itn.
maeinc | would take that odiou. oath.
do you assure you would not do
it tor every nigscr in the Soul"
" lul YOU need not take the euh,
madsm-at least not ihW oath.
! 10 not understand YOU, captain
said the widow.
:" ! said you need not take the oath
Of allegiance you can establish your
loyalty without it--at lcasi,' with q
respectful low, " can establish it for
you"
Indeed, Low viii you do il cap
tain Z"
{" Simply enough. lam in the gov
ernment ser, ice. ] command one OF
the boats Of the western navy---tech-
nically dcnominaied ram, madam -
down here in the river. OF course
my loyalty is unimpeached, and, mad
am, assure sou il is unimpcachablc.
Now, II we could only say 10 the gov
ernment, those niggers are mine"
The captain waited moment to
see what effect his speech was produe-
ing.
We'll" said the widow, impatiently
tapping with her well shaped foot one
Of the smoking timber Of her late do
micil.
"In short, my dear madam, You can
save the niggers, save your conscien-
tious scruples, and save me from fu
ture life Of misery By becoming my
wifc."
The captain looked about wildly, as
If be expected a sudden attack from
guerrilias. The widow tapped the
smouldering timbers more violently
for few minutes. and then, farming
her bright eyes full upon the captain,
said. " LII do il"
The last arri, al at Cairo from yjcks-
burg, brings the intelligence that Capt.
Sutherland. Of the ram Queen Of the
West. was married few DAYS since
on board lle gunboai Tyler, 10 Mrs.
Harris, Of Skipwith landing. Several
officers Of the army ard navy we're
present 10 witness the ceremony. which
vas rerfo med by Methodist clergy
man. aud Admiral Porter gave away
the blushing bride. She il represented
10 be woman OF indominilable pluck,
and iof iha present shares the wild life
- L.. Na.ss - a a.