Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1864-10-01
TALES AND SKETCHES.
TWICE AT BAY.
BY EDWARD wILLET.

1t was midnight at east Tennessee, not
tthe night of nature, but the middle of dark
and detestibe night during which that per
secuted region was crushed under the Da-
Wis deposition. 1t was political midnight
in East Tennessee. 1t was nearly twilight,
when young man and young CIR; sat at
the open window of a fine mansion near a
pleasant little vilage-a village now almost
swept out of existence by the Sirocco-breath
! of war.
The girl was Mary Basham, an orphan,
who, with her brother Richard had inherit
ed the splendid property of her parents,
consisting mostly of land and slaves. The
greater part of the slaves had been lefC to her
brother; but the mansion belonged to them
in common, and she also owned good sum
in Louisville bank shares. Her brother had
taken up arms to protect his property, as he
probably thought, and was then Captain
of Confederate guerllas. Mary Basham
was considered great catch," and it was
certainly strange, if not improper, in Mrs.
Grundy's eyes, that she should love that
fair haired young man who sat by her side
at tue open window, for Earnest Fielder had
had no riches, except fair share of talent
and true, honest heart. He was only a
music teacher, and a German ut :hat. Con.
u i
a marriage with him would he bad mcsal-
lance as Mary Basham could make.
You are foolish, Ernest" said the girl,
os ne plucked flower from the vine and
nulle, to pieces. what is the Union to
rrou th, you are so anxious to make your
self n mn, rtr for its sake2 Besides, what
can Won dc. for the UEion hy hiding ont in
the woods an / mountains, and being hunt
ed down at last, 81. hung, or shot, or i'm
prisoned. So far. althu,"G Oh you have been
subject to annoyance, you to. ""ned harm
and now, if you will simply submit 10 the
-. order of things, all will be we'll u"
~, ~ - III not be troubled"
~" SThn Tnion is everything to me, Mary
p sham " ,aio the young man, for it shell
, rod % me- ond i,s H. ''g protected me when
c.me to tLis conntry n exile; and under
,ho I.nion have enioyco the fruit ol my
iaior. and have been happy e nd G"nt'n'cd'
It would be worse than Jrgrati'' y" '" We
selt it now, because happen 10 a ""'"'s
its enemies" -
Then you will leave me-" said -" GIRL
as she tore flower passiunatcly.
II must, Mary, unless you can he con
vnced that it is polite as well as right to
seek peace and safety on Union ground
But that is not to be expected, aud do not
wonder at you being slave OwDer
20, brother the slaves broke IL the I'M
petuous girl. They are more troub, thaA
they are worth, and always were J'ck
BasEam is welcome to all of them, if Ia
wants them, except Hessy and little jim. l
always felt as if | belonged TO them more
than they belong to me, and the feeling is
irksome. But as for those guerilla bands,
like that of brother Dicks, they are a dis
grace to the country, ana ought not to he
permitted. Dick has said he meant to bring
! his gang OF Iufans here some night, and
give them II supprr-as II would stay IN
the house where these wretches are holding
their drunken orgies! l dread him Ia do 1t.
liumph. he talks so much about the blood
of the Baslams- let him try to c"mmit such
an outrage on common decency, and he will
find that there is as much blood of the Bash
ans in my veins as in his. ! will let master
officer know that am not to lie frightened
by him.
The conversation was here interrupted
by rough looking man. dressed in brown
homespun, badly tattcred, and carrying a
long rifle upon his shoulder. who came hur-
ricrlv over tic lawn toward the house
Hardly stopping 10 knock he entered the
frCnt door. ard pushed into the room where
Mary Busham and Ernest Fielder wrre talk
ing.
Beg pardon Niss," said he, pulling a
slouched hat from an unkcmpt head, and
resting the bait of his rifle upon the carpet;
sorry to cCrens in so sudden like. !ut
{ hcyn't no time for perlitcness Mr.. Fielder,
the gueri.las has been huntin' for you in the
village and they ken trot. So there amt
no time for tradin' horses ef you want TO
git Oft
1T has come sooner shan expected,
J Mary" said Ernest, as he started up.
Must lid YOU farewell now, and perhaps
forever. If can reach She Federal lines
safely, will try to get word to yoas"
: mo use talkin' bout the Federal lines
now, Mr.. Fielder" said the rough-looking
man, for here's the guerilas."
As he spoke, about twenty hnrsemen
dressed in homespun imitation of the Con
: federate uniform, rode up the street, and
, halted in front of the mansion, They were
! vil!anous set to look at, and were armed
with all sorts of weapons, from hunting
.ihe To iint-lock pistol At their head
. rode young man in the gay uniform OF .
. Confederate officer, whose seat IN the saddle
, was quite unsteady.
, "They are q part of Dick Basham's gang,
b said Mary, as she cody serveyed them irou
the window, "and he is with Them and h
I is drunk again, Ill be bound. IL is enough
to destroy any mans respect for himself q
associate with such wretches, and shoulC
!; think nothing could induce gentleman, a.
), Dick Basham used TO be, tn do it,"
e "Come, Ben Sterling" said Fielder VIII
n had hastily seized his hat, I'VE can ye
:. escape by the back way"
!, "No!" exclaimed the girl as her eye sho
Il fire. "You can d1 no such thing tor the
y have already surrounded the house. Come
y now you two, you are nlen, and you hay
!. !. arms, aud ifit comes to the worst, yo
a know how 10 sell your lives dearly. But Il
me do my part first, for tell you that ne
a man Of that gang shall cross this threshold
while Mary BAsham liyesl Mr. Fielder, Civ
g me one OF your pistols"
|" Quite oyerboTne by the interpidity an
- energy bf the high-spirited girl, Ernest We
der almoat mechanically handed her a pl
- iol quick as thought, she brought out ifol
sn Edjoinlng closet large tin can lille
oa with powder, carried ID into the hail. thTe
~ open the daaT, and slaod there, With a pl
70 lol Ia hand, proud and defiant, aud hs.nl
ful la her Pride and dshaRee.
:, Captain iiashans With four of his Toug
n tfo0psTs, dlsnlounlsd. and walked towAI
>" tbs h0use, fhs path wss hardly nj,
-, enough fof the gallant captain, whom