The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1864-02-04
Paul Cleve's Captivity.


The September sun being low in the
West, along the Virginia pine thickets,
blue shadows were beginning to trem-
BILE, and the level rays tipped with gold
the tall chimneys OF the sold place."
shining full on the China roses, whose
scarlet blossoms hung over the porch
like clusters of jewels, seeming actual
ly to light up the blue, green gloom of
the solemn cedars on the lawn.
Within, the twilight was already con-
testing the domain of that wide stone
1oored hall, with the orange glow Of
sunset. An old mahogany armchair,
carved quantity, and cushioned with
dark green leather, stood beside the
chimney-piece. and directly in front of
the window lay spotted tiger-skin,
full of strange Eastern associations !;
for old Harvey Miner had been trav-
eler in his younger days, and this
bizarre rug suited bis taste.
Now, however, its velvet softness
bore the unwonted burden of human
body stretched motionless, with white,
blood streaked face, with the tarnished
uniform of federal officer. The fea-
lures were straight and regular, the
brows arched with delicate precision,
and the jet black hair hat fell over the
forehead was matted together with con-
gealed blood from some hidden wound,
and amid those dark curls the crimson
stream made its slow way drop by drop.
There he lay, the near presence OF
death investing his face with marvel.
Gus, still beauty, amid strangers in a
strange land - ~.
Close behind him, knelt on one knee,
the young confederate Lieutenant, his
finger on the almost motionless pulse,
while old Harvey Miner stood before
the group with Brutus sternness in
his cold, blue eyes, and Mrs. Miner and
her daughter were busying themselves
with trembling haste among the linen
bandges and rolls of lint.
"Albert," said the old man, gravely,
"was this well P" Have you forgotten
the watchword-" Death to the in.
vaders."
"I could not help it, sir" said the
young man, raising to his feet. 81
know that l deserve your blame, l
know I've been a soft.hearted fool, and
yet-there is no use of denying i'll
should do the same thing over again
again under the same circumstances.
Hang it! man isn't made of iron, to
see a fellow creature in such sore strait,
and never lift finger to his aid.''
/ suspect he would have no scruples
in making way with you, had "circum.
. stances" as you called them, been re.
versed." gaTJ a @ bairI
"Faitb, sir! he came pretty near it
in his desperate struggle to escape. If
it hadn't been that Selim was well
trained, and swerved just the right mo-
ment, l should have been down among
the pines with his pistol ball through
my brain % -....5 r5.., =
! Harvey Miners brow grew black.
"Why did not you dispatch him then
and there ?''
"Father, ! could not! When he fell
from his horse and lay there among the
bushes, bis face was so like our Harold's
as / saw it on the field of Antietam.
He looked at me with Harold's eyes,
land then swooned away. Father, !
could not have harmed him was it to
save my own life p di d stl
Wrong, wrong, Albert I" said the
fold man, shaking bis head gravely.
{" However, it is over and done, and
now our duty remains to deliver him
over TO justice.
The tears were dropping fast upon
the dark hair from which the Southern
matron was sponging away the coagu'
lated clots of gore. She looked through
their dim sparkles into her husbands
face.
i Harvey, the poor boy' is dying
He will soon be beyond the reach Of
any earthly tribunals-let him die in
peace !"
"Was it not such as he that mur
dered Harold ?' asked the old man
, sternly. Is it not such as he tha,
comes to rob US of our hearts and
homes ?"
{ + 81 know i'll know it." sobbed The
wife, but, father, if my boy had beer
carried to a Northern hearthstone-'
Even as she spoke the eyelashe'
quivered, the eyes were opened, ant
, the word Mother ~