Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1865-11-16

tldiI tWCtFC ibOi tAS
she had been welded to q favored
rival, who had died before their
sweet babe saw the light; and
ever sinee that fatal event an un-
speakable sadness had settled
on her beautifulface, and her young
heart seemed to be buried In the
cold grave of her love. And yet
she was fully conscious OF possess
ing the affection of another as
eomely in features, as noble and
chivalrous in soul, as the one she
had laid away in the sepulchre; /;
and that other, the mate who had
played with her in the dewy dawn
of life, when all its golden hills
were radiant with purple light,
and rich in fairy enchantments.
When y,ung Allen lifted up the
unhappy widow, already, or very
soon, perhaps, destined to be child
less also, in his arms, their cheeks
toue he'd; then their eyes met, and
u strange look Of Intelligence
passed between them, ike a faint
fash of magnetic light, while she
cried in tones ncffably sweet and
Inournful-" -"Oh! John, save my
Emmal Bring her down to a
mothers bosom, and will love
you as | loved her fatherf'
Quickly, as an arrow shot from
the bow, the youth snatched a
pistol from the belt of bystand-
er, and thrusting it into his pock-
ct, began to ascend the tree. BY
scores they shouted to him to re-
turn, alleging that be would not
only sacrifice the life of the child
by his rashness, but his own life
also. He needed them not. He
advanced cautiously. yet steadily,
even swiftly, keeping his eyes
fixed, with a piercing, fearless
gaze, on tasose of the monster, like
u tanner Of wild beasts, until lie
planted his feet firmly on the
junction of the great limb of the
oak, within FIVE feet of his demon
enemy. The beer gave a horrible
growl, but seemed cowed neverthe-
less beneath the steady lightning
Of the human eye, and turning
completely round in the hollow Of
the rock, as if attempting to es-
cape through the impenetrable
wall, it dropped the child, or shawl,
from its mouth in a position of
comparative safety. Then again
it faced It's human foe, and ap-
peared preparing to make an I'M
| mediate attack. There was seen
a single hash-there was heard a
sharp roar-and the big, black
| fiend tumbled down eighty feet
through the air, with q bullet In
| the centre Of bis brain.
Next the throng beheld young
Allen take up the bu,.dle of shawl,
and the corpse, as it was supposed
to be. within it; and after binding
| them with bis handkerchief to his
shoulders, he rapidly descended
the tree.
In the meantime, from the mo-
ment his feet had left the ground,
until their safe return, that pale
mother had remained on her knees,
with tears falling like rain on her
cheeks, her eyes lifted to heaven,
and her white lips moving as if in
prayer. Was not all her soul one
unutterable prayer? Alas! that
such sorrow should sometimes be
on Gods fair earth woe that
needs not the use of words!-tem-
pestuous tremors that rend and
tear the heartstrings, like the barbs
of Indian arrows!
| As saon as the youth touched
the earth, she sprang and caught
the bundled shawl, aud hastily
o:ened its folds, when two sweet
blue eyes smiled up in her face, in
all the fullness of health and ali
the beauty of innocence.
| "Heavenly Father, thank thee;
and goa, Also" she added, looking
divine tenderness on the blushine
features Of young Allen. She
could say no more. All her
nerves, strung to their utmost ten
sion too long, now that the awful
crisis was over, relaxed, and she
sunk down into the arms of love
which expanded to receive her
and gave way to passionate burst
of tears, where SORROW and JOY
were strangely blended