Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1867-03-08

trackless way, the deeper in the intricate ma
yes did she plunge.
IA thousand phantasies began to throng into
her memory
Of calling shapes, and beck ming shadows dire,
And airy tongues that syllable mems names
On sands and shores and desert wilderness"
Weakness would have sunk by the way
side, but the. braced nerves and daring spirit
of this heroic girl carried her forward amid
all dangers and in spite of all Obstacles
Her faith was in her high purpose, and she
trusted in unseen guardians to direct her
steps. Suddenly the moon shone forth, and
revealed to the quick eye Of little Walter a
party Of Federal soldiers, and as suddenly
passed under cloud. Sheltered by the
friendly darkness. the lady pursued her way
until ordered to halt by a horseman standing
Immediately in her front. With rare pres
ence of mind she determined to work upon
the dread Of surprisal with which Mosby had
inspired the Federal pickets, and in a voice
hoarse from exposure she ordered him to
surrender. There was no reply: but only
the sounds Of retreatiDg hoofs greeted her
ear. Her spirits rose with this adventure,
and supposing this to be the only picket she
would encounter, she pressed rapidly for
ward. On reaching further point of the
road, she beheld with dismay the lights from
the town of Warrenton, and discovered that
instead of progressing on her journey she was
returning to the point from which she had
started
But the town lights, if they discovered
her mistake, yet furnished the traveller with
the means of rcctifying it, and as from a
new point Of departure, she started again in
the direction of Salem. But her adventures
were not yet over, for she had proceeded but
short distance when she beheld horse and
standing by it's side soldier He APP
preached, and laying his hand on her bride,
said: "otop, lady, you can 60 no further.
To what place are you bound?''
In tone Of innocence and candor, which
so we'll became her youth and beauty, she
replied that she had left home to visit sick
friend in Salem, but that owing to the dark
ness she had lost the road The soldier then
informed her that it would be his painful du-
ty to conduct her to the reserve, where she
would be detained till morning.
Il will not g." she replied. "You may
shoot me, but will not 60. am not will
ling for you to perform your duty"
'sNor will [ perform it, generously res
pended the soldier. 'No one could be so
cruel as to detain OF turn you back on such
night as this "
He then pointed to light, which for the
first time she saw cleaning from neigh
boring farmhouse, and babe her 60 there,
and then led her horse for short distance
by a circnitous route, to prevent her from run
ming into the reserve. AS he was about to
return to his post, he said:
Goodbye! have yet three hours on
picket to think of a freezing lady"
That sentinel was not made of common
earth
Miss Roberta soon reached the friendly
shelter to which she had been directed, and
communicated to the lady Of the house the
object Of her midnight adventure /; who. the
next morning, accompanied her visitor to a
rendezvous Of Mosby's men, in one Of the
gloomy recesses Of the mountain.
The next day Federal soldier descended
from the observatory to the residence of the
farmer, and gave the ladies an animated ac-
count of the alarm which, the night before,
they had had in consequence of threatened
attack from the guerrillas. "They sent one
Of their NUMBER" he said, Sin advance to
capture the vidette, but he was sharp enough
to escape the trap"