Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1868-05-08

sne Hau dropped. "On EStelle, my
angel, 1 do love you so fondly-why
will you trife with me? 1 must SEE
her, and tell her. Here he heard
vOices-they were Villier's and Es
telle's--they approached--stepp
beck he concealed himself.
But where has that hot headed
Harry of yours goneT' said Villiers
He is here to answer for himself
said Harry fiercely, striding in and
confronting them with flushed brow
fWell, and what has Monsieur
Eavesdropper to say for himself?'-
This" cried he, "and this" at the
same time, with his clenched hand
striking Villiers two blows across the
face. Villiers seized him, and being
a man, while Harry was only seven.
teen, would have injured him, 40 en-.
ragged was he, but Estelle rushing be
tween them cried, "Harry, darling,
cease Mr.. Villiers, be calm W Vii
liers Withdrew his hand and Harry
muttering maledictions, rushed from
their presence.
On the following day, Harry pass
ing by a knot of men, heard the fol-
lowing: "why does not Villiers chal-
lenge him? Struck in the presence
of lady"
"Because this very lady prevents
-as Villies is engaged to her he does
not wish to bring the odium of duel
upon the connection" Almost stu
pefied, Harry hurried on.
Thus the breach widened-pride
withheld each one from advancing,
so silence reigned between them.
On bright Sunday morning, just
two months after the above named
events took place, crowd of young
people were collected in the aisle OF
the old Methodist Church, and i'm the
center stands Harry H., equipped in
the elegant uniform of the Southern
Cavalry. Tomorrow he leaves for
Virginia, and is to-day bidding his
friends farewell. AS he passes from
the Church he touches Estelle; she
drops in his hand a tiny flower--ah
now they are reconciled-alas, no,
Estelle's pride rebuked her for .he act,
and she hastily turned away, and
carelessly and idughinyly hurried on.
"Very well' muttered Harry cold
ly-and cast the flower from him
Uery ,oeu? Oh Harry is it well with
thee? Is it well with thee around the
camp-fire-in the dashing charge--in
the wild melee? ah no! That sad
face, and longing, wishful look deny
with Estelle, admired ard flattered,
as she Is? That vacant eye and list
less look answer too truly. Now my
friends, to some of you this may seem
nonsense !; to you whose blood runs
so sluggishly through your veins that
you cannot recall the feverish surges
of youth, or to you WHO have lain
down at the alter of fashion or mani
mon all impulsive emotion, made
yourselves mere conventional auto
n,ota--you may say "this boy and
girl cannot love each other during a
protracted absence" But remember,
my frozen tufts of artificiality, that
"absence conquers little passions, but
aggravates large ones''-and remem-
ber that love Is q divine essence-a
portion of deity itself, and not an ION
change speculation, or point in eti-
quette-and my plodding, matter OF
fact skeptics, draw distinction be.
tween the superficial passion you af-
feet, and pure young love, and then
YOU will not be astOunded when say
that where first love enters young
breast, (unless murdered by monsters
of your classl it will, i'm spite of cir
cumstances, lingcr there Jorerer.
At 2 o'clock, in the day, on which
the battle of Fredericksburg was
fought, Wade Hampton, at the head
of his chivalric legiOns, with banners
f1uttering gaily, with drums land
trumpets rending the air, emerged
from q misty wood and dashed against
the foe. 1t was u grand sight, and
Gen.s tLce watched with intense
anxiety, the charge-at length the
shock comes, and from the conflict is
sues livid flashes, as If a volcano had
belched forth its fiery volume; COW
cred from sight the two hosts strug-
Cling for the mastery; while the cur
tain of smoke that folded them in,
moved to and fro, and rent before the
bright red flames, and closed again,
and rolled in rapid circles round the
spot, telling plainly, to the armies be-
low what wild work the stern Hamp-
ton was making with the enemy-at
length the fire and smoke lessened-
the sulphurous canopy rolled away
and 10 the Southern cross waving
triumphant. But the battle is not
vet hometown the line dashes Gen.
Hampton-'T want volunteer to
carry dispatches to Gen. Lee" A stir
is noticed i'm the ranks--and on a
magnificent steed, followed by deaf
ening cheers, boy horseman dashes
out-as, almost maddened with excite
ment, with quivering lips and spark
ling eve he dashes up to the Gems.
side, we recognise our young friend
Harry---a grasp of the hand and "God
bless you," my boy, from Hampton,
deafening applause from his com-
rades, and he is gone. Let us follow
him in his wild gallop=through shot
and shell he dashes gallantly-but
now see, two of the enemy sweep out
TO intercept him. Instinctively he
grasps his pistol, he fires,
the foremost falls, but see, he reels,
and blood trickles from his face, but
still he galloped on. Ah, he has fall
len, but up he springs, attempts to
disentangle himself from his dying
steed, hut Is so faint he can scarcely
stand, and now as he looks UP to meet
his other enemy, he sees his rival
Villiers with a fiendish smile riding
down upon him. "Ah you damned
young william, / have you now," he
throws his pistol, Villiers fires, as he
falls and swoons while his foe gallops
over him and on. .
|
In the drawing room Of an elegant
mansion in the village of Patapsco
in an arm chair, and in an absorbing
reverie sits our friend Harry, almost
well. AT length he Is awakened
therefrom by the entrance Of girl OF
sweet sixteen. "Oh Mr.. Harry"
sava sha we ojyls ara ssoinp to have "A