Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-04-22
CONTINUED from frs, page.l

into tears. Her father, touehed Win hci
manner, attempts to speak more kindly
Come, my daughter. weep not. Jour
love is deeper than thought; ont Time
and distance, methinks, Will wear II away
He has gone then-gone to join the villain
Cromwell. Better employ, by far, there's
for him. but the madness of youth sur
rounds him. No child, weep not, think
not more of him"
Bertha attempts no reply, but seeks the
silence of her own chamber where she
gives vent to her feelings, in quiet and
alone, for the one she so fondly loves.
Her father, who, during the converse
ton had ceased his smoking. again re-
sumes the comfort afforded by his pipe, at
the withdrawal of Bertha from the room.
1t is the evening of the same day upon
which the events, narrated above, took
place. The time is nearly midnight. Ber-
tina sits in her chamber, Notwithstanding
the late hour, engaged in some feminine
labor, but her mind is not upon it, Ever
and anon she pauses, and takes from her
bosom a likeness, a miniature painting OF
her loved one.
Suddenly, she thinks she hears voices,
which reach her ears through her chamber
door, standing slightly aiar. She APP
proaches the door. and listens. narrow
passage connects her door with the en-
trance of the room into which the reader
has been introduced. From this room
the voices apparently come.
Our heroine noiselessly glidcs along
this passage till the door OF the room, con-
tanning the persons engaged in converse
ton, is reached This door is sufficiently
ajar to allow her to plainly see one OF the
persons in the room.
The person who meets Berthas gaze is
apparently youth OF nineteen or twenty
years. His hair, inclining to the auburn,
is cut snugly about his round fairly
shaped head. He wears II shirt of the
coarsest of hemp, and leggins of the same
material. A pair of heavy shoes for his
feet.
Bertha has apparently not heard the
first part of the conversation: there are
two speakers-the young person just de-
scribed, and one invisible, whom she rec
ognizes from the voice to be her father.
Her fathers voice is the first she hears.
"Safe ?-he says-Safe ?-lea, my lad:
We are safer in this house than ye have
been for many nights past: Truly, the for
est. secured by the cursed rebels is no
better protection than this. my humble
home and methnks the limb of tree af-
fords no safer resting-place, than my mod
est cot"
II sincerely thank you," replies the
youth. "for your hospitality. God knows
how much am in need of friends but,
to stay here for but one night, | fear.
would be dangerous--the p-owling hounds
with their keen scent would track me to
this place ere morning--their human dogs
are fierce pursuers when once they gain
the proper track.
"That well know that well know"
says the other; ''but there is naught of
danger from that source-thou art lost to
all but me, and, my lad, We must remain
for few days. at least, till the forces OF
the base usurper-"
At this moment, Bertha accidentally
touches the door at which she is listening,
causing slight noise; and, fearing lest
the noise made might reach the persons
engaged in conversation, quickly glides
back to her own room, and, extinguish'
ing the light which was there burning,
quickly disrobes and retires.
The noise made by our heroine was APP
parently unheard by her father or the
young man, as she did not hear any man.
ifestations which would probably have oc
Cured had it been otherwise.
Much of the remainder of the night Ber
tina spent endeavoring to solve the prob
leem of who the young man could be
whom she had seen talking with her faith
er. And, from the conversation which she
had heard, she finally convinced herself
that the young man was no other than
Prince Charles the fugitive, in disguise.
IcoNrISrFD To.Norpow