The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-10-24

| was Obliged to capitulate. In the course of
the attack on the castle. mine was sprung by
the beseiging party, and q turret, in which
Herbert was stationed, fell to the ground with
| terrific crash. For weeks he lay defirious;
and when at length he awoke to consci on ness,
ne 6onnd bimself the occupant Of Q handsome.
United chamber looking out on the church Of
! st. Nicholas. His host was q middle-aned
gentlemanly-lookinR person, of grave yet affa-
pie manners. He was q widower, and his
household consisted of himself, an aged house
keeper, two sons, and an only daughter. The
iatter-Eiiy OBrien-wss the sick mans prin-
cipal nurse, and no Sister of Mercy could have
bestowed more care on suffering invalid than
she did on Walter Herbert-strsnger though
he was to her creed and her country. From
heightened and almost continual intercourse,
feeling of mutual affection sprapg up between
the young people. Gratitude on the one hand,
and sympathy for the sufferin9s of the band
some young officer the other, heightened
this feeling til it grew into deep and lasting
the dangers he had passed ;" and he loved her
THAT she did pity them" But an insurmoun-
table obstacle to their union lay in their diff
and old Connor O'Brien would never hear of
any child OF his being united to one of that
creed which. in it's struggle for ascendency, he
believed to be the capse of much suffering
to MS country, even though no other impedi-
ment whatever existed. A private marriage
was thus their only alternative, and to this,
in an evil hour, poor Ely consented.
Months rolled on-months of bliss to Walter
and Eily-but their separation was at hand.
Important letters called Herbert away, almost
at moments notice: He hoped. however,
duration, and that he would soon return to pub
iioly claim his own Ely as his wife. But alasi
his hopes were doomed to sad and bitter disap.
pointmeut. On his arrival in England, he
found the entire country in arms and as it be-
came impossible to remain neutral, or return
to Ireland, he was forced to join the newly
formed corps just raised in his native county
by Henry Ireton, his fathers landlord. Once
under military discipline there was no retreat
ing; and though all his thoughts were turned
to Ireland, be was doomed to maddenipg aus
pense regarding her who alone made ireland
dear to him. All communication between the
two countries was now Suspended. At Edge
hill end Newbury he retrested before the kings
troops-and at Marston Moor and Naseby had
Q share in defeating them. But victory or de-
feat was alike void of interest to him. 1t was
even with Indifference he heard of his promo
ton for having saved his generals life at Nase-
by. The sole engressing thought of his exis-
tence was how to get back to Limerick. That
long-sought for opportunity at last arrived;
but when it did, it scarcely brought 10y to
Herbert. He was ordered to join in the inva-
ding Parliamentary force !; and, when he call
ed to mind the fierce fanatics who were to be
his fellow-soldiers, love made him tremble for
the Irish.
The fourteenth of June saw him on the
battlefield of Naseby-the following autumn
found him Sailing up the Shannon-and, ere
the close OF the year, be was gazing on the
steeple of st. Mary's and the towers Of Lime.
rick, from the battlements Of BunrattY, which
had fallen into the hands of the Parliamenta-
rians. He fancied he could even see the very
days. But beyond fancy he could not go. TO
reach the city was utterly impossible. All he
could learn, from an Abbey fisherman whom
they had taken prisoner, was that Connor
O'Brien was still alive, and that his daughter
was married and had beautiful little boy.
Who her husband was his informant could not
say but he thought he was an officer in Earl
Glamorgan's army. Herbert, however, we'll
knew who he was, and he would have risked
worlds to have sent back his prisoner in safety,
with even one line to Limerick. But Lord
of any communication with the city. Even
this intelligence, scsnty though it was, afford
ed him some consolation. He knew his wife
was safe, and unable any longer to endure the
he found means of returning again to Eng
land.
His next and last visit to Ireland was in the
summer of sixteen hundred and fifty. He was
then pretty high in command, and had hopes,
rs he sat down with Walters army of invest
ment before Limerick in the July of that year,
that should he be only able to effect an en-
trance into the town, his authority would be
sufficient to protect whomsoever he pleased.
But the year passed away, and still the city
held out, And, bad he but his wife and child
without its walls, he would have couuselled
its burghers to hold out even still more man
fully, for he we'll knew the iron heart and
bloody baud of the execrable Hardness Waller.
The spring of the next year found him still
cate with any of its gallant defenders, his
hatred of trea chery would have urged him to
expose to them the per fdy of one of their own
whom they had raised to the rank of colonel.
This wretch was named FennelI: and, for his
treason In selling the passes of the Shannon at
ktllaioe, their commander in chief Cromwell
had promised him and his descendants many IA
fair acre in TiPPeraFy. By this pass Ireton
and his myrmldons crossed the river into
Glare and with them passed Walter Herbert.
Still his heart was full of hope of saving all
he held dear in the leaguered city. Spring
passed away, and summer again came and
still the assailing host made no progress to-
ward the capture of the town which Ireton and
his father.in-lAw regarded as the key Of all the
Munster territories. In the burning heat of
July, while pestilenoe daily thinned the ranks
of the besieged, an assault was ordered on the
almost defeuceless keep that guarded the
northern extremity of the salmon weir, aud
Herbert was reluctantly obliged 20 form one of
the stormiDg party. His immediate senior in
command was person named Tuthill--One of
those heartless hypocrites who could preach
and pray while his brutal sOldiery were massa-
cring the wives and children of the brave mon
whom the chances of war made his victims.
The fort was carried by overwhelming num-
bora; aud Herbert was doomed to witness
with horror. the butohery of thu anrviv;p,r