The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1877-03-08

wagon, meaning to reach the top Of the
hill and reconnoitre the country. He
turned abruptly now, and reined up beside
the wagon. Nancy still stood there glow
ing and defiant, and some of the men
were laughing, others cheering the Gilt
tie rebel"
The young officer smiled and then cour-
teously lifted his hat from his head. He
was good-looking young fellow OF tWen-
ty years or so, with waving fair hair and
deep blue eyes.
Aunt Kitty says that her mother, who
was little Ruth Robertson, a child OF ten
years then, has often told her how Capt.
Ellesmer bowed and glanced admirably at
Nancy's pretty flushed face, and then or
dered his men away, and escorted the
wagon back to the farm house, promising
that everything there should be safe, and
taking only a small quantity of provisions
lor his men Aunt Kitty repeats. with the
air OF Sir Charles Grandson, his courte
Gus speech to Nancy's mother: II give
YOU the word of a British soldier, madam,
that you shall be safe We do not war on
women and children" But | am not sure
that Capt Fllesmere said that. know
that somebody did, however. and why not
he
And when the troopers went away, It is
said that Capt. Eliesmere gravely stopped
and kissed Nancy's little brown hand, and
SAID, gallantly:
81 feel honored, madam, to have served
SO brave and fair lady !" Dear me, what
grand, stately, courteous old days they
We're Nobody talks to me so, and ii |
broke china punch howl in that tempe3-
tuous way, it wouldn't be called courage"
but ''temper. :"
They heard no more OF Capt. Ellesmere
for a long while, though sometimes the
British soldiers were very near RObertsOn's
farm, and sometimes skirmishes We're
fought III the neighborhOod But tour
Years alter the famous affair of the punch
bowl, one soft moonlight night, there came
A feeble rap at the front door, and Nancy
went to see who was there. There, sunk
upon 4 bench. was the figure Of a man
who seemed sick almost dy ing, SO ghaat-
~ pale was he. lie rose and crept near to
Nancy. and looked at her He was dressed
in the hateful red coat Of the British sol
der, and as he looked at her, she saw it
was Capt Ellesmere lie lifted h7 hat
and bowed with the old courtesy
Madam" he said, in low, faint tones.
n am Captain Geottrey ElleSinere. |
have been u prisoner, and have escaped.
| am at your mercy now. for | am wound-
ed to the death y Then he fell tainting on
the floor, and Nancy ran to her mother TO
come and help him ''For he is dying
and oh, mother, his name is Geot1rey p
she sobbed
SO these good women took him ia and
n,,r,,I months ltnr ni
he didn't de- obtaining a parole for him,
house till his wound was quite well, and
bosom into the hands Of the little rebel
Nancy Robertson. How could it be other
wise? Nancy was lovely young girl of
nineteen now. fair and fresh as the dawn.
The hands that had broken the punch
bowl We're tender and skillful in the bind
ing of wounds and bathing OF aching
heads, and the making of delicate drinks
and yiands. Before he could leave his bed,
Capt. Ellesmerc loved his kind, plying lit
tie nurse
Then, aiterward there were the long
weeks of convalescence, when he lay on
the great settle with pillows round him.
watching Nancy at her spinning, or her
sewing, or her bread making. AS he grew
stronger. there We're golden hours with her
in the orchard he lying on the grass read
ing to her as she sewed, or (perhaps y not
reading, but Just idly watching her chang
ing face, with its smiles and fitting blush
cs and dark lashes dropping quietly over
the hazel eye.
Then there were short walks, which
grew longer and longer, till one day, as
they sat by clear little spring in the
woods, hardly q mile from the house,
Geotlrey suddenly said:
"Nancy, am so strong and well now,
that it is my duty to get an exchange if
can, and go back to the army"
Nancy did not say Il word She looked
al him one moment. with eyes out of which
the sparkle and smile had died abruptly,
then she turned away her head, and he
could lust see one cheek, but that was
white rs death. and the black lashes
dropped heavily upon it.
Il shall be very sorry to go, ac went
on, watching her keenly as he spoke, land
hope you will be sorry too. VIII you "'
Still, with her head turned away, and
her little fingers trembling. plucklnG at
the ferns that grew near her, Nancy an
swered in very low tone,
s.lt is hard to lose q friend and it il
lonely here, YOU know Then, as il try
iug to speak lightly, "But for vou-why,
there will be change and stir, and-you
will soon get over being sorry to leave us,
and torget-us.'
That will! not" vowed Capt. Geot-
frey. IF | went to the ends of the earth,
and stayed away a thousand years, would
never forget you, because | love you, my
dearest, with all my heart Look at me,
Nancy / want to see if YOU love me ~
lie was hnealing beside her on the grass,
and taking both her cold trembling little
hands in one of his, with the other he
turned her face gently toward him, and
gazed into the clear depths OF her eyes
Yes, there were tears there She did love
him, and ner white cheek turned sweetest,
glowing crimson as he took her in his
arms and kissed her, and swore. that rs
soon as the war was over, he would come
back and marry her, and take her home
to England
"Wil you go with me. sweetheart ~ he
asked and bent his fair head to hear her
solt-whispered Eyes"
1t is singular how little q century has
changed rs in some things. | declare that
people might behave IN Just that way
nowadays. and not be thought at all old
fashioned in their notions. So little Nancy
Robert son. whose father was away fight
ing in the Continental army, had promised
to marry British officer; and one bright
morning she took q tearlu! leave OF him,
all alone, in the old parlor, which, with
its quaint secretary Indian screen. and
| heart-shaped chairs, was thereafter dearer
| to her than ever
Those were weary months that followed
the departure of Capt. Ellesmere from the
Robertson farm. and Il sorely torn and
aching heart poor Nancy carried in her
breast, while she knew that her father and
her lover were fighting against each other.
and she never heard word from Geoi-
frey. At last came news from him, and,
strangest of all, her father brought it
Col. Robertson came home from York
town, where he had been with the army
besieging CORVALLIS.
4 I II.