Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1879-03-15
THE BRIDE OF THE sANTEE ;
Or the Ride of Marion's Men.

"We don't care for the danger, captain,
we're used to that. There amt one of us
but had rather risk his life than that old
| tory should rob you Of your BRIDE She's
| very staunch patriot, too, and hates the
very ground that a red-roat or tory walks
on. We'll save her, captain, from mat
tin with Silas Hall, or all of US will die
in tho attempt"
"Spcken like your own self, Robert; 1
felt that could depend upon you and the
| rest OF my mon to help inc carry out my
plaus. 1t is tho only way there is to save
her. Her uncle, Amos HerIir, watches
her like dragoon, as does Silas Hall.
who declares he will marry her before
two days are over. He has such influence
with TarletOn that he has sent half
score of his cut-throats to guard the
house. This much 1 learned from Rose,
who managed to get me u note by Pip,
| her servant Her uncle is determined to
| marry her to Hall, whether she will or
I no-and P;lrson Sabine is just tho man to
do the foul deed for them. He would
pronounce the ceremony whether she was
willing or not. There is but ono thing to
| do we must steal her away from under
! the very nose Of the red-coat and their
| tory friend"
"And we will do it, captain. There
| never was q time yet, but that we could
| out wit them when we tried, 1t never
! was said, and hope it never will be that
! Marion's men were not u match for the
enemy. Tonight We will pay them a
| visit if you say so, and when we como
| back wo will bring Rose Hcrlin with u.s.
"rhat We will, captain" echoel all tic
men gathered about him.
'Thaul> you, boys. 1t is not often we
| fail, and feel that we shall not in this
! case-we must not. If we do not it will
! be too lato, and all be lost. Roso Hcrlin
| mnst be saved tonight. She knows of
| what we mean to do if the black boy,
| Pig, gets back all right, aud I know no
reason why he should not. As soon as it
| is dark wo viii sci ont, and trust in Prov
i,lence and our own strong arms to help
u.s."
! A few words here by way Of eXplnna-
| tion, that the reader may better compre-
| hedd that which has already been partly
revealed to them.
! Capt. Blake commanded Il company of
his own raising in the forces of Gen. Ma
rion. Drawer officer than be there was
not in tho command.
| Marion honored and trusted him, and
lie was the idol of his men.
For two years past Rose Eerlir had
been his promised bride.
She was an orphan. Her parents had
been dead for several years, and her home
| had been with her uncle
| Amos lIcrlin was tory Of the most
virulent sort. He was loyal to tho king
| and crown, and held in utter detc,tation
those who were battling oppression and
for the liberty Of their country. Ono
thing if possible angered him more than
any other; Rose, u member of his house
hold and his dead brothers child, was as
sturdy q patriot as there was in tho col
onics.
His anger against her seemed to in.
crease day by day, until his house be-
came 50 uncomfortable that she felt that
she could no longer abide beneath his
rocf.
lie knew Of her engagement to Capt.
Blake, and he stoutly sworc that there
should be IN end to the matter forever.
Over and over again he declared that
he had rather she should we'd with him.
A friend of his, 6: tory like himself, and
nearly as old, demanded her of him for q
wife, and he rouudly swore that he should
have her.
If she would not Of her own accord, she
would be forced to do as they wished,
and to carry out this threat, the day was
set for the wedding, aud to leave no av-
enues for her escape, tho weultl-be bride
groom, Silas Hall, had procured some of
Tarleton's miDions to guard the home of
Amos Herlin, undcr tho plea that it was
in danger Of being robbed by the patrt-
OTIS, who were known to be lurking near
at hand.
This was the condition of affairs at the
time our story opens, and we now pro-
coed to take up tho thread Of our narra-
tive.
II was the afternoon preceding the day
in y h!ch Rose was to be forced to bccome
the wife Of Silas Hail.
In spite her p:otestations her uncle
did not alter his avowcd purpose.
''rhc wife of Silas Hall you shall be-,
ho cried. II have sworn it, and will
not be turned from any purpose
"Never, ncver,' cried Rose in lespera-
ton. "Do not hope for it.; my lips shall
mover speak tho words that shall bind
mo to that old Villain; I will die first" /
"Xou need not speak them unless YOU
wish to. Parson Sabine vii not be par