Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-04-27

sumed but she replied not. Her eyes were
downcast, her head was bowed on her white
hand and when, after moment, as she heart
the door close, she raised her eyes and wiped
away the tears that almost blinded her, to hel
great relief she saw that she was left alone.
, Never, to Ellen and Charles, did day ap
pear to haste away with such fearful rapidity
and, as the evening came on the latter could
plainly see from his window the preparations
: making for his execution. 1t was an mex.
pressibly bitter moment. Life, with it's ten
thousand charms, the claims of his mother
} and sisters-and, more than all, those of his
: country-came over his mind with such pain.
full distinctness, that he wept and, had Ellen
; then repeated her offer that she had before
made, he might have lived. 1t was but mo-
ment, however, and the proud consciousness
of innocence and reliance on the justice of his
country enabled him to rise above his fears and
his regrets.
The place selected for his execution was on
the verge of an open pinewOod, at little dis
tance from the garden-walls and as the de-
scending sun cast his last yellow rays on the
green tree-tops, the roll of the mufled drum,
and the slow and heavy tread of the troops
that had been drawn out. for the occasion, an
nounced to the prisoner that his hour had
come and, surrounded by bayonets, he pro-
ceeded to the designated place. The grave
was already dug, and as it was evidently the
wish of the royal officers to make as deep AL
impression as possible by the death of the reb-
el, however unjust his sentence might have
been, the ground was thronged by an immense
multitude, both of citizens and soldiers, who
were not on duty When Charles arrived, a
deep and suppressed murmur ran through the
crowd, but this expression Of pity was instant
ly silenced by the guard. The file of men
were drawn up for his execution a venerable
clergyman had administered the consultations
of religion, and he was directed to kneel to
meet his fate. To do this, or to be blindfold-
ed, young Hazlewood refused, and, with his
arms folded on his bosom, stood motonless as
a statue.
The fatal moment had almost arrived, when
the gate of the garden opened, and Clifford,
with the pale and beautiful Ellen on his arm,
was observed approaching. Passing through
the guard, who stood with their arms at rest,
Ellen no sooner saw Charles than she threw
herself into his arms, and, with all that pas
sonate eloquence which belongs to woman,
besought him to live.
''That you may become the slave and victim
of Clifford's vile passions ?" said he, in tone
which reached only her ear.
! 90 God ! No, never ~ she hastily eXclaim-
ed "but when you are safe, I can die, and
my''-
81 know what you would say, my dear Sis
ter" said Charles, tenderly kissing her, as he
interrupted her words "but / must not hear
them now. Heaven will bless and keep you-
farewell Then, releasing her from his arms,
he turned to the officer of the guard, and said,
in voice firm as when in his fathers house,
II am ready"
But the fearless girl clasped her arms around
his neck, and, placing herself between her
brother and the file of men, declared she would
die with him. 1t was in vain that Charles
demonstrated ; she was immovable.
"Tear them apart!" cried Clifford, to two
or three of his ready minions. ''Tear them
apart ~ he sternly repeated, as he saw that
reluctance was evinced, and that all around
were sensbly affected by the spectacle of gene
rosity and affection before them.
The peremptory tone in which he spoke had
the effect of rousing the attention of some Of
his followers ard the rough hands of two or
three of the soldiers were already on the fair
girl when sudden shout was heard on the
verge of the wood, mingled with scream, as
the sentinel of that place was cut down, and,
in an instant, the terrible cry of ''The reb-
els ?-the rebels ~ was echoed from every
quarter. All eyes were instantly turned to a
party of horsemen, which had burst from the
wood, and, with their sabres flashing around
their heads, were bearing down all before them
like torrent. They stayed not to kill those
of the multitude who could not get out Of the
way were trampled beneath the feet of their
horses, and, before Clifford could credit the
evidence of his senses, the fiery hOrsemen,
which were instantly known as part of
Washington's daring band, were upon him.
Jammed together by the rush of the crowd, the
| guard could make no resistance they were
swept away by the torrent-and blow from
the sabre of Arthur Lee cleft CliffOrd's head to
his shoulders, and cut short the order which
was on his lips "Shoot the damned"-an Or
der which was intended to insure the destruc-
tion of both Charles and his sister. What had
passed was the work ola moment-in another,
Charles was mounted on fresh horse, the
half-insensible Ellen was in Lees arms, and
the whole party disappeared by the same route
and as rapidly as they had advanced. So dar-
ing was the attack, that the British legion, of
which the fallen Clifford was an officer, and
which was instantly under arms, cOnceiving it
impossible that so hazardous an exploit would
be attempted, unless backed by a formidable
force, lost so much time in reconnOitering
that, aided by his superior knowledge Of the
country, Lee and his rescued friends got off
safe, and without losing man.
The remainder of our narrative may easily
be conjectured. No sooner had the surrender
of CORVALLIS secured the independence of
America than Charles and Arthur fastened
to the happy quiet of their home, where the
union Of highmnded and heroic Lee, with the
beautiful and constant Ellen IIazewOod uni
ted in still closer ties these respectable fami-
lies. Happy in the love and respect of all
around them, with consciousness that the
smiles of All approving Heaven were over
them-Arthur and Ellen long enjoyed the
pleasure of seeing their country free and pros
porous and, in the bliss of the present, for-
got the dangers and privations of the past.