Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1888-08-17

THE TWO BETHoTHALs.
From Once a Week

fore the victorious movements on
the part of the patriot army which
eliminated ia the battles of Bemis
Heights and Burgoyne's surrender
at Saratoga, that a young Cont
mental officer, on service bent-in
palmer words, Il spy from Gen.
Schuy!er's camp at Moses creek,
four miles away-Leut. Joel Stan
dish, a lineaI dcscendent OF the
famous Miles Standish, of pilgrim
memory. was bidding adieu to his
pretty sweetheart, Clara O'Neil, in
the little orchard surrounding her
mothers cottage at Fort Edward,
recently abandoned by the Ameri-
cans,
The young man was artifcially
cheerful, and the young woman in
tears. fer there was no denying that
it was n dangerous mission on which
ne was bent, which might cost him
his neck at the hands of the invading
red-eoats, or both his life and scalp,
should ne be captured by their saw
age allies.
The last kisses had been exchanged,
the parting leave-takings said, and
"a keepsake-lock Of the maiden's hair
having been just thrust away in the
young mans bosom, their hands
were in that final wringing clasp,
which seems to extend so directly
from the hearts straining strings.
GOD be with thee. Joel, my love,
my triendn' faltered Clara with the
grave, simple earuestness of those
hOmespun, struggling DAVIS cit is
my beating heart that hencefOrth
thou Dearest with thee in thy bosom,
Tor now we are betrOthed-the lock
of my hair is the token"
He pressed her once more in mis-
arms ms the most eloquent answer.
Then, us they were about to sepa-
rate, Il very beautiful young lady, a
visitor at the widow O'Nei's from
some leagues to southwark, and
whose chietest charm might be said
to be the glory Of her crisp golden
hair, which she wore in a great
thread-like half knot down her neck,
and which was indeed one of the
wonders of the countryside. came
hurrying, and yetWith a stately step.
out toward them from the cottage
porch, wherein Mrs O'Neil herself
now stood, shading a troubled look
askance with her plump hand, and
the pOrch-rOses and jessamines franz
ing her pOrtly person right royalty.
The newcomer was Miss Jane Me
Rea, the orphaned daughter of IL
Scotch Presbyterian clergyman of
New Jersey, and destined to make
her sad and tragic mark upon the
history of her time
81 waited until this moment. so as
not to seriously interrupt thy leave
takings with Clara, friend Joel,
said Miss McRed, ina sweet vet grave
voice. is this true. then, that thou
are about to take thy life in thy
hands. on a spying errand into Gen.
Fraser. $ camp. and among the ruth
less redskins
cit is true that / 90 thither, Mis-
tress Jenny, said the young man.
with assumed lightuess. But as for
the danger you heard me trying to
impress Clara $ good mOtherw with the
faCt-and "a fact it is-that you are
more likely in danger from the red
skins just in this spot than ] shall be.
with NY woodcraft to help me. But
no; she viii none of it, H0lf-TOry
herself, she VIII not accept my warn
ing; and that is my chiefand greviOus
anxiety at this parting hour
you somewhat mistake Joel My
kinswoman thinks better of your
warning now, and has said to me
that she viii remove her household
to her cousins cottage at Saltwater,
within the American lines, the day
after tomorrow.
"Ahl ! am glad of that though I
fear the consequences of even such a
brief delay"
Tell me, friend Joel" continued
the young lady, thoughtfully, chow
shall YOU go from here?"
Directly by the old North road.
Miss Jenny, with a timely pause at
the cabin of old Bellamy, the retired
draper and weaver, for the exchange
of these, my tell-tale regimentals. for
something more rustic and Unassum-
ing, as may betit my mission And
the young man looked down q little
vainly over the somewhat ragged
and not overclean, bravery of his
heutenant's uniform.
''AEd tell me, Joel, shalt thou be
like to see my lover, Edward Jones,
who hath so panied me with joining
and taking redcOat commission un-
der the invaders Ofour country"
"Yet he, returned Joel, who was
charitably free from partisan raneOr,
though n staunch patriOt-''he is
doubtless honest. though wrong
headed, and we We're play-fellOWs to-
gether- Yes. I shall doubtless see
Edward in his red coatand gold lace,