The Irish standard., 1903-11-28

back to England with me as my wife,"
Col. Bessemer." said Jane. who
tried more than once to- interrupt
him, 81 thank you for the confidence
you have repuscd in me this after
noon. but | feel that | have been
most remiss in receiving it without
first acquaintng yon with something
which, when you learn of it. may
cause you no longer to desire me for
your wife,
Bessemer leaned forward. You
mean" he said.
Then, with voice which faltered not
little under the growing anger in
his eyes. she acquainted him with her
Bessemer's brow darkened; his lips
compressed. Pushing back his chair,
he walked to the window. and So"
he said. turning to her at last, won
thought to serve Il double purpose
by your treachery? TO save the
partisans of your lover. and to forge
means of making me repent the
wish to make you my wife? You have
miscaIcnlated in the last. You shall
marry me. Had time. did not other
matters press, we would be welded
tonight; but as it is. the delay will
| not be for long, and will take care
that my wife shall be loyal"
He STROBE from the room. Jane
sat for moment, trembling under
the lash of his anger and not less
under the misconstruction he had put
upon the motive of her confessions;
then she moved towards the window.
1t looked out upon an October sun
set. 10 the north and west Il crimson
curtain had been dropped and against
this curtain WAS clearly the figure of
Col. Bessemer as he rode towards the
! river.
A heavy fog had wrapl,<d the little
town and it's environments in chill
embrace when, next morning, the
British rode out from their quarters.
Bessemer and his legion were in
the lead, for it was his plan and he
was to take the brunt of it's execu.
ton. He and his men went forward
gallantly; they swarmed upon the
batteries; they captured them-but,
ere the rest of the British force could
come up, the alarm had been sounded
along the French and American lines;
guards rushed to the relief of the
assailed point, and the British were
driven back, leaving their dead and
wounded strewn along the batteries;
leaving there too the body of their
leader.
It was the last attempt of tho
British save one to escape from the
tolls which held them, and when that
last effort had been made and foiled,
it was little wonder that Lord Corn.
wallis gave up in despair, nor that
he should send proposals for sur
render to Mr. Washington.
The day of the surrender dawned
fair, but Jane refused to go with her
triumphant aunt to see the spectacle.
She felt that it was small enough
act of loyalty towards both the dead
Bessemer and the living Edward to
remain away from scene that would
have been SO humiliating to both had
they been present to witness it.
But Aunt Susannah was deferred
by no such scruples, and. arrayed in
all the finery she could muster, with
her head held very high, she set forth
to view the pageant.
The spectacle was well worth com.
ing miles to see, and many had So
come. There was surprising con.
course of onlookers considering the
smallness of the town, the poor ia.
cilities for travel between the place
of surrender and the surrounding
country. as well as the haste with
which the whole affair had been
arranged.
Upon the left stretched the long
line of French troops; upon the right
the even longer line of Americans
with Washington, the one splendid
figure, upon his white charger at
theft head. The appearance of the
triumphant armies was shabby. The
uniforms showed the hard work OF
the seige; the lnud-stains of the
trenches; the powder burns: the mil.
dew patches woven by foggy nights
and hot days. OF the Americans
many were threadbare. and not few
in tatters.
Between these faded columns came
the British in their bright new
clothes which CORVALLIS had that
morning, in Il final squirt of lavish
ness, ordered issued: but if their gart
was bright their faces were in con
trast. With sullen countenances
downcast eyes, and leaden tread they
marched down the long, wide aisles
that had been left for them, theil
colors cased and their drums beating
sardonicalIy that appropriate tune
1.-THE World is Turned Upside Down.
1t was after the ceremonies WERE
over that Mrs. Ellery and Godfrey
} met. for young Worthington. il
: seemed, was captain of infantry
in Gen. Washington's army. and hi!
J had been one of the very companie!
that engaged in the defeat of Besse
; mer on the foggy morning so fata
, to that warrior. Nothing would d.
; but Aunt Susannah must carry hin
back in triumph with her to the hous'
where she and Jane and Edward wer'
quartered, and on the way Mrs
Ellery's tongue was not idle.
AS they entered the doorway o
| the house Jane was just descending
! the stairs, on her way to the dining
room for some food for Edward. A
| sight of Godfrey the color-consider
ably dimmed by events Of the pas
months-tleserted her cheeks. and sh
laid her hand upon the balustra(e TO