ME DOLLAR PER ANNUM INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE.
I'OAVANDA:
Thursday Morning, February 12, 1863.
(Original |locit.
(For the Reporter.)
ALAS AND ALAS!
. This haunting spirit makes me faint,
Mme years have made me love thee more."
" J TENNYSON.
When first I knew thee life was drear,
A shadow drifting o'er the skies ;
TRY heart and soul were dark with fear
Of Life and Death—dre mysteries !
Put yet, rose-tinted proved the cloud,
When your sweet presence came to me ;
I drank the sweet with bitter, proud
To show how brave my heart could be !
yjv friend, you were, and gratefully
I mixed with all the gall of tile,
Thv neetrons words and kindly acts
That made my heart with gladness rife.
You little knew your hand had swept
A dark cloud from the sky of June,
Or. from a once discordant lute
Waked many an happy joyous tunc.
###***
Alas, alas!—are there none true?
1 say aias !—I breathe no sigh—
I wn -hipped at an earthly shrine,
Jdo! and shrine in ashes lie.
A - mine the woe, so mine the blame,
T!I v! didst not know i loved thee, wild—
• u.He i.i Friendship's garb you came,"
Ah ! 1 was born as Folly's child!
Ii . thou remember that bright morn ?
(I'oo glowing bright thro' day to last—
1V :u crimson clouds dark storms were born,
And cie the niuht wi id wailed the blast.)
y.ai died ray name, then, o'er and o'er—
! i uue, and stood where fell ihe leaves
01 Vutamn, bright in tiie morning light,
As were the reapers golden sheaves.
You blessed the boding, bright'ning morn,
Mv heart V.lo-ed thee—and only thee—
And yet not thee—another one
With m : I of true nobility.
1 did not fancy— 1 was wikl!
'' in '"ant that love sometime be given
To Wisdom*.- not to Folly's child !
LICIA.ISOTOV. FA., Jan. W;3. EMII.IK.
HI isl cllait e o u s .
The Tragedy of Rievauix Abbey.
This was the first abbey of the Cistercian
I order founded in Yorkshire in the year 1131,
Iby Walter L'Espec. If is situated at the
I uistance of about three tuiles from Duncotnbe
I Park, in :i solitary place near lieltuaiey, sur-
I !• ...ded by steep hills, and covered with wood
I aud ling, near the angles of three different
Bval.S, with each a rivulet running through
I them— that passing by where the abbey was
I iU; I DIG called Rie, whence this vale took
■ its HAME ; and this religious house was theuce
1 . fli.: I the Abbey of Rievoll —or Rievauix.—
■ The motive which impelled Sir Walter L'Es
■ pec to make over castle and lauds to the Cis-
B aT'-iins may bo gathered from the following
I Th ■ last rays of an autumnal suu had ting-
I ;d the limpid waters of the Rie, and illumined
fl .TIC wood which fringed its banks with a ruddy
I Slow, when a small but caparison
IID train was seen approaching the entrance
Bof Rievauix Castle, i'he banner of the Cm
I' E waving in conjunction with the standard
B . Nr Walter L'Aspec proclaimed that the
■ L'Ati-ring cavalcade belonged to Eustace L'-
■ A-jt e, his only child aud heir who had just
■ returned from Puiestiue.
H crous and sincere was the welcome
BR'lii'jli Eustace received from his father's as
■ >embl(d vassals ; though the number of East-
Btra followers, Saracens and Nubiaus, with
B'-Wr wild eyes and swarthy faces, was not al-
H'fitetbcr au agreeable sight to the Saxon ser-
B V j'-ors who supposed their own comforts and
■ i'iaees in danger from the importation of these
■ gaudily dressed Orientals.
I Whilst the welcome of the newly arrived
■ btir of Rievauix was beiug celebrated in the
■ g ; -u' hail below, a lady sat alone at the case-
Bpent o! a richly tapestried chamber, situated
a turret and overlooking the court-yard.—
Hliu Lady Alice de Coureey was the ward of
Lord of Rievauix, and the destined bride
■'•'• his sen, the gallant young Crusader.
■ Prior to his departure for the Holy Land,
■ '-'Jstace L'Espec and the Lady Alice were
■ L piy attached to each other, aud, as in duty
■'jfiuud, had exchanged vows of everlasting fi-
But time, which iu some case deep
the channel of affection, in others fills
completely up, so that the stream of
■Nion, unless quite dried up, must discover
■Cressi path for its course.
■ Kb sence had wrought a great change in the
H; - g Lord of Rievauix. Instead of the gay,
BP-- frank, fearless, and the self posse si cav. •
■jG whose good humor, no less than his good
J L-, Lad helped to fascinate the heart aud
■v-'iyos of the beautiful heiress, he was now
afflicted with fits of sullenness, ab
ol mind, aud a querulousness, which was
ißY'.fc loreigu to his nature. A transformation
jH. J Palp-able could not long escape the detec
; n °t his bethrothed. The Lady Alice quick
J®*-; Darkf-d, and secretly mourned, the aitera
waicli had been effected iu the demeauor
disposition of her beloved.
Among the number of the Eastern attend
■ 'fho had followed the youthful Lord Eus
kuglaud, was a gigantic Numidian,
° m the first moment of his appearance
Rievauix Castle, had provoked the es
av"ersion of old Hubert, the Falconer,
|t ®T\ Uas .^ r fflly possessed with the belief that
'■jd- a: dian k as either the devil himself, or
ver - v near connection of his satanic
fol '," urged Hubert, "he convers
'"■fcvt t ' a:i & ua S e which the devil himself must
■ v \ ;arent -d, inasmuch as eveu Father Os-
understand one word of it; there
■ ;j^ IUUsI be unfit for Christian ears."
■ -fd'Vp 1 t ' l ' B ■^ uuj '^ au an( d the young
■j o Rievanlx there was some mysterious
understanding. In the chase, in the hall, or
eveu during the repast, they were inseparable
companions ; nor would Eustace receive the
sparkling wine cup except from the baud of
this object of eld Hubert's antipathy.
Great sorrow overshadowed the once cheer
ful spirit of the beauteous Lady Alice, nor
was the gloom of that sorrow at alt lessened
by the couduct of the Eastern followers of her
affianced lord. Those strangers were a wild
set ; and though, in general, taciturn as
mutes when questioued about the doings of
their lord during his sojourn in the East, yet
there were occasions when the genial influence
of the wine-cup thawed their habitual reserve,
and caused them to set afloat fragments of
tales, in which an Eastern princess, with rav
en locks, eyes that might have outshone in
brightness those of the Prophet's houris, with
extensive provinces for her dowry, played a
conspicuous part. Add to this, the discovery
made by the inquisitive waiting maid of Lady
Alice, of " a long tress of hair, so dark, so
beautiful, it could hardly beloug to a human
beiug," which tress the heir of Rievanlx Cas
tle was in the habit of kissing, and it will be
admitted that not without reason, did the
Saxon maiden surmise that the heart of her
betrothed vibrated towards a more potent
magnet in the " Land of the
* * * * * *
" Mow, Bertram," said the young Lord of
Rievauix to h : s squire,—the only person be
sides the Numidian who seemed to possess Lis
confidence—tell me truly have I not acted
tfie part of a villain ?'
" My dear master," said the obsequious
squire, " what can you possibly mean ? Was
it not the Lady Z'linda's own wish that, you
should return to England and marry the step
daughter of De Courccy."
" Name her not, I command you—at least,
not now," he added iu a more subdued tone
" I obey my father, and the fair Alice De
Coureey, shall possess the titles, and, if she
will, the broad land of Rievauix. That done,
I once again remount my steed, and with no
other dependent than thyself, depart"
"♦Not to rejoin the Lady Zeiinda, I trust?"
said the squire with a suppressed smile. "For,
by St. Mary, I would rather not encounter
her ladyship's Arab blood, inflamed by what
she would consider an insult to a race whose
veins, as siie once told you, are fiilecl with the
lire of the sun, from which they derive her
being "
" But," replied the young Lord of Rievauix
" did she not tell me never to see her agaiu
uuless us the husband of my father's ward ?"
" Because," answered the squire, " she
thought your love for herself so very power
ful that you could net marry any one else.—
And in case you should present yourself be
fore her as the husband of another, iu order to
show how faitlifuliy yon obeyed her, and to
claim your reward, take my word for it that
the poisoned dagger or the drugged cup, not
the loving smile or the ravishing embrace,
shall be the guerdon of her most obedient
Christian knight. R!y upon it, my Lord-,that
women, whether fair or daik,whether Norman
or Saracen, are very deep and mysterious ic
ings, whose words have c significance never
imagined by the sluggish braiu of that poor
creature, man."
Before the knight had time to reply, their
converse was interrupted by the sweet, yet
wild note of some wandering minstrel, who at
tha" moment began to aruuse the crowd of
idle retainers in the court yard below. This
minstrel's notes in a few seconds had cast an
entrancing spell over the kn'ght. They re
called the vis'onsin which lie had been indulg
ing with all the vividness of reality. The
air, the voice, that strange wild melody, had
transported him to the scenes ofotlurdays.
The surrounding woods had been changed, as
if by a magician's wand, into a lighted palace,
decorated with a magnificence unknown to the
palaces of Christiau kings. And music, the
soul melting music of the East, floated ou the
perfumed air, mingling with the murmurs of
the trickling fountains. And there was a form
more bright, more glorious than that which
belong to the daughters of earth. And there
were eyes, dark, flashing, teuder eyes, never
to be forgotten.
The strains of the minstrel ceased. The
timid, graceful boy performer extends his
hand. A piece of gold from the young lord
of llievaulx rewards his exertions. The min
strel lifts his eyes, and tor a second fixes their
gaze upon the face of the kuight. It was only
for a second, but in that second, was accom
plished the resurrection of the past.
;jc jfe sf: s}c :jc jfc
At length the day which was to witness
the marriage of Alice de Conrcey with the
son of L'Espec was come and gone.
'Twas midnight. The great hall of Rievaulx
resonnded the name of the beautious bride, as
the wine-cops were quaffed ou her departure
to the nuptial chamber. All at once, and ev
ery eye was attracted by the alarming change
which had passed over the countenance of the
bridegroom. Large drops stood on his brow,
his eyes stared from their sockets, and his ef
forts to speak terbinated in articulate mur
murs. 11 is trusty squire, who was at hand,
hastened to the assistance of his master, but
on raising the goblet, which had fallen from
his relaxed grasp, the valiant squire recoiled
with a look of horror equal to his master's
and rushed from the bail. What was the
cause of this? A ring, a graven emerald,
glittered in the empty vessel. Yet how came
it there, except by supernatural meaDS ? Had
he not been so much frightened, the peculiar
griu on the face of the Nubian cup-bearer, and
the light form of a stripling, who bounded
behind the massy columns, and disappeared by
one of the side-doors, might have afforded a
clue to the mystery.
* * 3S * * *
Alone in her nuptial bower sat the charm
ing Lady Alice The last of her maidens had
reluctantly retired. Her snow-white robe and
disheveled tresses were reflected in a splendid
mirror placed before her. Her bead rested on
her hand, and so completely was she absorbed
iu her own meditations, that not uuti! the
PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY AT TOWANDA, BRADFORD COUNTY, PA., BY E. 0. GOODRICH.
clock had struck the hour of one did she raise
her eyes.
Her first glauce convinced her she was not
alone. A form of surpassing loveliness stood
before her. Alice remained rooted to her
seat, and trembled as she gazed ou the wild
and dazzling lustre of those dark eyes, though
subdued by the long fringed lashes. Raven
tresses fell in disorder over her neck and dress,
and the back of the seat agaiust which she
leant, almost blending with the Saxon locks
of the alarmed bride. Amongst the luxuriant
tresses glittered a plate of gold engraved with
a verse from the Koran, aud endowed, accord
ing to her creed, with talismanic virtues.
Alice's heart whispered to her that in this
! resplendent apparition she beheld the Eastern
love of her wedded lord. But if so, what
brought her here ? And she glanced tremb
1 lingiy, first at the rich poniard which gleamed
in her girdle, aud then at the fiery passiou
blazing in those,beautiful eyes.
Alice's agitated attempt at escape was frus-
I trated by a touch from the charming yet un
welcome intruder, and she sank back motion
less, as if faciuated by some invisible attrac
j tiou.
| " Bride of L'Espec," exclaimed the lady, iu
; a voice musical as the nightingales of her
| own East, " wilt thou refuse the rites of hos
: pitality to a stranger on thy nuptial day ?"
I Without waiting lor a reply, the stranger
1 continued, " Thou art lair—lair as the peris
of my native laud. Yet flatter not thyself
that thou ever caust possess the love of Eus
i tace L'Espec "
At this confirmation of her worst appre
hensions, the unfortunate bride gazed in the
| face of the bright, yet terrible being before
her, with a look so piteous, so helpless, that a
I tear drop glistened on the cheek of Z-dinda,
: for site it was, iu spite ol all tier clforts to
repress it.
"I am more to be pitjed than thou art,"
! exclaimed Zeiinda in a subdued tone ; ' yet
| however dreadful the task, I were unworthy
the race from which I sprang did Ijshrink
from its performance. For you there remains
the consolation of friends ; or perhaps," she
continued sarcastically, " another lord."
Goaded at length to the utmost verge of en
durance, Alice was about tocali for assistance.
" It is useless," said Zdinda, who observed
her intention. " Your attendants cannot en
ter here, thanks to the vigilance of your lord's
Arab followers, who know no law save my
will. Listen, then, to a tale which, however
i painful, is necessary as a justification to future
; ages, for a deed of retribution demanded at my
[ hands.
" How or where I first met the youthful
Lord ol Etievauix, it is not needful here to
tell. Suffice it that we met and loved—that
to prove his iovo he offered to renounce his
name, his country and his religion—so over
whelming and ailswaying was his passion. I
knew he was sincere. lie concealed nothing
from me. Of you he always spoke as his alii
auced bride,'ami with a brother's affection, i
ft It not one pang of jealousy, lor I also felt
that iu his love 1 could have no rival.
" i had a twin brother. Deprived of afa
liter while we were infants, we grew up togeth
er under our mother's care, contrary to the
customs of our eouutiy. One thought, one
j feeling animated us. We were united by a
mysterious link ; in childhood he was at once
my playfellow and protector ; the fairest flow
ers, the ripest fruits were all for his pretty Ga
zelle, as he fondly called me. One day toy
brother left me to repair to the Emperor's
camp.
" On the evening of that day, vonr husband,
I/Espec, and I sat in the ruins of the Temple
of Baaibcc—that gigantic fane erected by the
demon slaves o: the great Solomon. The air
was redolent with the perfume of the roses
which clustered round the fallen columns. The
moon was high iu the heavens. It was lover's
own hour, and we were happy. Otir bliss was
shortlived.
" A slave, with dusty and bloodstained vest
pale face and agitated eye,suddenly approach
ed and suddenly, prostrating himself at my
feet, placed a sealed package in my hand.
" By the pale cold light of the moon, I
could easily decipher the characters since gra- 1
ven in (ire on my brain. They informed me
that my brother, my Zelim, my peerless prince, ;
the last of his illustrious, bad been slain by an j
infidel —a cursed giaour, an English bey, sty I- !
ed Eustace L'Espec ! And now, lady, you !
may guess the test of my tale. My brother ;
murdered by my lover, it became my duty, as
it is my destiny, to be the aveDger of my bro
ther. Therefore lam here. Therefore I sur- j
rounded him with the slaves of my will."
Before the bride, who was so completely '
petrified with horror and affright, could recov
er her powers of action or of speech, the hea
vy tread in the adjoining chamber proclaimed
the approach of the bridegroom.
Another moment and he was in the nuptial
chamber, and ins first glance fell upon the tace
of the one never forgotten being—his own 1
bright, peerless Eastern star.
la an instant he was at her feet, and total
ly regardless of the presence of his astounded
bride, covered her bauds and even the hern of
her robe with kisses.
" Zeiinda ! My worshipped ! My adored
one ! we never part again I"
The proud Eastern beauty was overcome by
his teuipest of passiou. She burst into tears,
and throwing herseif into his arms, returned
his ardent embrace, and wept uncontrolled 011
his bosom. But speedily she disengaged her
self.
" Lord of Ricvaulx,"sbe at length exclaim
ed, "we meet once more aad for the last
time !"
" Zeiinda !'" was the only agonized reply
that burst from his lips.
" Interrupt me not !'' said the lady ; I have
a fearfui duty to fulfill."
" Mercy ! mercy, Zeiinda 1" exclaimed the
tortured lover.
" Am I uot merciful," she replied, " to my
recreaut lover, to the murder of my brother ?
Yes, start 1 'tis true. Your victim, whose
death twined your brow with laurels, was the
being with whose existence you well kuow
" REGARDLESS OF DENUNCIATION FROM ANY QUARTER."
that of Zeiinda was entwined ! What ? You
knew him not ? No matter, for his revenge
am I reserved ! And yet, oh great Allah !
what a cruel destiny is mine !"
Next moment, and the poisoned dagger,
which was iuserted in her girdle, gleamed iu
the air, and it was sent with lightning rapidi
ty, straight into the heart of the ill fated L'Es
pec ! He fell without a groan ! Another in
stant, and the weapon, crimsoned with the
blood of her lover, was plunged to the hilt in
to her own heart.
The frantic shrieks of Alice de Coureey
speedily filled the nuptial chamber.
* Ss * * Hi
Alice de Coureey was a raving maniac.—
The Lord of Rievauix was a childless and
spirit-broken old man. From that awful night
the world had no attractions for him, and the
Castle of L'Espec, and the rich lands lying
along the wood embosomed Rie, he bequeath
ed to the order of Cistercian friars, who in due
time reared the once splendid Abbey of Rie
vauix.— Reynold's Miscellany.
A TERRIDLE MEAN MAN.— We've (known
some very mean men in our time. There was
Deacon Overreach ; now he was so mean, he
always carried a hen in his gig box when he
traveled, to pick up the oats his horse wasted
in the uianger, and lay an egg for his break
fast in the morning. And then there was lla
I go Him.nelon, w ho made his wife dig potatoes
to pay for the marriage license. We must tell
that story of Hugo, for its not a bad outi; and
good stories, like potatoes are not so plenty
now as they used to be when we were a boy.
Well, when lie was going to get married to
; Gretciieu Golp, he goes down to Parson Rog
ers at Digby, to get a license.
" Parson," say 3 he, " what's the price of a
license ?"
" Six dollars."
" That's a dreadful sight of money. Couldu't
yon take no less ?"
" No," says lie, " that what they cost me at
the Secretary's office, at Halifax."
" Well, how much do you ask for publish
ing in church, then ?"
" Nothing," says the parson.
" Well," says lingo, " that's so cheap 1
can't expect you to give no change back. 1
think I'll be published. How long does it
take ?"
" Three Sundays."
" Three Sundays !'" soys Hugo. " Well,
that's a long time. But three Sundays only
make a fortnight, after ail ; two for the cov
ers and one for the inside iike ; and six dollars
is a great sum cl money for a poor man to
throw away, i must wait."
So off' he '.vent, jogging towards home, and
looking about as mean as a new sheared sheep,
when all at once a blight thought came into
his head, and back he went as hard as his
horse could carry.
" Parsons," says he, " I've changed my
: mind. Here's the six dollars. " I'i' tie the
i knot to night with my tongue thai I can't un
do vrith my teeth."
" Why, what in nature is the meaning of
aii this ?" asked the parsons.
" Why," says Hugo. " I've been cyphering
it out in my head, and its cheaper thau pub
lishing bans, after all. You see, sir, it's pota
to digging time, if I wait to be called in
} church, her father will have her work for noth- j
iug ; and as hands are' scarce aud wages high,
if I marry her to night she can begin to dig
our own to-morrow and that will pay for the
license, and just seven shillings over, for there
ain't a man in all Clements that can dig and
| carry as many busheis in a day as Gretchen ;
can. And besides, fresh wives work like fury j
at first, but they get saucy and lazy after a |
while." He married her and made her dig
potatoes during the honeymoou. We call j
that mean.
How PADDY BROUGHT THE JUDGE.— Some
years ago there became quite a struggle be-!
tweeu two certain prominent Democrats as le '
which should go delegate to the State Con- j
veutiou. The evening prior to holding the
County Convention, Judge M and! Squire j
J each had ballots printed with the names I
of their friends upon them. The Judge's dole
gates were defeated, and before ret'ring lie
consoled himself by loading his hat with bricks. |
Next morning, in good seasou, acting upon the j
principle that " a hair of the dog is good for
the bite," he went in pursuit of a " hair."—
Just as he was calling for the decoction, Bill
Mcßlarney stepped into the saloon and saluted
the Judge, when the following dialogue en
sued :
" The top o' the morniu' to ye, Judge. Aud
the murtherin' thaves bate us last night entire
ly—the curse o' the world on 'em !"
" Good morning, Billy. Yes, Squire was
rather heavy. But 1 say, Billy, I understand
you voted against me. Jlcw is that ?"
" Billy Mleßlaruey voted against ye ! The
lyin' spalpeens ! By me sowl, I'd rather have
my whisky stopped for a year, tbau do that
same thing."
"What ticket did you vote, Billy ?"
" And sure I voted the ticket wid yer hon
or's name on the top of it."
" But, Billy, my name was the last on the
list, at the bottom."
This was rather a puzzler to Billy ; he
scratched bis head for au iustant, wbeu be
suddenly exclaimed
" Bad luck, and what a fool I am ! 1 voted
the ticket upside down."
The Judge immediately ordered an eve
opener for Billy ; be fairly beat him ou exami
nation.
fIST" An Irishman ruminating in his bliss
upon the banks of a southern creek espied a
terrapin pluming himself.
' Oche, hone !' exclaimed he, solemnly,'that
I ever I 6hould come to Ameriky to see a
snuff-box walk !'
' Whist, Pat,' said his wife, ' don't be after
makiu' fun of the bird.'
J6S?* The girls use powder on the faces just
as the men do in the musket-pan—to make
them go off.
Letter from Missouri.
HEAD QUARTERS, MO. INFANTRY VOLS . 1 )
PACIFIC, FRANKLIN CO., MO., Y
Jan. 21, ISO 3. j
MY DEAR FATHER AND MOTHER Since I
wrote you last our locality has been changed
from Macon to this place, after stopping about
two weeks at Btntou Barracks. \Ve arrived
hare about the 251u December, aud proceeded
at once to relieve the 4th Missouri Volunteers,
stationed iu squads and guarding bridges be
tween St. Louis and Jefferson City on the Pa
cific It. It. and Southwest Branch.
My Company is stationed at this place,
Head Quarters Commander of the Post, mark
ed on ttio map as Franklin, but the Post Of
fice is " Pacific," from the fact that an offiee
of that name (Franklin) exists iu Boone Co.
We are just 37 miles from St. Louis, iu the
great " Catawba Wine " district. The inhabi
tants iu town are mostly Germans, but the
country around is decidedly " secesh." Still,
the heavy bonds they have been placed under
prevents them from showing too much of their
rebellious proclivities—a poor excuse, I think,
to make a taau loyal to his country !
Do you suppose that mouey would buy my
patriotism ? Was it money that made our
forefathers rebel agaiust King George ? Ver
ily uot ; the principles that rounded this great
Nation and made it shine above all others ou
the globe, still exist ; and a long as I can
wield the sabre for those principles, let me be
conscious of the act that patriotism alone
prompts me, and let my right arm drop to my
side paralized when I cease to persecute to
the death the rebel miuious who dure set up
for themselves in defiance of that beautiful
" eus.-gn of Liberty ' that I so often gaze at
but to a 'mire.
Toe " 15tars A Stripes" were good enough
for my ancestors, and they're good enough lor
me.
Rut while Missouri is striving to her ut
most to regain a position in the constellation
of that " banner," and to extinguish that curst
which has blotted her fair name, the only
cause why King Jeff, has his eye upon her and
still claims her—the " bone of contention "
1 rneau the " nigger " —j say when this horri
ble war here iu Missouri has brought the peo
pie to see the influence that has been exerted
i.O drag this State from the Union, they are
now resolved 10 do away with that curst for
ever ; aud iu the face of this, the noblest act
0. the State, a party has sprung up, calling
themselves " Conservatives," (?) who seek in
every possible way to biock the wheels of
Government, calling this unconstitutional and
tuat usurpation, and ail for what? Ah ! 1
can tell you !—" Democracy" Ah, that Thom
as Jefferson and Andrew Jackson of old could
but nse iu their sepulchral robes and view
this " modern Democracy," ia its altitude for
place aud power over the ruins of this great
Republic ! How they would blush with shame,
aud hide their heads iu disgust, after viewing
the acts of such men as Yallandigham, Sanls
bury A Co.! It makes my hi art bleed to
contemplate the villainy practiced by these po
litical bloodhoauds, who are secretly plotting
another Revolution, while the honest soldier
is trudging along iu his wearisome work cf
putting down this fiendish Rebellicn. Oh !
where is that American pride, American hon
or, Americau feeling—the spirit of their fath
ers ? Whither has lied tfle fires of " ancient
Democracy ?—whither has lied their American
souls, whither their personal honor, to thus,
iu the tace of bleeding thousands of Union
soldiers—(say nothing of the treasure that has
been expended ) —conspire agaiust the gov
ernment—the government that made and sus
taiued many ot them, but to regain place aud
power ? 'lhere is but one course to pursue.
Tee Government must put its hand firmly up
on the neck of the first breathing embryo of
thi> conspiracy, let it manifest itself where it
will. Whether it be & conservative Democratic
Legislature, Governor or Senator— anything
that threatens to interpose itself between the
Government aud the cfiilu of its wrath to
thwart the purpose of the former, to chastise
into obedience and restore to good order the
latter, must be strangled in its birth.
Yet I tear a dark future in contemplating
the past twelve mouths ; but GOD is ou the
side of '* freedom," uud if our enemies gain
the ascendancy for a time, 'twill be but for us
to hurl them farther down to regions of in
famy from whence they first sprung.
Your wandering boy,
X. J. CAMP,
Lieuteuant 23d Mo. Vols.
LETTER EROAT VIRGINIA.
CHRISTMAS, 1862.
MU. EDITOR :—I write at this time to give
you a sketch of Contraband History , which
will be read with interest by all persons not
familiar with real life in the South. We have
read many tales and romances of hairbreadth
escapes, etc., but the simple stories of contra
bands now within our lines are fully equal to
auy production of the imagination, aud quite
as full of interest j aud if people geuerailv
were better acquainted with the facts, a few
of the stories so loudly proclaimed by traitors
and conservatives, would be entirely exploded.
I give below the simple words of a mulatto,
one of our cooks, who has chosen since coming
among us, the name of "John Brown "—(has
he ever heard of the old veteran ?) wisely
keeping back his former name :
" I made up a mind to run away when de
rebels drafted me to work on magazines anu
trowin' up bressworks at Yorktown las' Janu
ary. Dey draft'd me for a month and kep'
me six weeks, den I went home down iij Xorf
Carlina with my company—one hundred and
thirty-six of us, afoot down to Grover's Warf
on Jeems River, den ou boat up to City Pint,
den on de cars up to Petersburgh, den to
ilicks' Ford, den afoot home, sixteen miles ;
dat is sixty miles from here. If I'd know'd
den what I do now I'd neber went down borne
from Yorktown. All 'loug den till June I
kep' thinkiu' 'bout goiu', aud one Monday
night I started, lei' my wife and two children
—(never spec' to see urn agiu—but I rather
die—be shot dead than be a slave auy more,)
full o' hope and fear, for I know'd they'd set
de dogs after me. I went to Holy's bridge
VOL. XXIII. —X 0 .37.
whai* some boys I was goin' with crossed Ma
haran Iliver, but I would cross no bridge, for
| den dey'd track me, so I turned up do river.
I Next morniu' half au hour by sun, i heard da
• dogs comin' on my track. When dey come
j close so I heard uin plain, I went in de river,
■ and swum across, den kep' up t'other side till
I de dogs found me out agin, den I cross back
i same way. In dat way I fooled de dogs aud
crossed de river seven times, but dey stnck to
me till Wednesday eve Din' two hours by euu,
before dey lef' me quit. In de night I some
times went into folks' lots where dere was hogs
and sheep, and 1 would go close by thoir door
so to bother de dogs.
But alter I got clear o' de dogs dere was
nineteen fellows o' my raarster's neighbors fol
lered me three days. My marster ofifsr'd sev
eu hundred dollars for me, dead or 'live, and
dese fellows tho't 'twould pay right smart to
git me. I was in sight ov utn a good maDy
times, but 1 could keep away from dem better
dan de dogs, for den I had to 'round on my
same track and back and forth, every way, for
dere was thirty-two of urn, and dey was mighty
keen. I kep' on night aud day, but de men
rode on fast by day, deu watch at some forks
of de road all night, thiukiu' dey was ahead o'
me. Dey see my track so many times, dey
tell it quick, so I took de woods, deu de Gel',
and so on.
I got to de Blackwater at Wyanoak Ferry
Friday morniu', aud de hunters didn't git dere
till Saturday morniu', for when dey stopped
| Thursday night, I passed by um aud went all
| night.
! . I never made no stop har'ly, but got threo
poles and fasten'd am togedder wid some grapo
wines and crossed right over Blackwater, deu
I didn't fear um in de least, for de Union cal
vary was 'round dere, and' I reckon seven hun
dred dollars wouldn't be worth much to um
over here."
Such, Mr. Editor, is the experience of thou
sands of those called " contrabands," who are
willing to risk everything for liberty, and pass
through, as it were, Ore and water, running
the guantlet with bloodhounds, and bloodthirs
ty men on horseback, spurred on by every
stimulant that money and negro liute could
produce.
I have conversed with many contrabands,
who all express a warm desire to be enlisted
as soldiers, uDd help Gght their aud our cue
mies.
They have the will, they have the power of
endurance, far beyond our white men, and
their wonderful capacity for imitation, would
make them very efficient in drill iu a short
time. Whv cannot the bill just reported by
"Lane, (Rep., Kan.)''receive immediate at
tention, lor the raising of two huudred regi
ments of " men of African descent ?"
I would like to command a company of stout
negroes—(aud they are all stout) —they would
outscout, outmarch, and outfight the best of
our Northern soldiers in this climate.
But perhaps the Administration will con
tinue to be blind to the interests of the coun
try.
if the Cabinet had incited and a new one
built upon the proper basis, a change might
have been expected.
Every one here is indignant that Banks was
sent skylarking down to the Gulf, instead of
operating against Richmond— the all important
point. We expected to form a junction with
him and march against Petersburgh, and we
had a right to expect it, for such amove would
distract the enemy aud make a division of
their forces in front of Buruside necessary ;
but DO, the forces at Suffolk must lie idle,
Banks is seat to Mobile, while all aro left to
wonder—but not that Buruside was repulsed,
for such strategy would defeat the Almighty.
We expect to march to North Carolina to
morrow, to help Gen. Foster; so be it—it
will do yiu more good to hear from us— in
the field.
H. S. PARKHURST,
Co. G, 39tli Illinois.
A SUGHT MISUNDERSTANDING. —Mr. II
resides in Fourth street, New-York. Ilis
wife, who is au economical body, had sent a
costly silk gown to a French dyer. The dyer
himself brought home the silk dress, and un
luckily as it happened, met the husband of the
lady at the door.
" Is madam within ?" asked the Frenchman.
" And suppose she is, what do you want
with her ?"
" I am dying for her, sare."
" You dying for my wife ! Get out of ray
house, yon scoundrel 1" and he had just raised
his foot to kick the honest artisau into the
street as the lady made her appearauoe aud
set the matter to rights.
The ceremony of tying the nuptial knot
is very much simplified iu the Hoosi'er iState,
as the following scene will show :
" What is your name ?" demanded the jus
tice.
" Matty."
" What is yours, Miss ?"
" Polly."
" Matty, do vou love Polly ?"
" No mistake."
" Polly, do yon love Matty ?"
" Well I reckon."
" Well, then," concludes the official dignity,
" I pronounce you man and wife,
All the days of your lite."
S&" The man who would recommend him
self to the respect of others by crying up the
merits of his pareutage, proves that he has no
merits of his own.
-Educate the whole mau—the head,
the heart, the body ; the head to thiuk, the
heart to feel, aud the body to act.
Religions expressions, being sacred
things must never be made use of iu light aud
ludicrous actions.
6s?* The safest and most common way (q
Meal is to buy and not pay.