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SPRING.
As breezes stir the morning
A silence reigns in air :
Steel-blue the heavens above,
Moveless the trees and bare,
Yet, unto me, the stillness
This burthen seems to bring—
I" Patience! the earth is waiting,
Waiting for the Spring."
Strong ash, and sturdy chestnut,
Rough oak and poplar high,
Stretch out their sapless branches
Against the wintry sky.
Even the guilty aspen
Hath ceased her quivering,
As though sin? too were waiting,
Waiting for the Spring.
I strain mine ears to listen,
If haply where I stand
But one stray note of music
May sound in all the laud.
•'Why art though mute, O blackbird ?
0 thrush, why dost not sing ?"
Ah ! surely they are waiting,
Waiting for the Spring.
< i heart! thy days are darksome ;
< > la art! thy nights are drear :
But soon shall beams of sunshine
Proclaim flic turning year,
shall the trees be leafy,
Soon every bird shall sing :
Like them, lie silent, waiting,
Waiting for the Spring.
FROM PETERSB FRO.
PETERSBUBG, April 4, 1865.
HEAR MARY —Here we arc at last, snugly
•in ampod in this pestiferous rebel city.—
Two days have passed during which it
was not possible for me to write. You
will receive the present letter duly written
on confiscated rebel paper : but don't be ■
afraid, it wont hurt you.
In order to keep the run of my diary, I
must go back to Saturday night. The in
tor veiling- events are so many, and so ex
iting'. I can hardly r>member when that
was, though it is only Tuesday.
\buut midnight on Saturday night, we j
I wop- aroused from our slumbers by heavy
I firing on the left of our Division, and at
j nee all were out of their bunks, and the
I regiment, on their way to tiie front. The
I 3d Division ol our Corps captured four reb
el forts and held them to the end. Just
heiore daylight our Regiment went in,
•sing only two men killed and seven
I "wounded.
Minday was devoted to the pious task of
whipping the Johnnies. The battle raged
all (lay long. At 9 o'clock 1 took a posi- j
tain where I could overlook the whole fight,
witiiiu easy musket range, and yet in a
i <; d' position. One random shell burst i
quite m ar nie, but not a Minnie whizzed
overhead. I was at the flank of the two
armies, . , that the balls and shells passed i
•it rig/it angles to my position. I kept my |
! sitioii until a o'clock, p. m. The rebs ■
inadi -a-veral desperate charges to retake '
1 Pictr works, but were repulsed every time, j
I "ur ! oys kept gaining ground foot by foot.
I lac view was magnificent beyond descrip-'
1 could see our line stand like a wall
" f lire, never a man flinching. I could j
1 ' 11 ''"'ir shouts of victory as the routed I
ehs fell hack in utter confusion. The din
"I battle was terrific, but the
| -limits ot victory could be heard above all .
1 J'"' discordant uproar. When darkness set
in we had driven the rebs to their last line j
"f works, and our shell fell in the city i
from all directions, except from across the !
\ppomatfo.x. \fter dark there was a lull,
J the men needed rest, and breakfast, dinner !
■ and supper, all at once ; for they had eat-'
Hen nothing since the night before. While 1
an boys were thus resting and recruiting, l
1-1 their arms, the rebs were stealthi-1
ijl . !• aving the city. Soon after midnight'
we charged along the whole line, and found j
he mass of rebs gone. They crossed the !
\er iii great haste, carrying with them j
most of their light artillery. They j
the bridges after them, having sat- j
1 : them with turpentine. The Rail- •
I ad bridge alone was saved. Our losses j
• v, re not heavy. The rebel loss in killed,
'""led and prisoners is estimated at ful- j
1 ■ 1 i'ty thousand. In their retreat they I
captured by brigades. Thousands
deserted houses, and gave thern-
I " 'K-s up. I'll,, country and city for miles
I ' ,s almost covered with muskets and the |
v a'liinents cast away by the fleeing j
' '"'ir dead were scattered every-!
" llius ended the light—thus ap-1
I " an-d the battle ground.
i- so,,n as it was daylight your corres-1
1 ' enti icd the ill fated city. This
1 l> •' s, eiie that beggars all descrip- f
I ) Ihousands of contrabands, male
1 •' ■in ale, big and little, old and young, i
■ r "> the streets. " Bress the Loid," !
''' ' and other like expressions,
S " vor y air. Their eyes sparkled,
" shone. I'hey danced, and jump- j
E. O. GOODRICH, Publisher.
VOLUME XXV.
| ed, and shouted, and hugged each other.
I They kneeled in the streets and with up
j lifted hands and voices, and hearts, gave
i thanks to the God of Battles. Picture to
| your mind the scene 011 the banks of the
I Red Sea, when Miriam led the dances of
■ the daughters of Israel, and you can judge
jof the scene here 011 that eventful morn. I
j heard one ebony darkie say to his "Mas
sie," " Massie, if you want to hire out, I
will give you work." I talked with one
i darkie who had escaped from Petersburg
through the rebel lines, and was returning.
; I asked him how he got away. He an
-1 swered : " Why, I flanked em." Not
| withstanding all this, the miserable cop
; perhefids at the North, will say that the
darkies love their masters, and do not want
|to be free. I only wish they could be made
to take the vacant places of the emanci
pated darkies. Between the Copperheads,
and Sambo and Dinah, my sympathies are
| very decidedly with the latter.
But now for the whites. Of course the
; " nabobs " all fled with Massie Lee, and
1 his army. But there are here plenty of
l Union men and women. When our troops
entered their affection for the old llag boil
!ed over. With streaming eyes they KISSED
' the old llag. In many instances they threw
| their arms around the first Union soldiers
i that entered, and imprinted on their sun
j burnt cheeks many a kiss. Yet those
j same vile copperheads tell us there are no
j Unionists in the South ! 1 know that the
i great mass of even the southern soldiers
| are a thousand fold more loyal than them
| selves. The genuine secesh are only the
rich planters and nabobs of the South, and
a few ignorant whites that fully believe
that the Northerners are cannibal*.
MARY, I can't describe what I have seen
here. It has filled my heart with joy un
speakable. It is an earnest of that which
is to come. Richmond too is ours. The
morning dawns upon our nation with re
splendent brightness. I know well the joy
that fills your hearts at home. I know the
cannons have roared, and the merry church
bells pealed forth their notes all over the
distant North. If it is fit that it should
be, should be so. It is " a time to fiance,"
in the true scripture sense of that word.
A few secesh looked on from the streets in
sullen gloomy silence. Our soldiers march
ed through the principal streets with ban- !
ners, and music, and a tumult of joy, like |
the rushing of many waters.
Our regiment captured two Hags, and i
many prisoners. Our Brigade was the first
to enter the city. Our Brigade comman- j
der, Col. Ely, is the Military Governor, and |
we are the city guards. This position is ;
ours byway of honor. The 9th Corps has
covered itself with glory.
The cit\ 7 is terribly shattered by our
shells.
I have not time to write more now.
Yours, Ac., HAL.
READING THE BIBLE.— Read your Bible
slowly. Take time, even if you have but
little time.
A great mathematician once said, if his
life depended upon solving a problem in
two minutes, he would spend one of the
two in deciding how to do it. So in read
ing the Scriptures ; if you are pressed for
time, (and this should be a rare case,) then
spend the precious moments 011 a portion
of a chapter. When yon feel that the
mind and heart begin to drink in the senti
ment, even of a single verse, then stop
and drain the heavenly chalice, because
the Divine Spirit is filling thy cup. It is a
true, solemn and interesting thought, that
we are to wait, to linger, to tarry for the
blessing to come from the word before us.
To search the Scriptures with the clear,
unmoted eye of meditation, secures treas
ures of knowledge, known only to him who
thus coolly 7 , piously and philosophically
studies the Word of God.
Let any man give us a reason why, when
the Scriptures are read so much, memory
retains so little, that quotations are so
blundering and incorrect, if the reason is
not found in the fact of hasty reading of
the Word of God. There, as elsewhere, a
man man must reap as he sows.—iV. Y.
Observer.
THE NAME OF ILLINOIS.— The Chicago Fast
says the name of the State of Illinois origin
ated in this manner;
"A party of Frenchmen set out upon an
exploring expedition down the river, which
they afterward named, providing themselves
with bark canoes, and relying chiefly for
their subsistence upon the game. They
tound at the continence of this river with
the Mississippi, an island thickly wooded
with black walnut. It was at a season of
the year when the nuts were ripe, and this
party of explorers, encamping upon the is
land, greatly enjoyed the luxury of this
fruit. From this circumstance they called
the island tiie 'lsland of Nuts'—or, in French
'lsle aux nois' —which name was given to
the river they explored, and thence to the
territory and State. This explanation of
the word 'lllinois' more fully accords with
the orthography of the word,which lias cer
tainly a French termination—and the rapid
pronunciation of the French 'lsle aux Hois'
would naturally lead to the Anglicism of
the terms intuits present shape, 'lllinois.'"
GOLD— The amount of gold produced
yearly in this country is not far from sev
enty-five millions of dollars. This is more
than enough for ail the manufacturing and
financial wants of the people ; so there is
a surplus left for commercial exchange
with foreign countries. There need be no
fears ot a gold famine in the future. Under
the present high tarilT, aud with the in
crease of American manufacture, in a very
few months gold will circulate freely and
will he in every man's pockets who is fru
gal and industrious. There is a reason for
the belief that in one year or eighteen
months' time it will be as abundant as it is
now scarce.
TOWANDA, BRADFORD COUNTY, PA., APRIL 20, 1865.
TWICE AT BAY
It was midnight in East Tennessee, nut
the night of nature, but the middle of that
dark and detestable night during which
that persecuted region was crushed under
the Davis despotism. It was political mid
night in East Tennessee. It was nearly
twilight, when a young man and a young
girl sat at the open window of a line man
sion near a pleasant little village—a vill
age now almost swept out of existence by
the Sirocco-breath of war.
The girl was Mary Basham, an orphan,
who, with her brother Richard, had inheri
ted the splendid property of her parents,
consisting mostly of land and slaves. The
greater part of the slaves had been left to
her brother ; but the mansion belonged to
them in common, and she also owned a sum
in Louisville bank shares. Her brother
had taken up arms to protect his property,
as he said, and he probably thought, and
was then a Captain of Confederate gueril
las. Mary Basham was considered a
" great catch," and it was certainly strange,
if not improper, in Mrs. Grundy's eyes,
that she should love that fair-haired young
man who sat by her side at the open win
dow, for Ernest Folder had no riches, ex
cept a fair share of talent, and a true, hon
est heart. He was only a music teacher,
and a German at that. Consequently he
was worse than a Yankee, and a marriage
with him would be as bad a mesalliance as
Mary Basham could make.
" You are foolish, Ernest," said the girl,
as she plucked a flower from the vine and
pulled it to pieces. " What is the Union
to you, that you are so anxious to make
yourself a martyr for its sake ? Besides
what can you do for the Union by hiding
out in the woods and mountains, and being
hunted down at last, and hung or shot, or
imprisoned? 80 far, although you have
been subject to annoyances, you have es
caped harm ; and now, if you will simply
submit to the new order of things, all will
be well, and you will not be troubled."
"The Union is everything to me, Mary
Basham," said the young man, " for it shel
tered me and its flag protected me when 1
came to this country an exile ; and under
the I nion I have enjoyed the fruit of my
labor, and have been happy and contented
It would be worse than ingratitude to de
sert it now, because I happen to be among
its enemies."
"Then you will leave me," said the girl,
as she tore a flower passionately.
" I must, Mary, unless you can be con
vinced that it is politic as well as right to
seek peace and safety on Union ground.—
Hut that is not to be expected, and 1 do
not wonder at you, being a slave owner."
" 0, bother the slaves," broke in the im
petuous girl. "They are more trouble than
they are worth, and always were. Dick
Basliam is welcome to all of them, if he
wants them, except Hessy and little Jim.
I always felt as if I belong to them more
than they belong to me, and the feeling is
irksome. But as for those guerilla bands
like that of Brother Dick's, they are a dis
graceto the country,and ought not to be per
mitted. Dick has said he meant to bring
his gang of ruffians here some night, and
give them a supper—as if I would stay in
the house where these wretches are holding
their drunken orgies ! I dared him to do
it. Humph! he talks so much about the
blood of the Bashams—let him try to com
mit. such an outrage on common decency
and he will find that there is as much blood
of the Basham's in my veins as in his. T
will let master officer know that I am not
to be frightened by him."
The conversation was here interrupted
by a rough looking man, dressed in brown
homespun, badly tattered, and carrying a
long rifle upon his shoulder, who came hur
riedly over the lawn toward the house.
Hardly stopping to knock he entered the
front door, and pushed into the room where
Mary Basliam and Ernest Felder were talk
ing.
" Beg pardon, Miss," said lie, pulling a
slouched hat from an unkempt head, and
resting the butt of his rifle upon the car
pet ; " sorry to come in so sudden like, but
I havn't time for perliteness. Mr. Felder,
the guerillas has been huntin' for you in
the village, and they ken trot. 80 there
ain't no time for tradin' horses, of you want
to git off."
"It has come sooner than I expected,
Mary," said Ernest, as he started up. " 1
must bid you farewell now, and perhaps
forever. II I can reach the Federal lines
safely I will try to get word to you."
" No use talkin' about the Federal lines
now, Mr. Felder," said the rough looking
man, " for here's the guerillas."
As he spoke, about twenty horsemen,
dressed in homespun imitation of the Con
federate uniform, rode up the street, and
halted in front of the mansion. They were
a villainous set to look at, and were armed
with all sorts of weapons, from a hunting
rifle to a flint-lock pistol. At their head
rode a young man in the gay uniform of a
Confederate officer, whose seat in the sad
dle was (juite unsteady.
" They are part of Dick Basham's gang,"
said Mary, as she cooly surveyed them
from the window, " and he is drunk, again,
I'll be bound. It is enough to destroy any
man's respect for himself to associate with
such wretches, and I should think nothing
could induce a gentleman as Dick Basliam
used to be, to do it."
"Come, Ben Sterling," said Felder, who
had hastily seized his hat, " we can yet es
cape by the back way."
No !" exclaimed the girl as her eye
shot fire. " You can do 110 such thing, for
they have already surrounded the house.
Come now you two, you are men, aud you
have arms, and if it comes to the worst,
you know how to sell your lives dearly.—
But let me do my part first, for I tell you
that not a man of that gang shall cross
this threshold while Mary Basliam lives !
Mr. Felder, give me one of your pistols."
Quite overcome by the intrepidity and
energy of the high spirited girl, Ernest
Felder almost mechanically handed her a
pistol. As (juick as thought, she brought
out from an ad joining closet a large tin can
tilled with powder, carried it into the hall,
threw open the door, aud stood there, with
a pistol in hand, proud and defiant, and
beautiful in her pride and defiance.
Captain Basliam, with four of his rough
troopers, dismounted, and walked toward
the house. The path was hardly wide
REGARDLESS OF DENUNCIATION FROM ANY QUARTER.
enough for the gallant captain, whom a
commission as a lieutenant-general could
not have induced to walk in a straight line.
But he staggered on, until he was brought
to a sudden pause by the ringing voice of
his sister.
" Halt there, Dick Basham !" exclaimed
the indignant girl. " What do you want
here, with that pack of dirty hounds at
your heels? None of your ragamuffin cut
throats shall enter this house ; nor shall
you until you are sober."
"Don't be foolish, Maty,"hiccoughed the
officer. "We only want that goldarned
Dutch Tory Abolition piano tuner, if he is
in the house. He must fight for the South
now, or hang."
" Ernest Felder is herr," answered Mary,
" and he is no Dutch Tory Abolition piano
tuner, but a gentleman, and that is more
than you are now, Dick Basham. He has
harmed neither you nor any one else, and
has not meddled with your .niggers, or any
other man's and you shall not touch him
while he is under my roof."
"It is my roof as much as it is yours,
Mary," persisted Dick, who was inclined to
temporize when he saw that the "blood of
the Basham's " was fairly up in his sister.
"It is not; for you said the house was
to be all mine while the war lasted, if I
would let you have Jake and Henry. If it
was not mine, none of your thieving gang
should ever enter it, nor shall you, as I told
you, until you are sober."
" Come on, boys," said Basham as he
commenced to stagger toward the house.
" My sister is carrying the joke too far.
\\ e are not to be turned from our duty by
a girl. Make way there, Mary, for we
must search the house."
" Halt there for your life !" his sister al
! most shouted, in a tone that caused the
young man to stop instantly. "Do you
| know this can of powder, Dick Basham ?"
| said she, as she pointed to it with her pis
tol. "And this?" thrusting the muzzle
deep among the shining black grains.—
" Now I warn you, sir, that if you or any
of your thieves approach a step nearer, I
will blow house and all to atoms, as far as
this can of powder can do it."
"Hold, Mary!" exclaimed her brother,
whom her desperate resolution had almost
sobered. " For God's sake take your pis
tol out of that powder ! You are excited ;
and the least slip of your finger would
send you, and perhaps all of us into eter
nity."
" I am as cool as ice, Dick Basham," an
swered the girl, " and my nerves are as
firm as iron. Now mark me ; I give you
until I count twenty to mount your horses
and ride away from here. If you do not
leave in that time, I swear to you by the
blood of the Basham's, that I will fire the
pistol into the powder. One—two -"
" I'll be bound she'd do it, Captain," said
one of the men. " I can see it in her eye,
and I reckon we'd better be goin'."
" Of course she would," said Basham, al
most indignantly. " 1 would never own
her for a sister of mine, if she hadn't spunk
enough for that. Well, she must have her
way this time, and we will have chances
enough to catch the Dutchman."
" We are going now, Mary," he contin
ued, " but you will be sorry for this, and
if yon have so far forgotten your position
and your duty as to fall in love with that
piano tuner, both he and you shall pay
dearly for it."
" Never fear but that I can take care of
my position and my duty, Dick Basham,"
said the girl, as the guerrillas mounted
their horses and rode away.
When it was fairly night, Felder bade
Mary Basham good bye, and went to the
hills with Ben Sterling. Mary sent her
boy Jim with them, to bring her word if
they got off safely ; and when the boy re
turned she sent liiin back to their tempora
ry hiding place, with two horses and a sup
ply of provisions.
Ernest Felder, after much hardship and
some narrow escapes, reached the Federal
lines in safety. Finding a number of his
old friends in the cavalry force, some of
them in high rank, he joined that arm of
the service ; and as lie had a thorough mil
itary education, and was as brave as a man
may well be, his promotion was quite ra
pid ; so that in the course of time he was
known as Major Felder, and was spoken of
as a very promising officer.
It was many long months after the mid
night of East Tennessee, before the gleam
of Union bayonets and the flash of Union
sabres began to make a very pleasant sort
of sunrise in that region. In the advance
of the grand army, which at last carried
relief and protection to that persecuted
people was a fine squadron of cavalry,
which occupied, after a slight resistance,
the village near which Mary Basham lived.
This squadron was commanded by Major
Ernest Felder.
Dick Basham had been killed while mak
ing a brave but desperate defence against
the overwhelming force of the Federals
when they entered the village ; and his
sister, although she did not love him as she
formerly had, was indignant at his death,
anil resolved to revenge it, if she could
find a shadow of excuse for so doing. So
with the "blood of the Basham's" boiling
in her veins, she seated herself at the win
dow where she and Ernest had sat so many
months before.
More troops came pouring into the vill
age, among them an infantry regiment, all
tired and hungry. An army on the march
seldom treats very tenderly the country
through which it passes, nor is discipline
always preserved as it should be, Some
of these men were excited by liquor, and
others were foraging about as they chose.
A number of them made their appear
ance at Mary Basham's fine mansion, and
commenced a raid upon the pigs and poul
try. Mary warned them off, but they
laughed at her, aud ordered her to open the
door, threatening to break it open if she
refused. She again warned them off, and
leveled her gun at the foremost man. The
soldier laughed and advanced toward the
door with a rail to burst it open. Mary
Basham coolly sighted her piece, but as
she drew the trigger a fine looking fair
haired officer rode up in front of the dis
orderly soldier just in time to receive the
bullet in his shoulder. He fell from his
horse, and had only strength enough to or
der the men to protect that house and car
ry him in. It was Ernest Felder.
YYhen Mary Basham saw who it was
that she had shot, she quite forgot the
death of her brother in this new calamity,
and her coolness and firmness forsook her
entirely. She did her best, however, to
cure the wound she had inflicted, and the
presence of the wounded officer in the
house was the best protection she could
have had. It was two months before Er
nest fully recovered, and when he was able
to return to duty, Mary Basham felt that
she was nut forgetting her position in mar
rying the brave and talented officer.
A MYSTERY OF PARIS.
It was during the season of the carnival,
and 1 was at a market ball at the French
Opera-House in Paris. It was past three in
the morning, and I was seriously thinking
of ret iring from that wild, boisterous scene—
not to call it by any harsher name —in
which I had been a participant for hours.
I was weary—weary of the dance, the lights,
the music, the crowd, the noise and confu
sion, the silly nothings that were being con
tinually dinned into my ear by the flirting
maskers—and I had withdrawn from the
press and seated myself in the most quiet
spot that I could find.
While I was thus sitting apart from the
throng, listlessly gazing on that which no
longer gave me pleasure, a mask, in the
dress of a page, sauntered quietly past me,
and said in a low, guarded tone: "Mon
sieur will not seem to see or hear, but will
look for the blue domino with a single spot
of red on the bosom, and follow so careless
ly as not to attract notice !"
I was only sure'this language was only in
tended for me, by finding there was no oth
er at the moment within hearing ; but what
was meant, if it had any meaning, I was at
loss to conjecture. I would have ques
tioned the page, notwithstanding the cau
tion not to seem to see or hear, but the in
dividual had already passed on too far, and
was about mingling with the noisy crowd.
As J sat thinking the matter over, it oc
curred to me that I had been mistaken for
another person, and that what had been said
was intended for someone else. If this was
so indeed, it might lead to a novel adven
ture, and no one was ever more ready for a
novel adventure than myself.
" Look for the blue domino with a single
spot of red on the bosom, and follow so care
lessly as not to attract notice." I repea
ted to myself. "Very well—l think I will
if only to discover what it means."
The next minute the object for which I
was about to seek slowly passed along,
not very near me, but in plain view. I
arose with a yawn, and quietly, with a slee
py, indifferent air, sauntered after the
j blue domino. I had no difficulty in keeping
iin sight—for the masker's, so disguised.
I moved very slowly through the crowd, seem
| ingly with no particular purpose. If she
intended leaving the house, it was not ap
parent to me then, nor for sometime after ;
j and being really very much fatigued, and
, not certain 1 was not the sport of a mischie-
I vous page, I was about to depart myself
| and finish my knight's adventures in my
I own bedroom, when I perceived my fair un
! known coming towards me with a finger on
| her lips. She came up close beside me and
1 stopped, apparantly for the purpose of ob
j serving something in another part of the
house; and then, to my surprise, I heard
I her say in English, in a low, sweet, musical
| voice :
" Listen mv friend, but seem not hear.
| In five minutes I shall leave the house by
! the entrance on tin.- Rue Lepelletier, and
will meet you at the place Vendome—after
which we will perfect our plan. Do not
' tail me this time, or we may not have an
other opportunity before the count's return
Till then, adieu !"
As she ceased speaking, she moved away,
and was soon lost in the crowd.—What did
it all mean ? Unquestionably I had been
mistaken for another person, as the
words, "Do not fail me this time" evi
dently proved. Who was the count alluded ?
and what was the plan on foot, to be per
fected during his absence ? My curiosity
was excited, and I resolved to go forward
in the part thus thrust upon me till I could
ascertain something more definitely. And
then her words in English, so correctly spo
ken—plainly showing that either she was,
or knew me to be a foreignor, or perhaps
both—made me more eager to fathom the !
mystery. Perhaps some may blame me, j
knowing as I did, there was a mistake, for
seeking to find out that which did not con
cern me ; and I have nothing to say in my
defence, except that 1 saw before me the
prospect of a novel adventure, that tempta
tion of which I was not just then in the hu
mor to resist.
1 he French Opera-llouse had three main
entrances, for three ranks, on as many
streets—namely one on Lepelletier for those
who came in carriages, one on Pinion for
those who came fiarces, and one on Grange
Batelicre for those who came on foot. My
fair unknown had stated that she would
leave by the Rue Lepelletier—which went
far to prove that she laid claim to the high
est rank among those present, if not indeed
among society in general—and 1 went out
on the Rue Pinion to order a fiaree and join
her at the Place Vendome.
I reached the place first, and dismissed !
my driver before her carriage appeared,
which stopped near the triumphal pillar of
Napoleonic Grand. As 1 hastened up to
the carriage—which was plain black with
out emblazonry of any kind -the door was
opened by a small gloved hand from the in
side, while the driver sat still, neither turn
ing his head to the right or left. 1 could j
just see that my unknown was its only occu- j
pant, and 1 quietly entered and took my
seat beside her, feeling a little nervous and
somewhat guilty, I must confess. The door i
was then shut quickly. I heard the sharp ;
snap of a spring, the blind was let down,
and we were whirled away in almost total
darkness.
For nearly an hour we rode in silence
through the streets of the great city, I see
ing nothing but the dim form of the fair un
known beside me, having no idea of the di
rection we were going. 1 thought over
some curious stories I had heard of stran-1
gers being by one means and another de
coyed in dens of robbers, and began to feel
rather uneasy. My pistols had been left at
mv hotel, and I had not a single weapon
with me, unless a small pocket-knife might
be so called. 1 had not the feeling moreo
ver, of acting in a right and honorable man
ner, to give manly courage ; and I could
not but admit to myself that, should harm
come to me through this adventure, it would
in a great measure be owing to my own
folly
1 had been thinking this matter over fur
pei* -A.nnu.in, 111 Advance.
NUMBER 17.
I some time, and h;td just come to tlie de
terminatioii of declaring there had been
some mistake, and taking a hurried leaxe
when the carriage came to a sudden stop.
" Here we are at last," said the sweet
musical voice of the fair masker—the sil
very tones of which, coupled with my na
tive language, tended much to reassure me.
The next moment the door was opened
by the driver. As 1 d scended the steps
and offered the lady uy hand, I glanced
quickly around and perce. "d that we weic
in an inner court., surrounded on all sides
by lofty buildings. If I had really been en
trapped, escape was now impossible, and a
sudden feeling of alarm made even my hand
tremble.
" Come my friend !" pursued the lad}',
whose face was still concealed by the mask,
and taking my arm as she spoke, she led
me forward to a door, which she unlocked
and threw open.
All was dark inside, and 1 fancied the air
felt cold and damp. I hesitated, and even
drew a step back.
" What !" she exclaimed with a light
laugh, " are you afraid to enter here to
knight, Sir Richard, where you have so of
ten been with me before ?"
These words convinced me that I had in
deed been mistaken for somebody else—llo
less, in fact, than an Ennglish baronet—
and determined me, to go forward and see
the end of the strange affair.
"Of course, I am not afraid of you," I
ventured to say ; " but what if the count
should have returned during your absence ?"
This was the first time I had spoken in
the ladies' hearing, and I was not a little
curious to know what eflVct my voice might
produce, notwithstanding her eyes had been
deceived by my personal appearance, for I
had at no time been masked myself. To my
great relief she did not indicate in any way
that there was anything wrong in either
the sound or the words, but answered with
| assuring promptness.
j " Oh, if that is all, have no fear, for he
cannot possibly reach Paris under three
days. Rut how was it, Sir Richard, that
you disappointed me before ?"
" 1 must explain that some other time," 1
evasively replied. " Here, madam, please
i give nie your hand," I added as she was
; about to set forward through the dark pas-
I sage in advance of me ; " 1 can always
; walk better with such a sweet friend to
| guide me."
She gave me her hand, though I fancied
j there was a slight hesitation It might be
only fancy, but somehow my suspicions
were reawakened. Could it be that we
were both playing a part? that the whole
affair from the beginning was merely a plot
to decoy me, a foreign stranger, into her
meshes, for the purpose of robbery if not
murder? that what I supposed to be a mis
take was merely a ruse, and for her own
wicked purpose she was permitting me to
think that I was deceiving her? The very
idea under the circumstances, was so start
ling, that in a moment 1 felt a cold perspi
ration start from every pore, and 1 would
have given half of my fortune to have been
safely at my hotel. It was now too late,"
however to attempt a retreat ; we were
groping our way through a dark passage
with the door closed behind us ; but her
hand rested in mine, and 1 held it in such
away that she could not withdraw it with
out my consent. Daylight, moreover, could
not be far off, and there was some little con
solation in the thought.
We presently came to a flight of stairs,
ascended to another story, passed through
a long narrow corridor, with several sharp 1
turnings,and at last stopped at a door which
she unlocked and threw open. A blaze of
light from a large chandelier almost daz
zled me, and I saw at a glance that the
apartment was luxuriously furnished. As
soon as we had entered, the lady locked
the door, and then removed her mask, dis
closing a young and beautiful face, so ani
mated and radiant with smiles that instant
ly I felt ashamed of my base suspicions.
" There now, Sir Richard," she said gai
ly, " you shall seat yourself in that fauteuil,
we will have a glass of wine together, I
and then we will arrange our plan with
what haste we may, so that you can depart I
before daylight, if you wish."
Could it be that even here, in this light, j
at such close quarters, she still mistook me i
for one who by her own showing was an
intimate friend ? The tiling hardly seemed ;
possible. If true our resemblance to each
other must be remarkable indeed: if not
true, then had 1 been lured hither for some j
dreadful purpose. I seated myself as di- j
rccted, and awaited the result with a good
deal of nervous anxiety. She stepped out j
of the room for a minute, through an inner !
door that was slightly ajar, and returned |
without her domino, in a very rich dress,
and with a decanter and two wine-glasses
011 a silver waiter.
" Here is your favorite sherry, Sir Rich
aid," she said, with a very sweet smile,
placing the waiter on a small table, pushed
the latter up before me, and seating her- (
self 011 the opposite side.
As I filled the two glasses, the thought
occurred to me that the wine might be poi-1
soiled.
" If she drinks, however, I will," I said
mentally, " but not otherwise."
We touched glasses, and both carried the I
wine to our lips. My eye was upon her.
She coughed slightly, and removed hersun
tasted. In an instant I threw mine over
my shoulder unperceivcd, and remarked, as
I replaced the glass, that I had never tas
ted anything better.
"Try another glass ;one hardly gives you
the flavor!" she said,with her sweetest smile.
I thanked her, refilled the glass, took it
in my hand, and soon managed to get rid
of it in the same inauner is the other.
" Now, then," she pursued, " let us ar
range our plan about Mary, while we have
an opportunity. You know the count op
poses your marriage, for 110 other reason
than But, by the-bye, Sir Richard, you
have neglected to drink her health !"
"True !" returned I , "how could 1 have
been so thoughtless ?" I refilled the glass.
"To the health of my dear Mary, and our
speedy union !" I continued, raising it to
my lips The eye of my fair hostess gleamed
with a peculiar light, now watching me
closely. " Hark!" said I, suddenly, look
ing quickly round " What sound is that ?"
" Where ? what, Sir Richard ? what do
you hear ?" she exclaimed, with a startled
glance around the apartment.
" I think I was mistaken," 1 said after a
pause, during which 1 had managed to get
rid of the wine without drinking it.
When she returned to me again I was in
the act of removing the empty glass from
my lips. She saw this, and on the instant
a strange expression of wicked triumph
flitted accross her beautiful features. It
was momentary, but it was fiend-like. I
felt my blood curdle. My worst suspicions
then were just! I was ensnared ! How
was I to escape ? Instantly T resolved that
she should not again quit my sight, and my
hope lav only in threats upon her life, while
alotie with me and in my power. She now,
without alluding to the plan which a<- had
ostensibly come together to discuss, com
menced an animated conversation about the
masked ball—glancing furtively at me the
while, as I fancied to note the effects of the
wine. To be certain 1 was light in my sur
mise, I thought it best to feign a heavy
drowsiness, and secretly watch her motions.
I did so, and gradually appeared to fall as
leep. As she perceived this, the mask of
nature was also removed, and I saw her
dark eyes gleam with a deadly light, and
her proud lip curl in scornful triumph. At
length she ceased speaking, and for a min
ute or two sat and watched me in silence.
Then as if to make sure, she approached
me, saying :
" You pay me but a poor compliment Sir
Richard, to fall asleep in my presence !"
And then, on finding I ga.ve no sign of con
sciousness, site added, in quite a different
tone : " Poor fool! It shall be 1113- care you
do not awake again ! You have played your
part to suit me, and I will play mine to suit
myself!"
She turned away as if to leave the room,
probably to summon her accomplices to fin
ish her wicked work ; and at that moment
I laid hold of her arm. As she looked around
in alarm, she found me wide awake, and my
eye fixed upon hers, with a severe and pen
etrating expression.
" Madame," said I, in a low stern, meas
ured tone, "if you would save your guilty
! life, do not attempt to escape, or call for
1 help ! I am not the poor fool you suppose !
You have played your part and I mine ! Ho
■ not flatter yourself I have been ensnared !
: I know you, and boldly came here to de
j tect you in your guilt! Not a single drop
| of your poisoned wine has passed my lips !
| Your whole establishment is under the sur
i veillance of the police, and unless I return
|to my friends by daylight, your mansion
j will be entered by the dread officers of the
; law, and every living soul in it will be to
ken into custody! Sow mark well what I
say ! You must instantly yourself conduct
I me clear of your premises, and if you dare
j to falter in the least or attempt to raise an
! alarm, that moment, so sure as there is a
1 God in heaven, you die ! Now give me
your hand lead the way !"
White with terrified amazement, and
trembling like an aspen, the guilty wretch
ed woman stood cowering before my stern
penetrating glance. For nearly a minute
she seemed to much overpowered to move
from the spot. I took her hand, grasped il
like a vice, and silently pointed to the door.
At length she went forward with tottering
! steps. In silence she led me through the
j dark corridor, down the stairs, through the
j passage, into the court, through another
: passage, and opened the last door that ad
| mitted to life ind light. Morn was just
| breaking, and as I felt the cool air of heav
j en upon my fevered brow, and thought <>('
my narrow escape from death, there came
such a whirl of strange emotions that 1
reeled forward like a man intoxicated !
The mansion just quitted stood on the
banks of the Seine, about two miles below
1 the old city ; and I believe if I had drank
the wine offered me, my rifled body would
I soon have been cast into the rushing wat
-1 tors. 1 believe, moreover, the mansion,
j grand as it appeared, was only a den of rob
| hers and murderers-that the woman was
j simply a beautiful decoy for strangers and
j foreigners—and that main - a poor unsus
pecting soul had taken its flight from there
to the eternal world ! I did not communi
-1 cate with the police, for the reason that, in
j the first place I could bring no charge of
| crime against any ; and in the second place,
I did not wish to become involved with the
French courts of law : but thankful beyond
expression for my own escape, 1 firmly re
solved never to risk my life again in anoth
er mysterious adventure in Paris !
A GOOD ONE. —While passing down the
street the other day, we saw the gentlemen
somewhat the worse forjhaving been in con
versation with "Captain Whiskey." Just
as we approached tliem, and for some un
known cause—perhaps phvscology—one
of them plunged into the gutter. His com
panion assisted him to rise, and commenced
rubbing the dirt from his coat. "Rubbing
him down eh ?" exclaimed we. "Not ex
actly ; only scraping an acquaintance."
NOTHING was so much dreaded in our
school-boy days as to be punished by sit
ting between two girls. Ah ! the force of
education ! In after years we learn to
submit to such things without shedding a
tear.
A dry sort of genius undertook to ar
range and classify the different sorts of
fools in this world : Ist, the ordinary fool.
2nd, the fool who is one and don't know it.
3d, the fool who is not satisfied with being
a fool in reality, but undertakes, in addi
tion, to play the fool.
A FRIEND in South America writes to us
that he is now spending a month with a
farmer who owns a thousand miles of pas
ture, and a patch of corn larger than Scot
land, while he has got so many cattle that
he lias to boil the fodder for them in a
volcano.
FiuriUTivK.—A man being asked what
he had for dinner, replied, "A lean wife
and the ruin of man for sauce." On being
asked for an explanation it appeared that
his dinner consisted of a spare rib of pork
and apple-sauce.
SHEEP are thought by Mr. Quilp to be
like ladies' dresses, as improperly folded
they get into a muss.
THE only chance for some men's hats to
contain anything valuable is to pass them
around for pennies.
WHAT is the difference between a bee
and a donkey ? One lias the honey and
the other the whacks.
A ten thousand dollar monument is to
he erected by the Sixth Corps to the memo
ry of the brave Gen. Sedgwick.
CALIFORNIA papers publish births, mar
riages, divorces and deaths in regular order.
This is systematizing the tiling.
THAT was a smart youngster who, hear
ing his mother remark that she was fond ol
music, exclaimed, "Then why don't you buy
me a drum ?"
We often puff away with a laughing
breath all better thoughts as you blow
away the down from a dandelion in seed.
DOBBS says the first time a girl kissed
him, be felt as if he was sliding down a
rainbow, with Yanky Doodle in each hand.
A western editor acknowledging a pres
ent of a buffalo, says—" The smallest fa
vors thankfully received."