An Original Belle

by Edward Payson Roe

  "Oh, come, this won't do at all," said Mr. Vosburgh, as Zeb wasabout to continue the story. "It's nearly midnight now. Marian,dear, your cheeks and eyes look as if you had a fever. Let us waitand hear the rest of the story in the morning, or you'll be ill,your mother will have a headache, and I shall be unfit for my workto-morrow."

  "Papa, papa, in pity don't stop them till we know all. If CaptainLane could watch all night and fight in the morning, can't we listenfor an hour longer?"

  "Oh, yes," cried Mrs. Vosburgh, "let them finish. It's like a story,and I never could sleep well till I knew how a story was going toturn out."

  "Wait a moment and I'll bring everybody something nice from thesideboard, and you, also, papa, a cigar from the library," criedthe young girl.

  Her father smiled his acquiescence, and in a few moments they wereall ready to listen to the completion of a tragedy not without itsdash of comedy.

  "Arter Cap'n Lane posted his guards in de house an' sent derobber off," Zeb resumed, "he jump on a hoss an' gallop toward decreek-road. De light in de winder kep' a-burnin'! I foun' arterwardsdat he an' his ossifers had been down on de creek-road and studiedit all out. At one place--whar it was narrer' wid tick woods onbofe sides--dey had builded a high rail-fence. Den below dat hehad put sogers in de woods each side widout dere hosses, an' farderdown still he had hid a lot of men dat was mounted. Sho' 'nuff, widde fust light of de mawnin', de rebs come ridin' toward de lightin de winder. I'd run out to de hill, not far away, ter see whatwould happen, an' it was so dark yet dat eb'ryting was mixed up widshadders. When de rebs was a-comin' by de Linkum men in de woods ashot was fired. Den I s'pose de rebs tought it would gib de 'larm,fer dey began ter run dere hosses for'ard. An' den de Linkum menlet dem hab it on bofe sides ob de road, but dey kep' on till deycome to de fence 'cross de road, an' den dey git a volley in front.Dis skeered 'em, for dey knowed dat de Linkum men was ready, an'dey tried to git back. Den I heared a great tramplin' an' yellin',an' dere was Cap'n Lane a-leadin' his men an' hosses right in ahinddem. Dere was orful fightin' fer a while, an' de men widout derehosses leap outen de woods and shot like mad. It was flash! bang!on eb'ry side. At las' de Linkum men won de day, an' some ob derebs burst troo de woods an' run, wid Cap'n Lane's men arter dem,an' dey kep' a-chasin' till a bugle call dem back. Den I run tode house, fer dey was bringin' in de pris'ners. Who should I see'mong dese but de bery ossifer dat was wid Missy Roberta de nightafore, de one dat wanted de light in de winder, an' he look berymad, I can tell you.

  "It was now gettin' broad day, an' de light at las' was outen dewinder. Dere was nuffin' mo' fer it to do. De Linkum soger dat hadbeen in de house was now helpin' guard de pris'ners, an' Missy Robertaan' Missy S'wanee run up to de ossifer dat had been so fooled an'say: 'We'se couldn't help it. Somebody 'trayed us. We was kep'under guard, an' dere was a Yankee soger a-keepin' de light burnin'arter we knew Cap'n Lane was aroun' an' ready.' Missy Roberta looksharp at me, but I 'peared innercent as a sheep. Missy S'wanee say:'No matter, Major Denham, you did all dat a brave man could do,an' dar's my colors. You hab won dem.' An' den he cheer up 'mazin'ly.

  "Den I hear somebody say Cap'n Lane woun'ed, an' I slip out towardde creek-road, an' dar I see dem a-carryin Cap'n Lane, an' de surgeonwalkin' 'longside ob him. My heart jes' stood still wid fear. Hiseyes was shut, an' he look bery pale-like. Dey was a-carryin' himup de steps ob de verandy when Missy S'wanee came runnin' ter seewhat was de matter. Den Cap'n Lane open his eyes an' he say: 'Notin here. Put me wid de oder woun'ed men; 'but Missy S'wanee say,'No; he protec' us an' act like a gemlin, an' he shall learn datde ladies ob de Souf will not be surpassed.' De missus say de same,but Missy Roberta frown an' say nuffin'. She too much put out yet'bout dat light in de winder an' de 'feat it brought her fren's.De cap'n was too weak an' gone-like ter say anyting mo', an' deycarry him up ter de bes' company room. I goes up wid dem ter waiton de surgeon, an' he 'zamin' de woun' an' gib de cap'n brandy, an'at las' say dat de cap'n get well ef he keep quiet a few weeks,--dathe weak now from de shock an' loss ob blood.

  "In de arternoon hundreds more Linkum men come, an' Cap'n Lane'scunnel come wid dem, an' he praise de cap'n an' cheer him up, an'de cap'n was bery peart an' say he feel better. Mos' ob de ossiferstake supper at de house. De missus an' Missy Roberta were perlitebut bery cold-like, but Missy S'wanee, while she show dat she wasa reb down to de bottom ob her good, kine heart, could smile an'say sunshiny tings all de same. Dis night pass bery quiet, an'in de mawnin' de Linkum cunnel say he hab orders ter 'tire towardde Union lines. He feel bery bad 'bout leabin' Cap'n Lane, but desurgeon say he mus' not be moved. He say, too, dat he stay wid decap'n an' de oder badly woun'ed men. De cap'n tell his cunnel 'boutme an' my moder an' what he promise us, an' de cunnel say he takeus wid him an' send us to Washin'on. De missus an' de young ladiestake on drefful 'bout our gwine, but I say, 'I mus' hab my liberty,'an' moder say she can't part wid her own flesh an' blood--"

  "Yes, yes, but what did 'Cap'n' Lane say?" interrupted Marian.

  "He tole me ter say ter you, missy, dat he was gwine ter git well,an' dat you mus'n't worry 'kase you didn't hear from him, an' dathe know you'd be kine to us, 'kase I'd help him win de vict'ry. Desurgeon wrote some letters, too, an' gib dem to de Linkum cunnel.P'raps you git one ob dem. Dey put us in an army wagon, an' bimebywe reach a railroad, an' dey gib us a pass ter Washin'on, an' wecome right on heah wid Cap'n Lane's money. I doesn't know what deydid with de robber--"

  "Oh, oh," cried Marian, "it may be weeks before I hear from myfriend again, if I 'ever do."

  "Marian, dear," said her father, "do not look on the dark side;it might have been a hundred-fold worse. 'Cap'n' Lane was incircumstances of great comfort, with his own surgeon in care ofhis wound. Think how many poor fellows were left on the field ofChancellorsville to Heaven only knows what fate. In such desperatefighting as has been described we have much reason to be thankfulthat he was not killed outright. He has justly earned great creditwith his superiors, and I predict that he will get well and bepromoted. I think you will receive a letter in a day or two fromthe surgeon. I prescribe that you and mamma sleep in the morningtill you are rested. I won't grumble at taking my coffee alone."Then, to the colored woman and her son: "Don't you worry. We'llsee that you are taken care of."

  Late as it was, hours still elapsed before Marian slept. Her herohad become more heroic than ever. She dwelt on his achievementswith enthusiasm, and thought of his sufferings with a tendernessnever before evoked, while the possibility that "Missy S'wanee"was his nurse produced twinges approaching jealousy.

  As was expected, the morning post brought a letter from the surgeonconfirming the account that had been given by the refugees, andfull of hope-inspiring words. Then for weeks there were no furthertidings from Lane.

  Meanwhile, events were culminating with terrible rapidity, andtheir threatening significance electrified the North. The Southernpeople and their sympathizers everywhere were jubilant overthe victory of Chancellorsville, and both demanded and expectedthat this success should be followed by decisive victories. Lee'sarmy, General Longstreet said, was "in a condition of strength andmorale to undertake anything," and Southern public sentiment andthe needs of the Richmond government all pointed towards a secondand more extended invasion of the North. The army was indeed strong,disciplined, a powerful instrument in the hands of a leader likeGeneral Lee. Nevertheless, it had reached about the highest degreeof its strength. The merciless conscription in the South had sweptinto its ranks nearly all the able-bodied men, and food and foragewere becoming so scarce in war-wasted Virginia and other regionswhich would naturally sustain this force, that a bold, decisivepolicy had become a necessity. It was believed that on Northernsoil the army could be fed, and terms of peace dictated.

  The chief motive for this step was the hope of a counter-revolutionin the North where the peace faction had grown bold and aggressiveto a degree that only stopped short of open resistance. The draftor general conscription which the President had ordered to take placein July aw
akened intense hostility to the war and the governmenton the part of a large and rapidly increasing class of citizens.This class had its influential and outspoken leaders, who wereevidently in league with a secret and disloyal organization knownas the "Knights of the Golden Circle," the present object of whichwas the destruction of the Union and the perpetuation of slavery.In the city of New York the spirit of rebellion was as rampant inthe breasts of tens of thousands as in Richmond, and Mr. Vosburgh knewit. His great sagacity and the means of information at his commandenabled him to penetrate much of the intrigue that was taking place,and to guess at far more. He became haggard and almost sleeplessfrom his labors and anxieties, for he knew that the loyal peopleof the North were living over a volcano.

  Marian shared in this solicitude, and was his chief confidante. Hewished her, with her mother, to go to some safe and secluded placein the country, and offered to lease again the cottage which theyhad occupied the previous summer, but Marian said that she wouldnot leave him, and that he must not ask her to do so. Mrs. Vosburghwas eventually induced to visit relatives in New England, and thenfather and daughter watched events with a hundred-fold more anxietythan that of the majority, because they were better informed andmore deeply involved in the issues at stake than many others. Butbeyond all thought of worldly interests, their intense loyal feelingburned with a pure, unwavering flame.

  In addition to all that occupied her mind in connection withher father's cares and duties, she had other grounds for anxiety.Strahan wrote that his regiment was marching northward, and thathe soon expected to take part in the chief battle of the war. Everyday she hoped for some news from Lane, but none came. His wishesin regard to Mammy Borden and her son had been well carried out.Mr. Vosburgh had been led to suspect that the man in charge of hisoffices was becoming rather too curious in regard to his affairs,and too well informed about them. Therefore Zeb was installedin his place; and when Mrs. Vosburgh departed on her visit Mariandismissed the girl who had succeeded Sally Maguire, and employedthe colored woman in her stead. She felt that this action wouldbe pleasing to Lane, and that it was the very least that she coulddo.

  Moreover, Mammy Borden was what she termed a "character," one towhom she could speak with something of the freedom natural to theladies of the Southern household. The former slave could describea phase of life and society that was full of novelty and romanceto Marian, and "de young ladies," especially "Missy S'wanee," weretypes of the Southern girl of whom she never wearied of hearing.From the quaint talk of her new servant she learned to understandthe domestic life of those whom she had regarded as enemies, and wascompelled to admit that in womanly spirit and dauntless patriotismthey were her equals, and had proved it by facing dangers andhardships from which she had been shielded. More than all, the oldcolored woman was a protegee of Captain Lane and was never wearyof chanting his praises.

  Marian was sincerely perplexed by the attitude of her mind towardsthis young officer. He kindled her enthusiasm and evoked admirationwithout stint. He represented to her the highest type of manhoodin that period of doubt, danger, and strong excitement. Brave tothe last degree, his courage was devoid of recklessness. The simple,untutored description of his action given by the refugees had onlymade it all the more clear that his mind was as keen and bright ashis sword, while in chivalric impulses he had never been surpassed.Unconsciously Mammy Borden and her son had revealed traits in himwhich awakened Marian's deepest respect, suggesting thoughts ofwhich she would not have spoken to any one. She had been shown hiscourse towards beautiful women who were in his power, and who atthe same time were plotting his destruction and that of his command.While he foiled their hostile purpose, no knight of olden timescould have shown them more thoughtful consideration and respect.She felt that her heart ought to go out towards this ideal loverin utter abandon. Why did it not? Why were her pride, exultation,and deep solicitude too near akin to the emotions she would havefelt had he been her brother? Was this the only way in which shecould love? Would the sacred, mysterious, and irresistible impulsesof the heart, of which she had read, follow naturally in due time?

  She was inclined to believe that this was true, yet, to her surprise,the thought arose unbidden: "If Willard Merwyn were showing likequalities and making the same record--What absurdity is this!"she exclaimed aloud. "Why does this Mr. Merwyn so haunt me, whenI could not give him even respect and friendship, although he sentan army into the field, yet was not brave enough to go himself?Where is he? What is he doing in these supreme hours of his country'shistory? Everything is at stake at the front, yes, and even hereat the North, for I can see that papa dreads unspeakably what eachday may bring forth, yet neither this terrible emergency nor thehope of winning my love can brace his timid soul to manly action.There is more manhood in one drop of the blood shed by Captain Lanethan in Merwyn's whole shrinking body."

  CHAPTER XXX.

  THE NORTH INVADED.