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Article A ROMANCE OF THE AMERICAN WAR. ← Page 3 of 3
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Romance Of The American War.
write . Oh , soldier , Avill you write for mo i" addressing the corporal of the guard . At that moment there arose upon the stillness of the scene , the wild , piercing shriek of a female , as she burst through the
ranks of the soldiers , and swept out upon the holloAV square , in the direction of the prisoner . It ivas an Irish girl , apparently about eighteen years old , without bonnet or shoes , her dress besotted Avith mud , and her long dark , hair streaming in the wind ,
as she rushed forward Avith a Avild , heartrending scream , saying " He is my brother ! he is my brother . " In a moment she had crossed the square , and clasping her brother in her arms , she continued Avith an agonizing scream , " Oh , soldiers ! oh , Holy Mother ! Gentlemen ! for the love of Jesus , do not kill him ! he is innocent ! he is my brother !"
i . never AVISLL to look upon a scene like that again , and many a hardy hunter from IoAva ' s border , while gazing on it , felt the involuntary tear course down his manly cheek . But Ave Avere surrounded by murderers and assasins . The hand that had received pay from a soldier for a draught of Avater , had been known to strike him in the back Avitli a dagger as ho turned aivay , and our officers had determined to make an
example of the first murderer that fell into our hands . The girl at length was ordered to be removed , Avhen the soldiers advanced , and unloosed the grasp upon her brother . Her screams , her appeals to all for mercy Avere
terrible . They had dragged her but a short distance from him , Avhen looking back and seeing a black -handkerchief already tied over Ms eyes , Avith one wild , frantic scream , she flung the soldiers from herand
bound-, ing back to her brother , she tore the handkerchief from his eyes , and again enfolded him in her ' arms . As the soldiers Avere again removing her , the coat-sleeve of one of them Avas torn during her struggle and her eye fell upon a breast-pin that he had
fastened upon his shirt-sleeve , perhaps for concealment and safety . In an instant , all her physical powers were relaxed . In a calm , subdued , confident tone of voice , she observed , as she Pointed to the pin , " Soldiers , let me make one more effort for my brother . " The soldiers , startled at the strangeness of her
manner , unloosed their hold upon her , and in a moment she bounded away to her brother , shielding his body again with her person , at the very moment that the guns Avere descending to receive the word "fire . " Turning her back to her brother , and facing
the file of soldiers , she stood forth a stately Avoman . There no scream , no tears , no agonizing expression , but calm and erect , she SAvept the field Avith her eye , and then advancing three steps , she gave the grand hailing sign of a Master Mason . None but Masons amon < _ r those soldiers
observed it , and there Avere many of them hi that command , who HOAV stood mute with astonishment at the strange and mysterious spectacle before them . There Avas a captain AVIIO came forward , and in a loud A oice , said " that owing to the
distress and interference of the young Avoman , the execution would be postponed until nine o ' clock the next day . " The guard Avas then ordered to be'doubled , and a strict Avatch kept on the prisoner during the night .
Notwithstanding this precaution , it Avas discovered in the morning , that both the boy and sister had made their escape . In Avhat way they accomplished it is a mystery to the company . During the early part of the evening ,
there Avas a meeting of the Masonic members of the company at the captain ' s headquarters , wdiere the girl was examined , and found to have passed all the degrees . When or how she acquired these degrees she declined to say . She and her brother had been in the United States but about ten
Aveeks , having come from Ireland for the purpose of purchasing a farm , intending , Avhen they had done so , to send for their mother and younger brother . The boy did not know his sister ivas a Mason , and only kneAV that his father , Avhen living , was
Master of a Lodge in their native toAvn in Ireland . —The Weeldy Budget , IM ^ mfrfr of March , 1863 . / ZV ^ T LL I , ^ D ' _ = 4 ° DQ 6 \ V ^ v ,
p Woman—Avhat is she madi _\ TC _^—fel ^ she , or is she not , or is she , aiiuTt- ^ oT why not ? Can she , can she not , or can she , and if not , why can she . What does she think of and when and wherefore- —certainly—Avhy not ?
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Romance Of The American War.
write . Oh , soldier , Avill you write for mo i" addressing the corporal of the guard . At that moment there arose upon the stillness of the scene , the wild , piercing shriek of a female , as she burst through the
ranks of the soldiers , and swept out upon the holloAV square , in the direction of the prisoner . It ivas an Irish girl , apparently about eighteen years old , without bonnet or shoes , her dress besotted Avith mud , and her long dark , hair streaming in the wind ,
as she rushed forward Avith a Avild , heartrending scream , saying " He is my brother ! he is my brother . " In a moment she had crossed the square , and clasping her brother in her arms , she continued Avith an agonizing scream , " Oh , soldiers ! oh , Holy Mother ! Gentlemen ! for the love of Jesus , do not kill him ! he is innocent ! he is my brother !"
i . never AVISLL to look upon a scene like that again , and many a hardy hunter from IoAva ' s border , while gazing on it , felt the involuntary tear course down his manly cheek . But Ave Avere surrounded by murderers and assasins . The hand that had received pay from a soldier for a draught of Avater , had been known to strike him in the back Avitli a dagger as ho turned aivay , and our officers had determined to make an
example of the first murderer that fell into our hands . The girl at length was ordered to be removed , Avhen the soldiers advanced , and unloosed the grasp upon her brother . Her screams , her appeals to all for mercy Avere
terrible . They had dragged her but a short distance from him , Avhen looking back and seeing a black -handkerchief already tied over Ms eyes , Avith one wild , frantic scream , she flung the soldiers from herand
bound-, ing back to her brother , she tore the handkerchief from his eyes , and again enfolded him in her ' arms . As the soldiers Avere again removing her , the coat-sleeve of one of them Avas torn during her struggle and her eye fell upon a breast-pin that he had
fastened upon his shirt-sleeve , perhaps for concealment and safety . In an instant , all her physical powers were relaxed . In a calm , subdued , confident tone of voice , she observed , as she Pointed to the pin , " Soldiers , let me make one more effort for my brother . " The soldiers , startled at the strangeness of her
manner , unloosed their hold upon her , and in a moment she bounded away to her brother , shielding his body again with her person , at the very moment that the guns Avere descending to receive the word "fire . " Turning her back to her brother , and facing
the file of soldiers , she stood forth a stately Avoman . There no scream , no tears , no agonizing expression , but calm and erect , she SAvept the field Avith her eye , and then advancing three steps , she gave the grand hailing sign of a Master Mason . None but Masons amon < _ r those soldiers
observed it , and there Avere many of them hi that command , who HOAV stood mute with astonishment at the strange and mysterious spectacle before them . There Avas a captain AVIIO came forward , and in a loud A oice , said " that owing to the
distress and interference of the young Avoman , the execution would be postponed until nine o ' clock the next day . " The guard Avas then ordered to be'doubled , and a strict Avatch kept on the prisoner during the night .
Notwithstanding this precaution , it Avas discovered in the morning , that both the boy and sister had made their escape . In Avhat way they accomplished it is a mystery to the company . During the early part of the evening ,
there Avas a meeting of the Masonic members of the company at the captain ' s headquarters , wdiere the girl was examined , and found to have passed all the degrees . When or how she acquired these degrees she declined to say . She and her brother had been in the United States but about ten
Aveeks , having come from Ireland for the purpose of purchasing a farm , intending , Avhen they had done so , to send for their mother and younger brother . The boy did not know his sister ivas a Mason , and only kneAV that his father , Avhen living , was
Master of a Lodge in their native toAvn in Ireland . —The Weeldy Budget , IM ^ mfrfr of March , 1863 . / ZV ^ T LL I , ^ D ' _ = 4 ° DQ 6 \ V ^ v ,
p Woman—Avhat is she madi _\ TC _^—fel ^ she , or is she not , or is she , aiiuTt- ^ oT why not ? Can she , can she not , or can she , and if not , why can she . What does she think of and when and wherefore- —certainly—Avhy not ?