Another Lady Mason.

guerillas , the captain immediately ordered a command of twenty men to double quick through to the house and endeavour to rescue the family , if in danger . Upon reaching the vicinity of the opening that surrounded tbe cabin , we discovered that a quantity of hay had been placed against the door and fired ; and near the building a party of eight or nine guerillas , armed lvith guns , were grouped

together , apparently listening to a speaker . Our party , which had divided at the edge of the corn Avith tbe view of surrounding the cabin , UOAV rushed in upon them and succeeded in capturing three of their number . We had arrived too late to render any assistance to the inmates of the cabin , which had already sunk down into a smouldering heap , beneath which tbe mother and her

children had perished . After securing our prisoners with a portion of a clothes line hanging from a branch of a tree , they were conducted to camp , where the captain , immediately summoned a drum-bead court martial to try them upon tbe charge of murder , assuring them that if they were found guilty thoy ii'ould be shot at sunrise , as a warning to their guerilla comrades . One of the party ,

a short thick fellow , with a bushy head of red hair , ancl bloated expression of countenance , when asked by the court martial if he had any thing to say , sneeringly turned away , refusing to make any answer . . The second prisoner , a tall , slender person , of dark complexion , with one eye concealed beneath a handkerchief that was tied diagonally around his head , while his face was scratched

and scarred with fresh wounds , apparently the result of some bacchanalian braivl with his comrades , observed" This shooting a felleparter he's a prisoner for fighting for the freedom of Missouri , and agin the Obelitioners , aint aecoden to laiv . " Here a member of the court martial asked him " If the murdering of a helpless woman and her children at the midnight hour , by burning them to death while sleeping , was fighting for tho freedom of Missouri ? " The felloAV turned away from this question with a dejected

look , muttering that "her husband was a Obelitioner . " Tbe third person was a young man or boy , apparently about sixteen years old . Prom his dialect , and the nationality of expression on his countenance it was easy to discern that he was of Irish descent . He was well dressed , and appeared to bo greatly distressed at bis situation as a prisoner . He observed , with much alarm

expressed in his countenance , that he was an Irish boy , and that be bad been in the United States but ten weeks , and had taken no part in the war ; that the men who had burned the house hacl called upon him that evening and asked him to join them in a coon hunt , and it was not until they were fired at upon the bridge that he was aware of the character and object of tbe party . He would have

left them there , but the night was dark , and be did not know bis way home . Here one of the court arose and informed him that his story partook of the character of all guerilla pleas of innocence , and that it availed him nothing . He bad been caught with others in the very act of committing this cruel and unfeeling murder , and that it only remained for

him to say that the court found all three of them guilty of murder , and sentenced them to be shot at seven o'clock the next morning . The jirisoners ivere then ordered to the guard housea log dwelling—and placed in the cellar beneath the building . The remainder of the night was devoted to the making of coffins and the digging of a grave of sufficient

dimensions to hold them side by side . When the niorningreturned the rain ceased—tho clouds had passed aivay , and soon the sun rose with a warm and genial glow . All nature seemed refreshed with the murky shoiver of the night , while all around the blades of grass , the lilac bushes , and forest leaves drooped under the sparklingrain drops that glittered on their folds , and the birds carolled wild and loud their morning matins . All felt that it was a day to live , and not to die in . The drum was beat at early dawn , mustering the company under

arms to witness the punishment ; and a detail of twelve men was made as executioners , under the command of a corporal . As the time drew near for the execution , it was discovered that two of the prisoners had made their escape by forcing a passage through the partition wall of the cellar into the cellar of an adjoining house . The boy , however , was still a prisoner , and all were

determined he should be made an example of . Accordingly about eight o ' clock he was brought out to be conducted to the place of execution . Upon seeing the soldiers drawn up to receive him , he commenced wringing his hands , crying , and calling to the captain , saying , " Oh , captain , 1 am not guilty . Do not let them kill me . Don't captainyou can save me . I will give yon my watch . M

, y sister will give you money . Oh , God , oh , holy Mother ! oh , captain , speak to them quick , they are taking me away . " With a soldier upon each side of him , he was now led by the arms towards the place of execution , still calling upon the captain to save him . When he discovered the coffin and the grave that had been prepared for him , he gave a wild frantic screamand then seemed to realise for the

, first time that in a few minutes he would be no more among the living ; for in a moment after he was calm , when , turning to the officer of tbe guard , he requested him to ask tbe captain if he would give him time to write to his mother in Ireland .

The captain , who was standing on one side of the hollow square of soldiers that surrounded the prisoner , hearing this request , immediately answered , " Yes , let him have writing materials , " which were immediatelybrought , when he kneeled down , placing the paper on the coffin lid , and as his pen dashed off the words " dear mother , " tears fell upon the paper , which , in brushing

aivay AA'ith his coat sleeve , erased the words he had written ; when , spi"inging to his feet , he commenced wringing his hands , saying , " I cannot , ivrite , I cannot write ; oh , soldier , will you write for me ? " 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 hollow square , in the direction of the prisoner . It was an Irish girl , apparently about eighteen years old , without bonnet or shoes , her dress bespotted with mud , and her long dark hair streaming in the wind as she rushed forward with a wild , heartrending scream , saying , " He is my brother ! he is brother I" In a moment

my she had crossed the square , and clasping her brother in her arms she continued with an agonising 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 ivish to look upon a scene like that again ; and many a hardy hunter from Ioiva ' s border , while gazing on it , felt the involuntary tear course doivn his manly cheek . But we were surrounded by murderers and assassins . The hand that bad received pay from a soldier for a draught of water had been known to strike him in the back with a dagger as he turned away ; 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 . When tivo soldiers advanced and unloosed her grasp upon her brother , her screams , her appeals to all for mercy were terrible . They had dragged her but a short distance from him , when looking back and seeing a black handkerchief

already tied over his eyes , with one wild , frantic scream she flung the soldiers from her , and bounding back to her brother she tore the handkerchief from his eyes and again enfolded him in her arms . As the soldiers were again removing her , the coat sleeve of one of them was torn during her struggles , 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 , and confident tone of voice , she observed ,