The Georgia weekly. (Greenville, Ga.) 1861-186?, June 19, 1861, Image 1

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VOL. I. s()e (Georgia tt)cekli3, devoted to Literature and General Information, WM. HENRY PECK, Editor and Proprietor. >C»LI9HKD JCVBBT WEDNESDAY, »T PECK &_L. INE S . TERMS, IBVABIABLY IB ADVANCB ! One eopjr, per annum *•• $2.00 Slagle copies, 5 cents. Advertisements inserted at $1 a square •f 12 lines, tot one insertion, »*d 50 cents for each subsequent insertion. A liberal deduction made to those who advertise by the year. [tCBLISHED. BY REQUEST.] THE PATRIOT’&jgATH. 9Y LIOXORA IIULLJNS. On Buena Vista’s bloody field A soldier dying lay, His thoughts were on hts mountain home, Some thousand miles away. He called his comrade to bis aide, for much be had to say, In briefest time to those who were Boms thousand miles away. Ut father comrade you will tell, About this bloody fray, My country standard say to him, ' If»s safe with me to-day. 'j-have made a pillow of it now » On which to lay my head,. A winditMt sheet you will make of it, WhenT am with the dead. 1 know it will grieve his inmost sorl, , To think that never more, I will sot with him beneath the oak .-That sh ides his cottage door. But tell the time worn patriot, That mindful of his feme, • . Upqp this bloody battle field, 1 sullied:not his name. • My mother's form is with me now, Her wail is to my ear, And drop by drop as flows my blood, So drops from her a tear. Then, oh, when you shall tell to her, The tidings of this day, : jv ; Speak softly comrade, sofily speak, f , What you may have to say. ; ; Oh, speak to her In hurried words, |2 The blighting news you bear, HfgL The chords of life might snap too soon, comrade have a cure. .tJIPio take my x-ouniry s side. iA s,.t comrade there is one I fain, sBSI Once more to look • p -n, ’“She lives upon the sloping hill That over looks the lawn. The lawn where l shall never more, In spring-time's pleasant hours Go forth wiihiu a merry mood, To gather wopdlami flowers. jDn Buena Visfa’s bloody field, . "a Tell her I dying lay, ‘ Xnd that I knew she thonght of me . . -Some thousand roll** sway. w TfIEWINE-SELLER,’S DAUGHTER. Oil HIGHT BEFORE THE ,*▲<&*£'OF fc T WILLIAM HKNrVTBCK. Avlh«r- »f Brother 1 1 Vengeance“ Vir- Gleneaire,” “ Saul, the Renegade," * TheUfoctoroon," “ The Red Diearf,. n The Family Doom,” “ Tht Black Phantom," “ The ‘ Qorrican" “ Blob)" Jce., etc., (fcC COPYRIGHT secured. ■ ■ bkAPTER XV—CONTINUED. “Comrades,” said he, turning to the amazed assembly, “ this is a wo man, and at some time during my lite there was a connection between U3 which now commands me to interpose hetweep her and your decree. Her life must be spared.” “Andwhere isßivart?” demanded .* burly ruffian, stepping forward. | “ Pierre Rivart was my crony —as gay .f lark as ever chirped. Let this wo man give us tidings of Rivart.” ' “ Aye ! Rivart! Life for life ! Ki ▼art!” shouted the conspirators pres sing nearer to the dais. Yadak’s carbine was now leveled at the head of St. John, and had Clara, raised her hands the conspna tor would have died with a ball be tween his eyes. But Clara remained motionless, and said calmly: “ Rivart's life depends upon mine. I do not value mine a feather s weight, or I would not have come here alone. If harm befalls me, Rivart will die a mostihorrible death.” • “Who cares for him?’ growled Carlos. “ Let him die. If you go hence the league will be betrayed. Comrades, this is a woman, it seems; but blood of my life she is a spy!” “Hang the spy!” cried the. as sembly. . . “I have said no!” thundered St. iohn, whose eyes had never wandered from Clara’s, and who detected in jts steady gleam a desperate resolve. He secretly trembled, for he saw she did not fear to die, and knew that courage „ arose from the Consciousness of ability flcbofcVta Jftterjiurc, to slay him, even there amid his fol lowers. “ She shall live,” he continued. “ But a prisoner.” An expression of satisfaction light ed up Clara’s sac face still beau tiful, though sadly faded from the beanty of her youth. “ I am willing to be a prisoner,” she said calmly. Then raising her voice to a louder -tone she said, in Arabic i “Let him who Walts hasten to rescue!” “ What does thatmean 1" demand- St. John, who did not understand the words. Clara smiled bitterly and replied: “It means that I do not trust you.” “ She has confederates,” thought St. John, again rolling his searching glance from face to face. “Those confederates may balk the conspiracy. I must hasten the signal.” Then to the assembly, “To your stations. Be I ready. Await the signal—it may' come sooner than you think.” “ The sooner the better,” cried the | conspirators. “ But the spy must. hang.” “She shall, my friends, but not now. She shall die to-morrow.” “ Who pledges his life for the life of the spy? The law of the league de mands the life of any one who takes a prisoner, if that prisoner shall escape before the blow falls,” saml Carlos. “ I pledge mine,” replies St. John, and then muttered, “If till dawn may ruin seize me, I with her alone once agai^!” “ We accept the pledge,” excluime'fpj Carlos, and that die 1 would free the prisoner, and so lay TcKv , his hated superior,#d?t **>-•. | “I read your thoughts,” mused St. John, as his ejm dwelt for a moment \ upon the sinister visage of in-command. “Butaif you can tree : her«fiom the pijson in which I shall place, her jjgu 'are welcome to my head*' * then hurried away, by one, to meet at their, respec Ouxjos with Clara. do you'not go with your band ?’Sdeinajided St. John. ■ When 1. take my birdjj with me, nobldWSiptawi,” replied Car- Ids with iwswtfand ajeor. “ <;oiuyEpdffyou shall take hdaf*. said St. John. lie turhefl as if abpjit to open the. small door behind him? when Carlos called out: *j, •«. ■:** “ Fair and easy, nobje Captain. I must tell you that mytwehty lads of thunder axe me arodfid this house, and lujve my orders to blow on the league if Ifim ngt with them within tep minutes, ‘fWyour helmet on when you pjit your head in-a lion’s jaws,’ says the proverb. You under stand. If you play me false, blood of my life, the plot falls through.” “ Carlos, when you cease to be of use to me, fear me,’* replied St. John with a mocking laugh. “ I will lead the way; you, madam, follow me. Carlos may go, come or stay.” “ I am with you,” growled Carlos, as he followed aft|r Clara, who obeyed Sts John’s gesture. The ghastly'wmlng hanging from the rope remained the sole occu pant of the deserted hall. CHAPTER XVI. THE DEATH OF ST. JOHN. Yadak, having heard the command, “ Let him who waits hasten to the res cue,” glided from his hiding place and fled homeward to the house of the fortune-teller, and ere many minutes had passed stood before Mario. “ Speak ! What news,” demanded Mario, who had stripped off the court -1 terpart of Benditto’s, or rather his daughter’s disguise. “ The youth we captured has be trayed us, ’ said Yadak. “He did* not warn my nohle mistress of every test, and she is a prisoner.” * “ A prisoner ! No worse, Yadak,” cried Mario, whose features, undis gnised were full of nobility, though careworn. “No worse, my master, but so. bad” that my noble mistress bade me has ten to the rescue,” replied Yadak, who then rapidly related all that had passed. “Now hasten to the house of the wine-seller, Paul Amar,” said Count Mario, after hearing the recital. “ I will write to tell him that.his daughter is in the power of Victor St. Johs— saloon is not far from here -»nd I will await your return.” “ And the who betrayed my noble mistress ?” asked Yadak. , “Is dead.” “Ah! That pleasure should have been my reward,” cried Yadak. “What pleasure?” asked Mario, writing. “ The pleasure of vengeance upon the traitor who attempted to betray my uoh'e mistress to death, and did GREENVILLE, GEORGIA, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 1861. betray her to captivity,” replied Yadak. “He died in a tte raffing to escape frem the room in which we con6ned hi<B,” said Mario. “ Doubtless he knew that the test would ruin my daughter, and fearing our vetlgednce sought to escape. He forced his way trough a window, but in .leaping to th% ground must have lightedupon his hands and knees; for hearing a groan I hurried into the yard to find him in that posture —dead. Take this letter to Paul.” “ But what killed him ?” ■ “He had fallen upon a heap of old iron, and a rusty spike had pierced his breast—he died instantly and lies there now. But hasten to the wine seller.”, Yadak hurried away, and was sotfn in the f presence of Paul Amar and Henry Allison, who sat in the almost deserted saloon awaiting the hour of midnight. Yadak gave Mario’s letter to the wine-seller, who read these words; the bearer. Rosetta is the cpjplfce es Vicjgr St. John. Ben* “Ha f'lMl news,” cried leaping to his feet. “ Bendiftb'is-.'*-' true friend. Come, Captain,' game is nearly up. We will call 'on 001. Hartley on our way..” Within a few minutes ten well armed men, picked from the . patrol force.by Capt. Allison, wer§Qntfheirway to the hdpe bf the letfffmphd with them went AUison, HartljqCount Mario and Yadak. y In the meantime St. John with ‘Clara and Carlos had entered the room occupied by Viola, Rosetta and Marbel. As the lofty figure of the captain of the conspirators strode into the apartment, Rosetta, now conscious, recoiled -from him in horror and clung Viola’s arm. I have brought you a companion, fair ladies, “said St. John; “not a inan as her garb deeliiresgjrtyt a woman who has played tjhe • spy ' and been detected.” ' Clara, approaching' r ™ “ Love h im! •;■ 1 • loat ; him—the blac-K hearted tfriihorj”! e'x mla-imed Rosetta, flashing utter abhor ’‘reri’ce upon the Captain. I told you how it would be,” said Carlos. “Now being heart-free, my sweet Rosetta, will you love as good a man ?” . A glance of terror was Rosetta’s only reply. “ It matters not,” growled Carlos. “ You are to be Madame Sollio wheth er you love me or not. Time flies, Captain. Just hint to her how the wind sets.” A rahg pause ensued, during which St. John paced the room moodily. He believed that Carlbs had com manded his desperate-bend to await his egress from the he would have shot him then amFjthere. But such an act would ruin his own plans, for the men of the swaggering ruffian were devoted to their leader, and would doubtless soon be clamoring for admittance to the house, or betray the league in blind revenge if Carlos was injured. The other conspirators had not had time.to reach their various stations or St. John would have given the signal for sacking the city at once. Little cared the villain- for the fate of the miserable and betrayed Ro setta, but it galled- bis pride to b§ forced to yield to his despised im ferior. “ Make haste, noble captain, or I must take my bird by force,” growled Carlos. “ I see no help for it,” thought St. John. “ Yet I can rescue her from this brute within an hour. I must appear to yield. Within fifteen min- Kites the leaguers will all be at their stations —I will then give the signal and tffe first man I slay shall be Carlos.” Fearful agony was depicted upon the face of the unhappy girl, as she etched the features of her betrayer. She thought it was pitjf for her that him from completing his base compact; but he, heartless vil lain, was held back by pride alone. “I have waited nearly ten minutes,” criedfßarlos, drawing his cutlass. “ I will wait no more. Rosetta, you are Bjyuugge, and death to him or her that ctftOTjbetween me and my rights !” “Oh save me—save me !” shiieked Rosetta, falling upon her knees before St. John. “Oh do not let this dread ful deed be done ! Ah Victor—you, whom I have adored—you, who have ensnared me—you, who won my love to betray me—have mercy—mercy, Victor ! Save me from him ! save me, and I will forgive you for all! for all, Victor! See! he comes nearer—save me!” “Back!” exclaimed St. John, as his sabre clashed with the cutlass of Carlos. “ Ha! you will resist,” roared the maddetif-d Spaniard. “Then, blood of my life, I will turn traitor*—states evidencej nnd .dance at your hanging beforedaylight.!’ “ Stay ! What sum will you accept for thi# girl Y* demanded St. John. “ What sum ? Shall I npt be as rich as you. if tlm blow is struck! You would offer nft gold when I have but to wait to roll in it! You are a fotfl, Captain. But there is something I will take in ©f Rosettdf*' said CexJoawith a glare of malice. Nahie it, and' take ft f“ “ You swear to give it ?” “I swear.” “Then give me Viola!” “ Dog! you will drive me to kill you you!” exclaimed St. John, springing towards the ruffian with upraised sabre. But Carlos, who knew bis might was as glass to iron against the power ful Captain’s attack, folded his arms and said i “ Strike! Kill! I shall be avenged. You forget that my men await me. You forget that the time is nearly past for- my presence among them. Strike, if you wish to die the aeath of him, there.” He pointed through the Open win dow at the body of SbieL • ._ Bt. John shuddered apd lowered hjs weapon. '2 “ Take Rosetta-and begone at onceg or I shall change my. mind,” said h|| sullenly, and 'turning to leave tnlH room. .’ ; “Ah Victor!” cried Rosetta, clifl!@M ing to -his knees, “ Do not—do betray me to that monster! I willw your slave, Victor—l will be Victor—but spare me from his horri- j hie.touch! You cannot —you will not. —say you will not, Victor!” St, John looked down into the tear- j ful eyes of the girl—she was little more than a child —and grew ashy pale with emotion. ■ He wavered for a moment, but catching the scowling glance of his enraged Lieutenant, .bent down and, whispered into Roset ta's ear: WO wTiniri m’e min HfPwT I swear it by.thb life of my soul, Ro setta!” The unhappy girl gazed upon his pale and earnest face long and search lngly, but the time when she could trust in his faith had fled forever. “Alas! I cannot trust you again,” she sobbed. “ No—let me die here— slaj me, Victor, rather than give me to him—that bearded, abominable out law! 1 * 4 “ Ho! We are complimentary,” snarled Carlos, advancing a step. “ Come, we have had more than a* double ration of this. Get up.” He grasped her arm, but she sprang from his touch with a shriek of horror. _ ~ J “In the name of humanity, Cap® tain St. John,” said Viola, throwing' j»er ? arih3 around the trembling Ro setta. “I pray you heed the@heaSrt broken prayer of this unfortunate child, whose love jtou won. Are you a man to refuse her this poor boon?” “ Say that you, Viola Hartly, will give me alkybur love if I spare her, and, as I am a jiving man, were this Carlos a?th«usa!id instead of one, I will set Rosetta'free,'or protect her here,” exclaimed St. John, darting a glance of hate, scorn and defiance upon Cairlos. “ She is too noble to lie, and I am not base enough to desire to live, at such a price,” said Rosetta, drawing herself erect, and with the dignity of a queen. “If I must be sacrificed I will die at your feet, Viola—die here—baffling these demons with this, the Fast act of my life I” As -she spoke fhpse last words she sprang towards th*e open window, des perate and swift in her resolve to cast herself headlong upon the floor of the hall, many feet below. But for the rapid pursuit of Clara, till now a silent spectator, Rosetta would have suceeedod. “Not ye’t, Rosetta,” cried Clara, clasping the girl in her arms. “We will try one more plea, and if it fails use this.” She slipped a broad-bladed dagger into Rosetta’s hands. “A scratch from that is ‘almost instant death—for the blade is poisoned. Now St. John, hr Le Grand, or devil, for you are all three, I dare you to refuse to protect this gifl.” - “/Rstydare?” sneered Captain St. John. ‘ “Ho! ho! she dares!” shouted Carlos, combing his great beard. “ Well, sometimes a heu crows and then it thunders I” “/ dare,” continued Clara, not deigning to glance upon the lesser ruffian. “Dare you to give your own daughter to this monstrous villain ?” “My daughter! Rosetta my daugh ter!” • “Come, this grQws confoundedly interesting,” said Carlos. “ Ask Paul Amar if Rosetta is not the child of Clara Autelli and Ilenri Le Grand ?” “My child—my daughter died!” gasped St. John, staring in dismay. “So did I—you thought } but you see me alive,” said Clara. “I will prove to you that Rosetta is our daughter, but I must have time. I, her mother, own her mine. I dare you, her father, to give her to the bru tality of that man. Sheris armed—and look at her! she will slay herself at her father’s ha refuses to protect Her. And if he does refuse, I, her mother, will give her the protection of the grave.” With these words Clara snatched the dagger from Rosetta’s hand, and held the keen blade near her daugh ter’s heart. “ Raymond 1” thundered St. John, springing to the door. “Raymond, hurry to the roof —fire the cannon— discharge the rockets—let the on slaught begin !” “Ah ! is that your game ?” cried Carlos. “ Xou will precipitate mat ters, and in the confusion cheat me, rascally Captain.” “ Cheat you, dog ! Kill you as I would a snarling cur. Down with that pjgtol! I was not born to die by your • hand.” : -“Now then, serpent!” screamed' Mar be tap ringi n g upon Carlos from Bgbjnu, arfli binding his arms with her fierce grasp. “ Would you shoot the Captain.” “I will shoot yon, old hag, if you ’do not loose my arms,!*’ snarled Carlos, struggling to free himself from the gikbtess. Will ye—yer said Mar seizing the back of his neck*with j her, leng, shafrp teeth. *Ckrlos howled with rage, pain and surprise; this mode of warfare filled ' even him with terror. “ Raymond IvHut ry, you scoundrel —4b th'Aoof! Fire the - signal haste!” shouted St. Jdsw, *8 Carlos struggled in MaYbel’s St. John would have ru6hed to the r«of flimself, : but for fear that some oi®g|W|»t^B : might iiinifrfli , he was finishing a flagon low, and growled his disccwatiem at the unwelcome interrupticttuyjSnSuddenly bifcring the noise above, BMhobljy thithypTarding the way with, curses. “ Hurry!” shouted St. John, as the ugly rascal appeared “ Fire the signal.” “ What’s the splittter ?” growled Raymond. “It’s top soon<-for the signal. Ah!” . S ' He was thrusting his hideous face filto the room, to learn the cause of the disturbance, as htf spoke, and at j that instant Carlos; having freed one . arm, fired his pistol at ot. John. , The ball missed the captain, passed j Ibeneathffiis arm, and whistled through the Gorgon-head of Raymond. The wretch spun around, .clutching atethe air for support, and then with a dismal groan, fell dead into the apartment. “For that!” screamed Marbel, j changing her bite to the. throat of Carlos, and tearing out his beard and hair in-*BB rox yw n os rage. “Help! I stifle !” gasped Carlos, staggering beneath the weight and fury of the human tigress. “ I yield —Rosetta—free —curse ! She is tear ing out my wind-pipe ! ’lake it.then ! he roared beating his heavy pistol upon Marbel’s head; and as this availed but little he drew his knife, and stabbed her with a Score of blind and desperate thrusts. Dying she clung to his throat, ut- | tering no cry, but making a horrid j stifled noise, as she dragged him to the j floor with her jaws fixed in his throat j as rigid and relentless as steel. j St. John would then have rushed to part the combatants, and would have rushed before, had not he heard the crash of the front door below and the heavy tread of many feet. “Rosetta!” shouted a voice simul taneous with' the crash. “Ha! it is the wine-seller,” ex claimed St. John. “We aresuprised. This is your work, woman.” His hand was upon his pistol apd his eye upon Clara when, even as he spoke came another crash in the League-Hall and with it the shout: “ Viola!” ' | “ And Allison too,” muttered St.- John. “It is not too late —I .will fire the signal, and escape for bitter revenge!” He sprang from the room, and as he leaped rather than ran towards the stairs which led to the roof, he heard another shout: “Clara!” _ f “So—my lord, Count Mario!” thought St. John, flying up the steps and lifting the trap door of the roof with his strong shoulder. “ I’ll be even with you all.” He sprang upon the little platform ihe had built 10 sustain a single piece Os cannon, %nd leveling his pistol at the vent drew trigger. The pistol flashed in .the pan with out igniting the priming of the cannpft, Which had been protected from the, damp of the night air by a wool-skin, and the conspirator hurled the faith less pistol far from him, He had drawn another from his belt, when a dark shape Seemed gliding to wards him from from the adjoining roof* “ Friend or foe, I must give the sig nal*,” muttered St. John, again draw* . rmg" " Again the pistol failed, and at that instant the dark shape sprang upon j the platform, the flash of the powder having revealed its features for a second. “Yadak! Clara’s foster-brother,” ' cried St. John, as the shape leaped to wards him and upon him. j Yadak was the assailant, but he said not a Word as his strong grasp fell ! upon the conspirator’s broad breast, in a grapple for life or death. Yet St. John was a man of steel like muscle, and as fearless as he was villainous, j Catching the armed hand of the ' Asiatic with his left, he grasped him by the throat and strove to strangle ! him at once. j “ Dog ! would you dare !” hissed the conspirator as his wonderful strength bent the man backwards, and crowded him against the railing of the platform. Yadak knotted his other I hand in the conspirator’s cravat and returned the fierce throttle with inter est, until each relaxed his grip by ; tacit and mutual consent. The separation was but for an in stant, yet in that time' St. John had drawn his sabre, and with a loud cry o.f triumph met the second charge of his fearless enemy. “ Take it! Take it! Black hound!” cried St. John plunging his sword blindly about him, and sweeping its keen edge in rapid circles, for the darkness made his foe almost invisible. A moment after there was a fall and * deep groan. St. John stood victor, , aitd.,lns enemy lay motionless upon |ho using all his great strength dragged R across the trap-door. “And now for flight,” said he,' stepping" cautiously upon the roof. “ €>ritip- in the*street ana then revenge. Strange tb»rfl hear potfiing of the Leaguers! Where are*tflose‘of whom Carlos boasted! Let me summon my own.” ! He paused upon the ridge of the slippery roof, and. drawing bis sigtflkl whistle gave fortK'lts shrill and rat tling note. No response. All was still, save the fierce thumping of those in hjS pur suit, who had tracked him as far trap and could get no farther. “ They have fled at the firSt alarm/’ muttered St. John. “ Gowards! were they staunch and true, all were well. I must fly and speed to the stations/' He started again ; a loose tile made him stumble ;. he erred in regaining his footing; be stumbled again and hia feet slipped upon the slimy moss of the rotting and crumbling tiles, then used instead of shingles; he fell headlong, rolling over and over for several yards along the decayed roof ing; something stayed his progress and he rose upon his hands and knees to begin his ascent to the ridge above. Slowly, and by inches, he crept along until he reached an opening in the roof. He saw that opening glide from him, as if going upward. He com prehended his situation in an instant ; he w.aR upon a great mass of tiles which were sliding slowly down—the opening was not retreating ; he was being carried away from it by the sliding mass to which he clnng. . He heard the clatter and crash of the ! tiles below him, as the mass forced them from the eaves to be shattered upon the stone yard below. His hair rose on end, and his heart . almost ceased to beat. Was tijere no escape from this terrible avaUnche which was bearing him to Ceitisi and horrible death. He glanced towards. the platform above; he wouia have given all on earth to stand there though a hundred Yadaks should throttle him. The eyes of his foe seemed vis ible amid the darkness —nothing but the eyes,’ fierce, glaring, triumphant, mocking, abhorrent! All the vile deeds of his life of suo cessful villainy rose before him, and the pale faces of his many victims loomed up from the pit below—all dead and reproachful faces—above them all, one unearthly, demoniac vis age, the blasted visage of the evil one whose willing slave he had been! Years, centuries, ages were crowded into seconds—one vast and illimitable cycle of utter despair! All his gay and golden dreams of love and ambi tion shattered by a miserable tile! an insignificant atom of the which he had scorned as he trod ! All gens NO. SO.