 | The spectre steamer, and other tales |  |
ANNETTE, THE HEIRESS;
OR, THE FORAGING PARTY.
A Tale of the last War.
Edward Ogilvie was the youngest of five
brave brothers who served their country,
both in the field and on the sea during the
last war. Their mother was a widow of
comfortable estate, who dwelt in a pleasant
homestead facing the waters of Boston
Bay. Large elms overshadowed the roof,
and broad fields interspersed with woodlands
extended away on the right, till they
met the fields and woodlands of the property
of Squire Harwood, a man of substantial
wealth, who had an only daughter of eighteen,
who was a belle and an heiress. The
road from the widow Ogilvie wound along
the sea-beach, with a hedge and green
fields on one side bordering it, and the
white, sparkling sand, and blue waves on
the other. The distance between the two
mountains was little less than a mile, and
about half way between was a bridge of
stone, spanning a small rivulet, that had a
course of half a dozen miles from the interior.
It was about an hour before sunset, near
the close of the war, in the month of October,
that Edward Ogilvie was crossing this
bridge on his way to visit Annette Harwood,
the beauty and heiress; for the charms of
the rustic belle had taken captive the young
student's heart, and every evening for the
last month he had directed his walk in the
direction of her abode. Edward was in his
twentieth year, of good figure, of a pleasing
but somewhat diffident address, and with
that calm, meditative aspect peculiar to
students; for such was this young man.
Annette was not loved without giving her
heart in return; but the Squire, although
he had observed with apparent indifference
this mutual attachment, had a mind of his
own touching a matter so interesting to the
lovers themselves.
Edward had got upon the bridge, where
he used to linger for a few moments as he
crossed, to watch the flowing sea rush
through the arch up the creek, and gaze
side of the bridge contemplate the
dark inlet, as it lost itself amid overhanging
trees in a dell where stood a mill belonging
equally to the two manors.
Edward had paused a moment on the
bridge to watch the effect of the purple light
of the western sky reflected upon its mottled
bosom, when his eyes were arrested by
a sail in the offing. He continued to watch
it for a few moments, and then went on his
way, from time to time glancing seaward to
admire the stately and slow motion of its
trackless passage over the ocean. As he
came near the dwelling of Squire Harwood,
he discovered that her course was towards
the land; but seeing Annette on the piazza
he forgot the vessel to hasten to her. The
meeting was more like that of brother and
sister than lovers; that is, it was affectionate,
frank, and free from restraint.
`We shall have a lovely evening to walk,
the sunset will be so pleasant,' said Annette,
whom we would stop to describe, if our pen
could do justice to her beauty. We will,
however, say that the color of her eyes was a
deep sea-blue, and they sparkled like waves
glancing in the sunlight; her lips had doubtless
once been a pair of cherries, stolen
from Cupid, to make her mouth the prettiest
mouth imaginable. Her smile was sunshine,
her form sylph-like and blooming
with youth, her voice full of music, and
every motion as graceful as a fawn's. She
was good-humored, intelligent, and suitably
grave, and was just the maiden to ensnare
a student like Edward Ogilvie.
`Yes, Annette, the air is rich with golden
tints and soft as a June evening. Suppose
we ramble towards the village, and
listen to the martial music of the soldiers
as they march from the ground?'
`I should like it of all things. My father
says our company, the blues, made the finest
show of any on parade, to-day.'
`He was at the review, then?'
`Yes, and acted as a major or colonel, I
believe. At any rate, he has just come home,
on horseback, in full uniform, with a sword
by his side, and looks as brave, I tell him,
as a crusading knight. He told me to hold
my little tongue, and so I have for full a
minute.'
`And the longest time you ever held it,
Netty,' said the Squire, coming out of the
house, his chapeau in his hand and his sword
unbelted and beneath his arm. Ah, Edward,
good evening, man. Fine day we have
had for the general muster?'
`Yes, sir, are the troops dismissed yet?'
`Not all.'
`We were going up the road to the hilltop,
to listen to the music, father,' said
Annette.
`No—no, stay at home, child,' said the
Squire, gravely. I suppose Master Edward
has asked you to go?'
`I did, Mr Harwood; I thought the walk
might be pleasant.'
`Humph! Look you, young man,' said
Squire Harwood, bluntly; military music is
not made for the amusement of studious
youths after idling the day over musty books,
nor merely to please a lassie's ear. It is
the voice of the spirit of liberty, and calls
the young men of the land to fight her battles,
and the maidens to make them clothes
to fight in, and colors to fight under. You,
I see, like my Annette, and so far as I can
see, she likes you back again. Now, Edward,
you are a very correct, excellent
young man, that I know; but you see I
havn't but one daughter, and I don't mean
she shall marry any man who, excellent as
he may be, through all this war has never
drawn a blade nor pulled a trigger for the
love of his country. Your brothers are all
brave fellows and serving her with honor.
You stay at home to pore over dictionaries
in the day time, and come to make love to
Annette by moonlight. Now, I have nothing
against you, as I said before; but I've
made up my mind Annette shan't marry a
man that hasn't had a hand in this war
against the English. If you are a mind to
follow the example of your brothers, and let
me hear something that you have done I can
tell my neighbors of with pride, then you
for her's I dare say, she's given you long
ago. A text you, know, is as good as a
sermon, Master Edward. So, if you want
my daughter, you know how she is to be
won.'
`Thus speaking, Squire Harwood took
Annette under his arm, and bowing very
kindly but firmly, to the astonished lover,
disappeared within the house.
Edward remained standing a moment upon
the spot where they had left him, as if
trying to realize what had passed. He then
turned away in silence, his cheek burning
with the glow of a mortified and sensitive
spirit.
The profession which he had in view was that
of a clergyman; and although not deficient
in courage nor patriotism, he had suffered
his brothers to take the field and the deck
while he remained at home. The words of the
Squire sank deep into his spirit. He walked
slowly homeward, very sad, and filled with
the painful idea of losing her who was so
very dear to him. As he came upon the
bridge he made up his mind. He stopped,
and, speaking aloud, said, firmly—
`If Annette is only to be won by my taking
up arms I will enlist to-morrow! It is
honorable to serve one's country. I am not
yet a clergyman, and I can therefore act
freely. This is the last day the reproach
shall be thrown upon me, that I remain dallying
at home while my brothers are abroad
exposing their bosoms to the weapons of
their country's foes!'
While he was speaking, he saw that the
ship, which he had noticed half an hour before
at a distance, had drawn close in with
the land, and had dropped anchor about a
mile abreast of the inlet. The sun had already
set, yet he could see her distinctly,
and discover that she was a merchant-ship.
He remained for some time watching her,
and listening to the distant drum of a detachment
of the neighborhood, which was retiring
homeward from the muster field. The
sound of the drum died away in the distance
beyond the mill; and the low dashing of the
waves against the bridge fell upon his ear.
`Well, to-morrow, I too shall march to
the measure of fife and drum. I will enlist
as a private and make my way up. Annette
shall be won.'
He paused, thinking he heard the sound
of oars. He looked sea-ward, but twilight
rendered objects too obscure to detect any
boat approaching. Yet each moment the
fall of the sweeps came clearer and nearer,
and he soon was enabled to discover a barge
pulling in towards the bridge: his position,
in the shadow of an overhanging limb,
shielded him from observation; he saw that
the boat contained at least twenty men. It
moved slower as it drew near land, and a
person standing up in the stern directed its
landing. It struck the shore close by the
bridge within the inlet; and almost beneath
where he stood the party debarked; he now
saw that half of them were seamen and half
marines, and that all were armed. They
were commanded by a young midshipman,
who forming them into a column, marched
them up the bank and on the bridge. Edward
as they came near, drew himself up into
the limb, and was concealed by its foliage,
while he observed with surprise their
stealthy movements.
`How far is the grist mill, hence, Sambo?'
asked the young officer, looking about
him, after all his party had got on the bridge,
save a man to guard the boat.
`The first mill am bout a third of a mile
up de creek, and the tother one, where the
most grist be, is a mile. There is a good
path along the creek shore!' answered a
man in the true Yankee negro intonation,
but speaking with manifest reluctance.
`If you deceive me, darkie, you are a dead
man!' said the middy, very positively.
`I knows dat well 'nuff, so I tells you de
truth, tho' I hate to mightily. I knows all
'bout dis place coz I used to lib here once.
Ober dar is whar Squire Harwood live, and
ober dat way am widdur Ogilvie, an' wish I
dis nigger was safe in dark kitchen. I never
go cook agen in Boston ship, nor no oder
as I am dis time! I wish I may neber see
blue water agen, if I gets my liberty dis
time!'
`Silence with your noise, each of you
march forward in silence. We are in an
enemy's country, and must be cautious.'
`Yes I guess you better,' said the negro,
sulkily. If de country people know'd you
was skulkin' here arter corn, and flour, and
sheep, and oxes, to keep from starvin' to
death, as we have been a week past, they
be 'round as thick as snakes in de grass,
and debble one ob you get back to your
boat? So I adwise you massa, to keep
sharp eye to windward! Guy! how mad
all on 'em be in de mornin,' wnen dey find
out you land here in a prize-ship wid on'y
two guns aboard and thirty men, an' carry
off clear to Halifax de grist from dese two
mills, and sheep, and turkeys, too, for de
lieutenant's dinner! Dey sware den, and I
expec' de Squire swore enuff for a whole
regiment!'
`Forward!' cried the middy. Silence, all
of you and advance swiftly and with caution!'
They filed off the bridge, and taking the
path along which the negro led the way, they
were soon lost to the sight of Edward in
the gloom of the overhanging banks of the
creek.
`These men then are English,' he reflected
as he let himself down upon the bridge;
the vessel is a prize bound to Halifax, with
a midshipman and two-and-thirty men—
twenty here and ten remaining on board!
My course is decided on! It will take them
an hour to visit both mills. Half of that
time is enough for me. I shall know where
to seek the militia party with the fife and
drum; and if I can find twenty brave men
among them to put themselves under my orders,
I will win Annette before to-morrow's
sun rise!'
As he spoke, he glided noiselessly away
from the bridge, and, after getting beyond
hearing of the man in the boat, he flew like
the wind across a meadow in the direction
of what was called the `Cross Road,' a
cluster of village habitations, the principal
of which was a large country tavern where
he knew he should find assembled many of
the militia-men who had borne a part in the
review in the neighboring town. This inn
was about half a mile distant from the bridge,
on a road in the rear of Squire Harwood's
farm, across which, leaping fence after fence,
Edward Ogilive was now flying with the
speed of a deer.
The tavern as he came near, was so quiet
that he feared that the men he sought had
left for their respective homes. Seeing a
light in the tap, however, he hoped yet to
find some persons assembled there. Through
the windows, as he approached the door, he
saw that the bar-room was nearly filled with
men. The next moment he was in their
presence. His manner was divested of all
excitement, and a spirit calm and resolute
beamed from his eyes. There were at least
twenty men in the apartment, most of them
with knapsacks and bayonet-belts upon their
persons, and some leaning upon their muskets;
while the guns of the rest of the party
were stacked in a corner of the room. Some
of them were smoking, others drinking, and
all listening to a long yarn told by one of the
party, of certain exploits by himself, personally
performed at the battle of Plattsburgh.
On Edward's entrance, the landlord first
noticed him.
`Ah—so you can enter a tavern on a
training day, Mr. Ogilvie; glad to see you.
Though you are not much of a fighting man,
I like you for your brothers' sake, who are
all serving their country. But there must
be parsons as well as soldiers, and every
man to his trade.'
All eyes were turned upon the young
man. Advancing a little way into the floor,
he said with a firm tone;
`I am glad to find so many of you assembled.
If the brave men among you are willing
to place yourselves under my direction
for the next two hours, I will lead you where
you can win both honor and prize money!'
`Spoken with spirit!' exclaimed several.
`That rings like your brother George!'
said the landlord. `But what is it?' cried
all, crowding round.
`Will you be lead by me? There is danger
to life and person; but I ask no man to follow
me where I fear to lead!'
`The man has courage if he is a student,'
remarked one to the other with surprise.
`What have you discovered?' demanded
two or three of the most forward of the men.
`Will you follow me and obey my orders,
if I can place in your hands, as prisoners,
twenty English seamen and an officer, who
who have just landed?'
`Yes—lead on!' was the general response,
and the men commenced arming themselves.
Briefly Edward told them what he had
witnessed. All were enthusiasm. Among the
militia-men was a young man whom he despatched
to Squire Harwood. In twenty
minutes the Squire was on the spot, mounted
on his horse, and armed with his broad
sword. Five of his farm-men followed him.
Others came in from all sides.
Edward with great coolness and skill,
took upon himself the conduct of the whole
affair. He suggested that the Squire, with
thirty men, should cut off the retreat of the
foraging party and take them prisoners.
`And what will you do?' asked the
Squire. `You are not going to keep out of
the danger?'
`No, sir! If there are twenty brave men
who will volunteer to go with me, I will proceed
to their boat take possession of it, and
embark for the ship. In the night we can
board her without difficulty, as we shall be
taken for their own party. Once on board,
the ship will easily fall into our hands, for
the most of her prize crew are ashore! Who
will volunteer?'
This bold proposition at first startled the
boldest man among them. But in less than
five minutes twenty of them had volunteered;
and in two minutes more he was at
their head, leading them to the bridge,
while the Squire, with his detachment, proceeded
to cut off the retreat of the enemy.
The result was in all respects successful.
The English party at the mills surrendered
after a brief skirmish, and were taken to the
tavern as prisoners within an hour after the
Squire had left it. Edward and his brave
band boarded the ship without suspicion,
and, after a short conflict, he was master of
her. He took her, by the aid of the released
American crew, into Boston harbor the next
day; and we need not add that within less
than three months, he was rewarded with
the hand of the beautiful Annette Harwood.
| The spectre steamer, and other tales | |