The Orpheus C. Kerr Papers Volume Ii Part 28

Captain Samyule Sa-mith eyed them intensely through his gla.s.s, and says he: "It appears to me that there is temporary inactivity in the ranks, and I can see some manly heads turned the wrong way."

Captain Bob Shorty frowned until his left eyebrow contracted a delicate streak of smoke from _his_ gla.s.s, and says he: "You speak like one of feeble mind, Samyule. The legs, not the head, are the portions of the human frame to be watched in a baynit charge."

Taught by this remark, I gazed at the nether continuations of our country's hope and pride, and my gla.s.s told me that many of them were working in their sockets as though belonging to wholly irresponsible parties. Were those devoted men about to change their base of operations and entrap Stonewall Jackson's whole force again, without waiting to receive a shot?

It was a moment of dreadful suspense.

Then did the matchless genius of Villiam Brown arise to the full demands of the breathless occasion, in one of those subtle appeals to human nature's great undercurrent which leads men as children often are led. In the rear of the Confederacy's work was the slanting side of a precipitous hill, and to this hill-side he had secretly dispatched the paymaster of the _corps_, by a circuitous route, with a package that looked as though it might contain Treasury Notes under his arm. Just at this awful juncture, when the fate of the day hung by a hair, that paymaster made his appearance on the hill-side above the mud-work, and put on his spectacles to make himself more plainly visible.

"Comrades," says Villiam, pointing to the celestial figure, "yonder is the disbursing genius of the United States of America. Charge baynits, and let us be paid off."

Though the whole Confederacy had been in the way at that moment, my boy, it would not have delayed the charge. Forward went Company 3, Regiment 5, with mercenary celerity, capturing the hostile work with great success; and finding therein a Confederate letter, stating that the Confederacy could not so far demean itself as to fight a force whose leader had not been educated at West Point.

There is a point, my boy, _beyond_ which the Confederacy cannot hope to offer successful resistance to our arms, and recent events would seem to indicate that it is West Point.

Yours, formally, ORPHEUS C. KERR.

LETTER LXXIII.

MAKING MENTION OF ANOTHER MEETING OF THE COSMOPOLITAN CLUB, AT WHICH THE TURKISH AND RUSSIAN MEMBERS READ THEIR STORIES.

WASHINGTON, D. C., October 8th, 1862.

At the meeting of the Cosmopolitans last evening, my boy, N. E.

Ottoman, the Turkish chap, related the tale of

THE SULTAN'S FAVORITE.

"In all Circa.s.sia, there was no woman to be compared with Zara, for beauty. Her eyes were like the stars, her hair was threads of gold, her teeth were pearls, her complexion more white and pure than the marble of Patras, and her form was like those of the houris, whom Allah has locked up in paradise, for the benefit of all true believers.

"The father of this beautiful girl was a mountain chieftain, much noted for his physical strength, bravery, and insatiable avarice. His wife died in giving birth to Zara, and upon her child he lavished all the affection which his iron heart could nourish; but gold overcame the finer feelings of a parent, and Nemyl beheld the bud of childhood bursting forth into the soul-subduing woman with thoughts in which there was far more speculation than love.

"'You shall be sold to the Sultan,' said he to her, 'and he will soon become your most devoted slave. You may make him do what you will, and I shall become respected and rich, as the father of a Sultan's favorite.'

"Zara made no reply to such antic.i.p.ations; for, although she honored the _alem penali_ of mankind, her affections had lighted upon another object.

"During the war between the Russians and Circa.s.sians, truces of a few days' duration were quite frequent, and at such periods those of both parties who were upon the plains, intermingled, and spoke words of peace to each other. On one of these occasions, a Russian detachment was quartered near the habitation of Nemyl, and a young officer, who beheld Zara, fell in love with her at first sight, although he saw nothing but her form; for her face was covered.

"Garstoff (for such was his name) made various attempts to have communication with the insensible object of his pa.s.sion; but, for some days, his efforts were in vain--the Circa.s.sians being very ready to keep truce with his countrymen, but very jealous, also, of any attention bestowed upon one of their own nation. The officer beheld the brief period of peace fast drawing to an end, and was about to resign his darling object, when fortune unexpectedly befriended him.

"One evening as he was returning to his camp, a sound of clashing steel fell upon his ear, and, turning in the direction from whence it came, he observed a horseman bravely defending himself against the a.s.saults of four men in Turkish costume. Swift as lightning, his sword flew from his scabbard, and going to the a.s.sistance of the rider, he made two of the a.s.sailants bite the dust, while the others took to their heels and quickly disappeared.

"'Your a.s.sistance was most timely, and I owe my life to you,' said the horseman, dismounting from his steed, and peering into the face of his new ally.

"'I am happy to have been of service to a brave man,' replied Garstoff, 'but who were those scoundrels?'

"'I know them not,' answered the other, 'but suppose them to belong to a band of mountain thieves, who are prowling about the camps in search of plunder. I perceive, by your uniform, that you are one of our enemies. But we are at peace now, and as you have saved my live, I extend the hand of friendship to you. Come with me to my house, and we will eat salt together.'

"'May I know the name of my new friend?' asked the Russian.

"'I am Nemyl, and I put my trust in G.o.d.'

"'I cannot refuse your kind invitation,' said Garstoff. And Nemyl remounting his horse, the two set off at good speed not saying another word until they arrived at the house of the chieftain. It was a s.p.a.cious but rude habitation, and the only attendant who welcomed the pair was a pretty little girl of scarce ten years. Nemyl fastened the horses of himself and visitor under a low shed, and then proceeded to an apartment where _rabols_, viands, various fruits, mountain herbs, and large vessels filled with coffee and eastern wines, were placed upon a table with covers for three persons.

"'We sup here,' he said, motioning Garstoff to a seat beside the board, and taking one himself. 'I expected to have met one of our chiefs to-night, and brought him to my house, but those fellows stopped me, and I changed my company. Eat--What is your name?'

"'Major Garstoff.'

"A shade pa.s.sed over the features of Nemyl, at the sound of that name, and he grasped the hilt of his scymetar, for he had heard of the officer's attempt to speak with Zara, and it was only a thought of recent events that restrained him from rushing upon the bold barbarian with the fury of a tiger.

"Garstoff beheld the change in his host's manner, and had grasped his own weapon, to defend himself from any sudden attack, when a door was opened, and Zara entered the department, preceded by the little slave, looking more beautiful than ever.

"The officer was filled with various emotions by her presence; for he at once recognised her as the idol of his heart, and all feelings of anger disappeared at once.

"'This is my child Zara,' said Nemyl, with affected indifference. 'The great Sultan has an apartment for her in his seraglio, and his Aga has already bargained with me for her purchase.'

"Garstoff watched the girl's countenance, while her father spoke thus, and was delighted to perceive that she was discomposed by his words; but resolving to avoid a quarrel with his entertainer, he replied:

"'Happy must be the man, whether sultan or renegade, who is destined to claim so much beauty for his own.'

"The suspicions of Nemyl were lulled to sleep by such disinterested expressions, and he ate and drank with his visitor, in all good will, while Zara listened in silence to their conversation. At length, the fumes of the liquors which he had swallowed, mounted to his brain, and after giving vent to some incoherent oaths, the Circa.s.sian fell upon the floor in a state of insensibility. His visitor was quite astonished by such a catastrophe; but as it afforded him an opportunity to converse with Zara, he rather rejoiced at it.

"'Fair lady,' said he, 'can it indeed be true that your charms are destined to wither in the Sultan's harem?'

"'It is true, stranger,' answered Zara, in mournful tones, 'the Aga of Soliman, spoke with my father at Constantinople, and I am to be borne thither soon.'

"'Does such a fate please you, Zara?' asked the officer.

"'No!' replied the beautiful Circa.s.sian, with emphasis. 'But it is the will of Allah, and I must submit.'

"She arose from her seat, and beckoning for the attendant, was about to leave the apartment, when Garstoff, laid his hand upon her arm, and gently restrained her.

"'Forgive my rudeness,' he said, with much earnestness; 'but, Zara, I cannot behold your sacrifice, without endeavoring to avert it. I am a stranger to you; but you are not a stranger to me; for I have seen you, when you thought yourself un.o.bserved, and a fire has been kindled in my breast, which nothing but possession of you can ever abate. Tell me to perform some deed, that I may prove the ardor of my love; let me save you from the fearful doom that threatens you--'

"'Stop! Christian,' interrupted the maid; 'I have never seen your face before, and how can I trust a stranger? Go! or Nemyl shall punish you when he awakes. I can hear your words no longer.'

"'Think not that I fear your father,' answered Garstoff, 'though I stand in his house; yet I will no longer excite your anger by staying here.'

"He arose, and would have departed, had not the daughter of Nemyl placed herself in his way.

"'What would you do for me?' she asked hurriedly.

"'I would sacrifice my life, if necessary.'