a continuation of the last chapter

a year and two months have rolled by, since nicholas, a convict, took up his abode within the frowning walls of a prison: thus much of fuddle's merciful sentence has he served out. in the dreary hours of night, fast secured in his granite cell, has he cherished, and even in his dreams contemplated, the means of escaping into that freedom for which his soul yearns. but, dearly does he love sal stiles, to whose keeping he confides the secret of his ambition; several times might he, having secured the confidence of fladge, have effected his own escape; but the admonitions of a faithful heart bid him not leave her behind in slavery. to that admonition of his bosom did he yield, and resolve never to leave her until he secured her freedom. a few days after he had disclosed to her his resolution, the tall figure of guy grantham, a broker of slaves by profession, appeared in the prison yard, for the purpose of carrying away the woman, whom he had sold for the washington market, where her charms would indeed be of much value during the session, when congress-men most do riot. already were the inseparable chains about her hands, and the miserable woman, about to be led away, bathed in grief. nicholas, in his studies, had just finished a piece of scroll-work for mrs. fladge, as a companion approached him in great haste, and whispered the word of trouble-"they're taking her away"-in his ear. quick as lightning did the anger of his very soul break forth like a tempest: he rushed from his place of labour, vaulted as it were to the guard gate, seized the woman as she stepped on the threshold in her exit, drew her back with great force, and in a defiant attitude, drawing a long stiletto from his belt, placed himself between her and her destroyer. "foes of the innocent, your chains were not made for this woman; never shall you bear her from this; not, at least, while i have arm to defend her, and a soul that cares not for your vengeance!" spake he, with curling contempt on his lip, as his adversaries stood aghast with fear and trembling. "nay!-do not advance one step, or by the god of justice i make ye feel the length of this steel!" he continued, as grantham nervously motioned an attempt to advance. holding the woman with his left hand pressed backward, he brandished his stiletto in the faces of his opponents with his right. this was rebellion in its most legal acceptation, and would have justified the summary process grantham was about adopting for the disposal of the instigator, at whose head he levelled his revolver, and, without effect, snapped two caps, as nicholas bared his bosom with the taunt--"coward, shoot!" mr. fladge, who was now made sensible of the error his indulgence had committed, could not permit grantham the happy display of his bravery; no, he has called to his aid some ten subguardsmen, and addressing the resolute grantham, bids him lay aside his weapon. albeit he confesses his surprise at such strange insolence and interference; but, being responsible for the life, thinks it well to hold a parley before taking it. forsooth his words fall useless on the ears of nicholas, as defiantly he encircles the woman's waist with his left arm, bears her away to the block, dashes the chains from her hands, and, spurning the honied words of fladge, hurls them in the air, crying: "you have murdered the flesh;--would you chain the soul?" as he spoke, the guard, having ascended the watch tower, rings out the first alarm peal. "dogs of savage might! ring your alarms; i care not," he continued, casting a sardonic glance at the tower as the sound died away on his ear. his pursuers now made a rush upon him, but ere they had secured him he seized a heavy bludgeon, and repelling their attack, found some hundred of his companions, armed with stone hammers, rallying in his defence. seeing this formidable force thus suddenly come to his rescue, mr. fladge and his force were compelled to fall back before the advance. gallantly did nicholas lead on his sable band, as the woman sought refuge in one of the cells, mr. fladge and his posse retreating into the guard-house. nicholas, now in full possession of the citadel, and with consternation and confusion triumphant within the walls, found it somewhat difficult to restrain his forces from taking possession of the guardhouse, and putting to death those who had sought shelter therein. calmly but firmly did he appeal to them, and beseech them not to commit an outrage against life. as he had placed himself between the woman and her pursuers, so did he place himself before a file of his sable companions, who, with battle hammers extended, rushed for the great gates, as the second alarm rung out its solemn peal. counselling his compatriots to stand firm, he gathered them together in the centre of the square, and addressed them in a fervent tone, the purport of which was, that having thus suddenly and unexpectedly become plunged into what would be viewed by the laws of the land as insurrection, they must stand on the defensive, and remember it were better to die in defence of right than live under the ignorance and sorrow of slavery.

while our hero-whose singular exploit we have divested of that dramatic effect presented in the original-addressed his forlorn band in the area of the prison, strange indeed was the scene of confusion presenting along the streets of the city. the alarm peals had not died ineffectual on the air, for as a messenger was despatched to warn the civil authorities of the sad dilemma at the prison, the great bell of st. michael's church answered the warning peal with two loud rings; and simultaneously the city re-echoed the report of a bloody insurrection. on the long line of wharfs half circling the city, stood men aghast with fright; to the west all was quiet about the battery; to the south, the long rampart of dark moving pines that bordered on that side the calm surface of a harbour of unsurpassed beauty, seemed sleeping in its wonted peacefulness; to the east, as if rising from the sea to mar the beauty of the scene, stood fort sumpter's sombre bastions, still and quiet like a monster reposing; while retracing along the north side of the harbour, no sign of trouble flutters from fort moultrie or castle pinkney-no, their savage embrasures are closed, and peace hangs in mists over their dark walls. the feud is in the city of democrats, wherein there are few who know not the nature of the warning peal; nor, indeed, act on such occasions like a world in fear, waiting but the tap of the watchman's baton ere it rushes to bloodshed.

in the busy portion of the city have men gathered at the corners of the street to hold confused controversy; with anxious countenances and most earnest gesticulations do they discuss the most certain means of safety. ladies, in fright, speedily seek their homes, now asking questions of a passerby, whose intense excitement has carried off his power of speech, then shunning every luckless negro who chances in their way. the rumour of an insurrection, however falsely founded, turns every negro (of skin there is no distinction) into an enemy; whilst the second sound of the alarm peal makes him a bloody votary, who it needs but the booming of the cannon ere he be put to the sword. guardsmen, with side-arms and cross-belts, are eager and confused, moving to and fro with heavy tread; merchants and men of more easy professions hasten from their labours, seek their homes, prepare weapons for the conflict, and endeavour to soothe the fears of their excited families, beseeching protection. that a deadly struggle is near at hand no one doubts, for men have gathered on the house-tops to watch the moving mass, bearing on its face the unmistakeable evidence of fear and anxiety, as it sweeps along the streets. now the grotesque group is bespotted with forms half dressed in military garb; then a dark platoon of savage faces and ragged figures brings up the rear; and quickly catching the sound "to the workhouse!" onward it presses to the scene of tumult. firemen in curious habiliment, and half-accoutred artillerymen, at the alarm peal's call are rallying to their stations, as if some devouring element, about to break over the city, demanded their strongest arm; while eager and confused heads, protruded from green, masking shutters, and in terror, would know whither lies the scene of the outbreak. alarm has beset the little world, which now moves a medley of fear and trembling.

the clock in st. michael's tall spire has just struck two, as, in the arena of the prison, nicholas is seen, halted in front of his little band, calmly awaiting the advance of his adversaries, who, fearing to open the great gates, have scaled the long line of wall on the north side. suddenly the sound of an imploring voice breaks upon his ear, and his left hand is firmly grasped, as starting with surprise he turns and beholds the slave woman, her hair hanging loosely over her shoulders, and her face bathed in tears. with simple but earnest words does she admonish him against his fatal resolution. fast, and in the bitter anguish of her soul, fall her implorings; she would have him yield and save his life, that she may love him still. her words would melt his resolution, had he not taken the rash step. "in my soul do i love thee, woman!" he says, raising her gently to her feet, and imprinting a kiss upon her olive brow; "but rather would i die a hero than live a crawling slave: nay, i will love thee in heaven!" the woman has drawn his attention from his adversaries, when, in that which seems a propitious moment, they rush down from the walls, and ere a cry from his band warn him of the danger, have well nigh surprised and secured him. with two shots of a revolver pierced through the fleshy part of his left arm, does he bound from the grasp of his pursuers, rally his men, and charge upon the miscreants with undaunted courage. short but deadly is the struggle that here ensues; far, indeed, shrieks and horrid groans rend the very air; but the miscreants are driven back from whence they came, leaving on the ground five dead bodies to atone for treble the number dead of our hero's band. in the savage conflict did the woman receive a fatal bullet, and now lies writhing in the agonies of death (a victim of oppression in a land of liberty) at our hero's feet. not a moment is there to spare, that he may soothe her dying agonies, for a thundering at the great gates is heard, the bristling of fire-arms falls upon his ear, and the drums of the military without beat to the charge. simultaneously the great gates swing back, a solid body of citizen soldiery, ready to rush in, is disclosed, and our hero, as if by instinct moved to rashness, cries aloud to his forces, who, following his lead, dash recklessly into the soldiery, scatter it in amazement, and sweep triumphantly into the street. the first line of soldiery did not yield to the impetuous charge without effect, for seven dead bodies, strewn between the portals of the gate, account for the sharp report of their rifles. wild with rage, and not knowing whither to go, or for what object they have rushed from the bounds of their prison house, our forlorn band, still flourishing their battle hammers, have scarcely reached the second line of military, stationed, in war order, a few squares from the prison, when our hero and nine of his forlorn band fall pierced through the hearts with rifle bullets. our nicholas has a sudden end; he dies, muttering, "my cause was only justice!" as twenty democratic bayonets cut into shreds his quivering body. oh, grabguy! thou wilt one day be made to atone for this thy guilt. justice to thy slave had saved the city its foreboding of horror, and us the recital of a bloody tragedy we would spare the feelings of our readers by ending here.

having informed the reader that ellen juvarna was mother of nicholas, whom she bore unto marston, we will now draw aside the veil, that he may know her real origin and be the better prepared to appreciate the fate of her child. this name, then, was a fictitious one, which she had been compelled to take by romescos, who stole her from her father, neamathla, a creek indian. in 1820, this brave warrior ruled chief of the mickasookees, a tribe of brave indians settled on the borders of the lake of that name, in florida. old in deeds of valour, neamathla sank into the grave in the happy belief that his daughter, the long-lost nasarge, had been carried into captivity by chiefs of a hostile tribe, in whose chivalrous spirit she would find protection, and religious respect for her caste. could that proud spirit have condescended to suppose her languishing in the hands of mercenary slave-dealers, his tomahawk had been first dipped in the blood of the miscreant, to avenge the foul deed. from romescos, nasarge, who had scarce seen her twelve summers, passed into the hands of one silenus, who sold her to marston, for that purpose a fair slave seems born to in our democratic world.

and now again must we beg the indulgence of the reader, while we turn to the counter-scene of this chapter. the influence of that consternation which had spread throughout the city, was not long in finding its way to the citadel, a massive fort commanding the city from the east. on the plat in front are three brass field-pieces, which a few artillery-men have wheeled out, loaded, and made ready to belch forth that awful signal, which the initiated translate thus:--"proceed to the massacre! dip deep your knives in the heart of every negro!"

certain alarm bells are rung in case of an insurrection of the negroes, which, if accompanied by the firing of three guns at the citadel, is the signal for an onslaught of the whites. the author, on asking a gentleman why he exhibited so much fear, or why he deemed it necessary to put to the sword his faithful servants, answered,--"slaves, no matter of what colour, sympathise with each other in their general condition of slavery. i could not, then, leave my family to the caprice of their feelings, while i sought the scene of action to aid in suppressing the outbreak." at the alarm-bell's first tap were the guns made ready-at the second peal were matchlocks lighted-and nervous men waited in breathless suspense the third and last signal peal from the guard tower. but, in a moment that had nearly proved fatal to thousands, and as the crash of musketry echoed in the air, a confused gunner applied the match: two vivid flashes issued from the cannon, their peals booming successively over the city. it was at that moment, citizens who had sought in their domiciles the better protection of their families might be seen in the tragic attitude of holding savage pistols and glistening daggers at the breasts of their terrified but faithful servants,--those, perhaps, whose only crime was sincerity, and an earnest attachment to master's interests. the booming of a third cannon, and they had fallen, victims of fear, at the feet of their deluded victors. happily, an act of heroism (which we would record to the fame of the hero) saved the city that bloody climax we sicken while contemplating. ere the third gun belched its order of death, a mounted officer, sensible of the result that gun would produce, dashed before its angry mouth, and at the top of his voice cried out-"in heaven's name, lay your matchlock down: save the city!" then galloping to the trail, the gunner standing motionless at the intrepid sight, he snatched the fiery torch from his hand, and dismounting, quenched it on the ground. thus did he save the city that awful massacre the misdirected laws of a democratic state would have been accountable for to civilisation and the world.