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Page 97
"God bless you, dearest Ella--you did indeed!" exclaimed Reynolds,
suddenly, bounding from his seat and clasping her in his arms. "You did
indeed tell me to hope--and you told me truly;" and he pressed kiss
after kiss, again and again, upon her sweet lips, with all the wild,
trembling, rapturous feelings of a lover in his first ecstasy of bliss,
when he has surmounted all obstacles, and gained the heart of the being
he loves.
"Now, dearest Ella," continued Algernon, when the excitement of the
moment had been succeeded by a calmer, though not less blissful mood:
"Now, dearest Ella, I am free--my sacred oath binds me no longer--and
now can I say, with propriety, that I deeply, solemnly, and devotedly
love you, and you alone. I am not rich; but I have enough of this
world's goods to live in ease, if not in splendor. Will you share with
me, and be partner of my lot, be it for good or ill, through life? My
heart you have had long--my hand I now offer you. Say, dearest, will you
be mine?"
Ella did not speak--she could not; but she looked up into his face, with
a sweet, modest, affectionate smile; and her dark, soft, beautiful eyes,
suffused with tears, wherein a soul of love lay mirrored, gave answer,
with a heart-felt eloquence surpassing words.
"I understand you, Ella," said Algernon, with emotion. "You are
mine--mine forever!" and he strained her trembling form to his heart in
silence--a deep, joyful and holy silence--that had in it more of Heaven
than earth.
* * * * *
It was a mild, lovely day in the spring of 1783. Earth had donned her
green mantle, and decorated it with flowers of every hue and variety.
The trees were in leaf and in bloom; among whose soft, waving branches,
gay birds from the sunny south sung most sweetly; and nature seemed
every where to rejoice. In the court of Bryan's Station was a large
concourse of people--many of whom were from a distance--and all
assembled there to witness the solemn ceremony which was to unite
Algernon Reynolds and Ella Barnwell forever; for who shall say the holy
marriage rite is not eternally binding in the great Hereafter. There
were congregated both sexes and all ages, from the infant to the hoary
headed veteran of eighty winters. There were assembled youth and
manhood, whose names have since graced the historic page, and whose
deeds have stamped them benefactors of their race and nation. All were
in order, and silent, and the scene was most solemnly impressive. On the
right and left of the bride and groom and their attendants, stood,
promiscuously, the general spectators of both sexes. In front was drawn
up the garrison, in three platoons, under arms, in compliment to the
noble bravery of our hero at the battle of Blue Licks.
Never did Algernon appear more noble than now--never did Ella look more
beautiful; as, pale and trembling, she seemed to cling to his arm for
support. The ceremony was at length begun and ended, amid a deep and
breathless silence. As the last words, "_I pronounce you man and wife_,"
died away upon the air, the first platoon advanced a pace and fired a
volley--the second and third followed--and then arose a soft bewitching
strain of music; during which the friends of the newly married pair came
forward to offer their congratulations, and wishes for their long life
and happiness.
Among the party present was Colonel Boone; and approaching Algernon and
Ella--who were now seated where the solemn rite had taken place--he took
the hand of each, and said, in a voice of some emotion:
"My children--for ye seem to me as such--may you both live long and be
happy. You've both o' ye had a deal o' trouble since I first saw ye--and
that's but a little while ago--but I hope its now over. Don't think I
want to flatter, sir, when I say I think you're a brave and honorable
young man, and that you've got a wife every way worthy of ye--and she a
husband worthy o' her--and that's saying much. God bless ye both! and ef
you ever need a friend, call on Daniel Boone."
With this he shook their hands heartily, and strode away.
The next who advanced to them was Captain Patterson--the officer, it
will be remembered, whose life Algernon so generously saved at the risk
of his own. After the usual congratulations, he took our hero by the
hand, and said, with deep feeling:
"Sir! I feel that to you, for risking your own life to save mine, I owe
a debt I can never cancel; and an attempt to express to you in words
my sense of obligation for the noble act, would be worse than vain:
therefore accept this, as a slight testimonial of the gratitude of one
who will ever remember you in his prayers, and wear your image in his
heart."
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