"The purple clouds
Are putting on their gold and violet,
To look the meeter for the sun's bright coming.
How hallowed is the hour of morning! Meet--
Ay! beautifully meet--for the pure prayer."
WILLIS.
Morn broke in the East; or, in the beautiful language of the Son of
Fingal, "Sol's yellow hair streamed on the Eastern gale." Awakened by
the first chirping of the feathered tribe, Florence rose as the gray
morning light stole into her chamber, and seating herself at the
window, looked out on the town before her. Quiet reigned as yet,
broken only by the murmuring and gurgling of the river, which roiled
swiftly on, just below their little gate. How delightful to her seemed
"The cool, the fragrant, and the silent hour
To meditation due."
Calmly she now weighed the conversation of the preceding night, and,
engrossed in earnest thought, sat gazing out till the Orient shone
resplendent, and an October sun poured his rays gloriously around her.
Then she knelt, and prayed as she had never done before. She sought
the "pure fountain of light," and implored strength and guidance
in her search after truth. Rising, her glance fell on her sleeping
cousin, and she was struck with the change which within the last month
had taken place in her appearance. Approaching the bed, she lifted the
masses of chestnut hair that clung to the damp brow. As she looked on
the pure, pale face, there came a gush of tenderness into her soul,
and bending, she imprinted a long, warm kiss. Mary stirred, and opened
her eyes.
"Ah, Florry, you are up earlier than usual." She closed them again,
murmuring slowly, "I feel as though I had no strength remaining; I can
scarcely lift my head."
"Sleep, Mary, if you can. I will shut out the light, and call you
again after a while."
"No, Florry, I must not give way to such feelings; indeed they are
getting quite too common of late; I can't think what makes me so weak
and feverish."
An hour later, as they stood together at the door of their little
dining-room, a body of Mexican cavalry dashed furiously past their
gate. The cousins looked full at each other. Then Florence said in a
low, calm tone: "You are right, Mary; we will go from this place; I
feel now that it is for the best." She averted her face; but Mary saw
an expression of keen agony resting there. "Florry, let us consult
Mrs. Carlton. She will advise us what would be best to do in this
emergency."
"Go and see her yourself; I cannot. Whatever you decide upon I will
agree to. Oh! Mary, how desolate and unprotected we are."
"No, not while there is an Almighty One to watch over us. But, Florry,
I am much troubled about Aunt Lizzy. I mentioned our wish to leave
here, and she opposed it strenuously, on the grounds that the Padre
had promised his protection. Now what are we to do?"
"Go to Mrs. Carlton's, Mary, and I will convince aunt that it is
best we should remove from here immediately. You need apprehend no
difficulty on her part. As you return from Mrs. Carlton's, meet me in
the churchyard."
"Florry, do not go till I come home; or, if you prefer it, let us go
there at once."
"No, Mary, I wish to be there alone."
"But I am afraid it is not quite safe for you to venture out so far
from home."
"I fear nothing: who would harm a daughter beside her father's grave?"
Mary sighed heavily, but offered no further opposition. Her walk to
Mrs. Carlton's was a sad one, for her heart clung to the scenes she
had learned to love so well, and the prospect of departure, and the
uncertainty of the future, weighed heavily on her heart, and made her
step unwontedly slow. She found her friend alone, and much depressed.
Mrs. Carlton clasped her tenderly in her arms, while the tears rolled
silently down her cheeks.
"I hope nothing has happened to distress you?" said Mary, anxiously.
"You are the very one I wished to see. Mr. Carlton said, this morning,
that he was unwilling for me to remain here any longer, as our
troops are marching to attack the Alamo. He says he will take us to
Washington, and I could not bear the idea of leaving you here."
"I have come to consult you on this subject; for some of my Mexican
friends have advised us to leave San Antonio; and not knowing where or
how to go, concluded to come and see you. But Washington is far, very
far from here. How will we ever reach it in these unsettled times?"
"Mr. Carlton and Frank have gone to make all necessary preparation
for our immediate departure. We will have two tents, and carry such
cooking utensils and provisions as are needful for a tedious journey:
one wagon is all we hope to obtain for conveying these. I suppose we
shall all ride horseback; for you know there is not a carriage in the
town. Frank does not wish us to leave this place, for he suggested
your coming to remain with us till these stormy times were over. But
this is not a suitable home for you. Surely your cousin and aunt will
consent to accompany us?"
"Yes, I think so; for Florry left it entirely with me, and certainly
we should go now."
"I am very glad to hear you say so, Mary; not only upon your own
account, but also for Frank. He will consider himself bound to
accompany you; for he promised your dying uncle to watch over you both
with a brother's care, and otherwise he could not be induced to leave
San Antonio at this crisis. He seems completely rapt in the issue of
the contest; and would you believe it, Mary, he is anxious to enlist;
but my entreaties have as yet prevented him."
"Dear Mrs. Carlton, there is no obligation resting on him to go with
us. He has been very kind and careful, and though deeply grateful, we
could not consent to his leaving against his own inclinations. Oh, no!
we could not allow this. Yet should he remain, what may be the result?
Oh! Mrs. Carlton, this is terrible."
Mary's cheek was very pale, and her lips quivered convulsively, while
the small hands, clasped each other tightly.
"Mary, for my sake, use your influence with him in favor of going to
Washington. I can't go in peace, and feel that he is here exposed
to such imminent danger, for when I am gone, what will restrain him?
Mary, Mary! do not deter him, if he feels it incumbent on him to see
you to a place of of safety."
"Mrs. Carlton, you can appreciate the peculiar position in which I am
placed. Florry and I would shrink from drawing him away, in opposition
to his wishes, particularly when there is no danger attendant on our
traveling; for with you and Mr. Carlton we would feel no apprehension;
and even if we did, we could not consent to such a sacrifice on his
part. Yet I sympathize with you, most sincerely, and will willingly do
all that in propriety I can to alleviate your sorrow; but knowing his
sentiments, how could I advise, or even acquiesce in his going?"
"My pure-hearted girl, forgive a request made so thoughtlessly. I
had not considered, as I should have done; yet you can appreciate
the anxious feelings which dictated it." As she spoke, Mrs. Carlton
clasped her friend to her heart, and wept on her shoulder. No tear
dimmed Mary's eye; yet that she suffered, none who looked on her pale
brow and writhing lips could doubt. As she raised her head to reply,
Dr. Bryant entered, and started visibly on seeing her, Mrs. Carlton
endeavored to regain her composure; and, with a slightly faltering
voice, asked how he succeeded in procuring horses?
"Better than I had hoped," was the rejoinder; and he held out his hand
to Mary. She gave him hers, now cold as ice. He held it a moment, and
pressed it gently, saying: "You see my sister is going to run away on
the first intimation of danger. I hope she has not infected you with
her fears; though, to judge from your looks, I should almost predict a
stampede in another direction."
"Indeed you are quite right. Florry and I are going with her; though
we had decided on leaving before we knew she intended doing so."
"Ah! you did not seem to apprehend any immediate danger when we
conversed on this subject a few days since. What has changed your
views?"
"I have been warned not to risk the dangers attendant on the
approaching conflict by a Mexican friend, whose attachment I have
every reason to believe is sincere; and besides, it needed but little
to augment my fears: and Florry and I concluded, if practicable, to
remove to a place of greater safety."
"Can you be ready within two days, think you, Miss Mary? for, if we
leave at all, it is advisable that we do so immediately."
"Oh, yes! I know we can be ready by that time."
"Let me see--how many additional horses shall we need? Yourself, your
cousin, and aunt, and myself."
Mary looked eagerly at Mrs. Carlton; but she had averted her head; and
for a moment a terrible struggle within kept the gentle girl silent.
"Dr. Bryant, I know you do not wish to leave here at this juncture,
intensely interested as you are in the event, and I fear you are
sacrificing your own wishes for our benefit. Let me beg you to consult
your inclinations, and do not feel it in the least incumbent on you to
attend us, particularly when we are in the kind care of Mr. Carlton;
and you have already done so much toward contributing to our comfort."
"Thank you for your consideration. Nevertheless, I shall not rest
satisfied till I place you in safety on the banks of the Brazos. One
of my greatest pleasures has been to render you service, and you would
not abridge them, I hope, by refusing my company on your journey?"
Mary's eyes were fixed earnestly on his face while he spoke, and
though there was no change in his kind, gentle tone, there came an
undefinable expression over his noble countenance--an expression in
which coldness and sorrow predominated. She could not understand him;
yet a shudder crept though her frame, and a sensation of acute pain
stole into her heart. She felt as through a barrier had suddenly risen
between them, yet could not analyze the cause.
"Your servants will take all possible care of the house and furniture
during your absence, which, I hope, will be but temporary. They will
not be molested; and I am afraid we could not conveniently carry two
additional persons. What think you of this arrangement?"
"I think with you, that under existing circumstances the servants
could not well accompany us; and though they will incur no danger,
I regret the necessity of leaving them, particularly should they
object."
"I hope you will find no difficulty in arranging everything to your
entire satisfaction, previous to our departure. You and my sister must
consult as to all minor points, and I must look to our preparations.
My respects to your cousin. I will see you again to-morrow;" and
bidding her good morning, he turned away.
"Oh, such a weight is lifted from my heart!" exclaimed Mrs. Carlton.
"I can now exert myself as I am called on to do."
"Florry will be waiting for me, and we have much to do at home; so
good-by," and Mary lifted her pale face for a farewell kiss.
Mrs. Carlton affectionately embraced her, and bidding her "make all
speed," they parted.