At a Girl's Mercy, or, The Fortunes of War — page 217: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

206 . ~ AT A GIRL'S MERCY, general. The orderly had followed her in this visit to the condemned man, and lifted the curtain of the general’s tent for her to enter. He was another of those brave young fellows who were never specially noticed during that terrible war, but was as brave and self-denying as those others who made their names dear to all hearts by their bravery and truth. This small, graceful lady, with the air of a princess and the sweetness of an angel, was like a bit of the peace they were fighting for, and that must come ere many more months should pass. Waiting, as he had been ordered to wait, just out of earshot, yet within calling distance should there be need of his assist- ance, he caught now and then words that gave him the insight into the errand of this brave girl, for her voice was clear, and the night wind drifted these words to him, and they followed him through life: “IT came in here to plead for my father—but when I realized what I should do I would not take my fa- ther’s life from your hands as a gift—I would scorn the gift, and so would he!’’ He never forgot the words nor the clear voice uttering them, and through his life they influenced him to higher action. Is there no power in a woman’s hands? | She walked proudly, as a daughter of the Union should, into the presence of the general of the army. There was a light in her eyes that was dazzling, and a curve of the sweet lips that betrayed the grand old spirit of her father, and the soul that must scorn, even to reclaim a life, the acceptance of a gift from a villain and a traitor. She walked up to the table where the general still sat and said, as he glanced up to learn her errand: ‘‘Pardon my troubling you again, sir, but I must let you know that I would not have you, for me, stay for one instant the carrying out of your command in regard to this man. I should have known that I could not accept from the hands of a traitor the true life of my father. I thank you for your kindness, sir, I will find some way to save him, or, if not, he would far rather die than be given back to us at the hands of such a man.”’ “ptay,’’ the general said, as she was turning with O ‘ar * aye ee comicbooks.com | . er pe ae SAY» Ale, be fos am 9h * *o, av .