American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1822-10-22


already with the loss of blood. dreadful silence
had succeeded to that tumult; and she dmly saw
a number of men drawn up together without NOV
ing and their determined eyes held fast upon their
victim. " Think, my lads, that it is Hugh Gem
mel's Ghost that commands you now" said deep
hoarse voice" no mercy did the holy men OF the
mountains show to him when they smashed his
skull with large stones from the channel OF the
Yarrow. Now for revenge"
The soldiers presented their muskets--the word
was given--and they fired AT that moment Chris
ian Lindsay had rushed forward and flung herself
down on her knees beside her husband, and they
both fell, and stretched themselves out MORALLY
wounded upon the grass.
| During all this scene, Marion Scott, the brides
maid, girl OF fifteen. had been lying stfllghted
among the brackens within hundred yards OF the
murder. The agony Of grief now got the better OF
the agony OF fear, and, eapng up from her conceal
ment she rushed into the midst of the soldiers.
and, kneeing down beside her dear Christian Lind
say, lifted up her head, and shaded the hair from
her forehead. Oh Christian, your eyes are open
ing-do you hear me-do you bear me speakingP
Yes. hear voice-it is yours Mark !-speak
again." Oh Christian. it is only my voice-poor
Marion's." " Is Mark dead--quite dead?" And
there no reply but Christian must have heard
The deep gasping sobs that were rending the chld's
heart. Her eyes, too, opened more widely, and
misty as they we're, they saw indeed, close by her.
the huddled up mangled, and bloody body OF her
husband.
The soldiers stood, like SO many beasts of prey,
who had gorged their fill of blood; their rage was
abaed--and they offered no violence 10 the affec-
tonate child, as she continued to sit before them
with the head Of Christian Lindsay in her lap, wa
terng II with tears, and moaning so as TO touch
last, some even OF their hardened hearts. When
blood is shed it soon begins to appear fearful sigh
to the shedders--and the hand soon begins TO trem
bic that has let ou human lie Cruelty cannot sus
ain itself in presence of that rueful color, and re
morse Sees it reddenng into more ghastly hue.
Some OF the soldiers turned away in silence, with
| halt suppressed oath-others strayed off among
the trees and sat down together; and none would
now have touched the head Of pretty little Marion.
The man whom they had shot deserved DEATH
SO they said TO one anoher--and he had got it, but
the woman's death was accidental, and they were
not to blame because she had run upon their FIRE.
So, before the smell and the smoke Of the gunpow
der had been carried away by the passing breeze
from that place OF murder, all were SILENT and could
hardly bear to look one another in the face Their
work had been lamentable indeed. For now the
began to see that these murdered people truly
bridegroom and bride. She was lying here dressed
with her modest white bridal garments and white
ribbands, now streaked with many streams OF blood
from moraI wounds So, too, was she who was
supporting her head 1t was plain that bridal par
ty had been this very day-and that their hands had
prepared for happy and affectonate newly welded
pair that bloody bed, and sleep from which there
was to be no awaking at the voice OF morn They
stood looking appalled, on the bodice, while on III,
WI d flowers around hem, which the stain of boodl
had not ye reached, loudly and chesriulIy were
murmuring the mountain bees.
Christian Lindsay "as not quite dead, and she at
last lifted herself up little way out of Marions lap
and then falling down with her arms over her hus
bands neck uttered few indstinct words of pray
er. and expired.
Marion Scott had never seen death before, and il
was now presented to her in its most ghastly and
fearful shape. Every horror she had ever heard
talked OF in the hiding paces OF her father aud rela
tons was now realized fore her eyes, and for any
that she knew. it was now her turn to die Had she
dream in her sleep Of such tlal, uer soul would
have died within her--and she would have conVul-
sVely shreked aloud on her bed. But the pale, |
placid, happy 10 king face OF dead Christian Lind
say, whom she had loved as an elder sister and Who'll
had always been so good to her from he ime she
was little child, inspired her now with an utterl
tea essness-and she could have kuelt down to be
Shot ny the soldiers, without one quckened pulsa |
ton at her heart But the soldiers were willing
to leave the bloody green, and their leader toldl
Marion she might go her ways and bring her friends
TO take OF the dead bodies No one, he said |
would hurt her. And soon after the party disap-
peared
Marion remained for while beside the dead |
heir wounds bled not now But she brought wa |
ter from the li'te spring, and washed them all de-
Gently and left not single stain upon either OF their
faces. She disturbed, little possible, the posi-
ton IN which they lays nor removed Christians
arms from her husbands neck. She lifted one oil
the arms up for moment to wipe away spot OIL
blood but it fell down again of itself, and moved no
more
During all this time the setting sunlight was
giving deeper tinge to the purple heather, and as
Marion lifted up her eyes to heaven, she saw in the
golden west the last relics Of The day. All the wild