The ladies' garland. [volume] (Harpers-Ferry, Va. [W. Va.]) 1824-1828, 1826-01-28

the dark closet, the soiled and torn tapestry of
the bed, and the crazy door, operated only to
confirm. That which her father occupied was
on the other side of the building, adjacent to
the apartment of the two officers All had re
tired when the clock slowly struck the hour Of
twelve; it was one of those old fashioned time
pieces, made during the administration of the
protector. Its tones were solemn and awful,
just like those at whose peal the ghosts of old
were wont to rise from their graves, and strike
terror to the guilty heart The two officers, Ma
ria, and her father, heard it with peculiar emo
ton A cold sweat came on the forehead of the
old gentleman, and his heart beat hard. The
creaklng Of the sign-post, and window shutters
on the rusty hinges, combined with the whistling
of the wind through the decayed timbers of the
mansion, produced shuddering throughout
every frame. They were endeavorng to sleep,
notwithstanding all these annoyances, when a
piercing shrek was heard through the inn,
quickly followed by the cries of murder"
which operated variously on its different inmates.
The landlord was not in the house, but his wife
and servants, who could have afforded assis-
lance, kept close, nor dared to STIR The dis
tracted father, who knew the voice too well,
sprang to the door, but it was fast, and was
locked outside The windows were tried in
vain-they were secured for the purpose. He
ran raving up and down the room in total dark
ness, calling out for help. With agony he heard
the trampling of numerous footsteps, and the
cries of his daughter grow fainter and fainter,
until they were lost in the distance.
The only one who in this scene Of confusion
performed any service, was the dark complex
Toned young officer, who no sooner heard the
shreks of the lovely Maria, than like her father
he sprang to the door, and found himself in the
same predicament, his next resource was the
little window. Without considering the danger
or difficulty of the attempt, he made one spring,
and found himself at the moment rather uncom-
fortably fixed up to the neck in large brush
heap, which, as if placed there by some over
ruling hand to preserve him, saved his limbs or
neck from otherwise certain dislocaton. The
shock of the fall almost stunned him however,
he soon recovered so as to extrcate himself
But what was to be done The robbers had by
this time got out of hearing, and even if he
could oyertake them, what was his single arm
to multitude? Courage supplied him with an
swers, he commenced pursuit, and after few
miles discovered with the greatest joy those he
pursued at some distance. By leaving the road
and crossing through the woods he soon came
up with them; the party had stopped. He found
it to consist of the villainous landlord and two
Indians, but the female they had taken was not
to be seen. Rage and horror at the deed he
imagined they had committed, filled his breast,
and drawing his sword, which luckily he had
brought with him, in an instant the landlord lay
in the dust, forsaken by his cowardly accompli-
ces. Hitherto his feelings had been most poig1l-
ant on account Of the supposed murder of her
for whom he had risked his life. But his grief
Il I.