Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1840-02-14


welcome sound, before the keen and crafty veteran
whom in consideration of those very qualities, he
had appointed to bring up his rear, dashed uPat
hard gallop to his side.
I'VE shall be set upon, sir, instantly he cried,
the moment he was near enough to suffer his
words to be audible 'ThcIe be a score or Two
of Saxon varlets down in the thicket yonder and
they have feed some three or four tall trees across
the causeway. Retreat is hopelessn
Retreatr echoed the naughty Baron. Who
would retreat before Saxon! forward, brave
hearts, and if the dogs find heart to shew them
selves, fore God and cur Lady, but we win pin
them TO the earth with our good lances. On, ar
chers, and look sharp-let not villain show his
head above these cursed bushes, but mark it with
a cloth-yard arrow. Forward! ST. Genevive lor
Americr
Such were the words with which the Norman,
adopting the array which has been heretofore de-
scribcd, dashed onwardwhile from behind, near
er at every instant, and more near, rang the wild
whoops and yells which had in the first INSTANCE
announced the presence of the enemy.
Damain, they be behind US yet,' he said, ad
dressing himselfin whisper to the veteran squire
who rode beside his REIN behind us all. Be-
shrew me, but think we shall outstrip them!
Look! look! Sir Americ,' shouted the old
Squire, almost in the sel1same instant, pointing
with his long lance toward the ash-trees of which
Hereward had spoken. Look my good lord, a
chain. Yon ash is half cut through-f it fall We
are lost
Even as he spoke, the chain which up to tais
time had sustained the mighty tree, swung free
the branches swayed and cracked, and the gigan-
tic trunk groaned as it reeled and totered to and
fro.
'On, archersn shouted Americ-'on, archers,
for your lives; get past yon ashtree into open
/ glade-on! for your lives-and shoot your dead
liest, are but lost men,
Then from t44UtlsT FUSS, I0rig asie
loud, the same rortentous yell, which had alarmed
them rom the rear; While, nearer still and nearer
on every side it was repeated, showing that now
they were entirely surrounded; and fast and fre
quent might be heard the ringing clatter of the
axes, and the stern voice of Iereward urging the
outlaws to their toll. Instant, as Americ spoke
the archers dashed their spurs into then chargers
fanks, and sped at pace actually fearful along
the rough and broken caUseway, driving at every
stroke the mud and slime high into air behind
them If they might but succeed in passing, ere
the large tree should fall it was most probable tina
the mhoe party would escape; for, cutting on the
causeway at right angels, not half an arrow-fight
beyond the thicket, an open glade extended with
firm soil and good footing quite to the rear of the
Saxons; so that, the angle gained, the alleys o
the Norman archery would have commanded the
position, and rendered it impossible for them tC
carry their annoyance farther. On they went, gal
lantly and fast-scattering, however, as one horse
outstripped the other-wilh their long-bows alrea
dy bent, and arrows notched upon the string
Fearful, indeed-it was a fearful moment-tht
mighty ash-tree rocked and creaked audibly-one
archer has already passed ito he has halted
rcised his bow to his eye-that twang has runs
the knell of one of the assaiants-St. Genevive
ST Genevive. for Americn The second reaches
it-even now his charger-goaded tohls fullspeeo
lis sprinoing past the butt-he Is saie-and tht
third close behlndl- No! no! a louder, deepe
groan Of the huge tree! and down, down 1t came
Numbering to the earth Heaven, what teartu
sight; even as it fell, the hapless Norman wht
rode second dashed into the dread space, and OF
the instant, horse and man were crushed by the re
sistless weight into one saapeless mass OF culver
ing and CORY carnage; the third man close to th'
ruin. had vet the time to note it, and with despe
rate effort succeeded in arresting the speed OF HI:
horse and LOW he STOOD the noble animal quiv
ering in every limb with terror, It's head curbed t
its very chest by the strong rider who, unmoved
even by that fearful peril watched with stead,
eve for the appearance OF 1oeman. Not long dl'
he wait for. ere the echoes of that thundern!
Ishock had passed away; cheerily shouting to hi
comrades, Hereward sprang upon the fragment o
the tree, which yet stood upright in the ground, a.
if to overlook the field.
t Down with another tree, my men! One more,
he shouted, and they are ours, beyond nope
rescue
The moment he appeared, the arrow whistle'
from the bowstring olthe Norman, but whether |
was that his nerves were shaken by the appalling
sioht he had that instant Witnessed, or that th'
saxon, as men said, Of a truth, bore charmed
life, the shaft sung past hls head, and' quiverihg
stood fixed in aat1ss. hard behind him, buried al
most to the II
t ST. Geoi 3 merry England shouted th'
outlaw in return, and without pauslng even to taxi
aim hurled the short boar-spea which lie held n