The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-04-05
Volume I. Number 8.

floor, kept swinging tie other, looking
wildly around him. His vile. who
had dropped upon the stool on which
she had been nursing her child, sat the
image ofhorror. The restkeptsilences
1T can't be helped" atlast exclaim4
ed Black Norris. "rhe dead have no
use for clothes. Well bury him to-
morrow and wake him tonight"
"His auditors looked at one another,
but made no remark. Pipes, tobacco
and spirits, were speedily procured and
placed upon the same table with the
corpse, which was now covered with
a sheet. Black Norris seated himself
at the head. His neighbours, whose
numbers were now increased by occa-
sional droppersin, accommodated them
selves as they could with stools, emp;
ty kegs placed on end, and pieces OF
plank converted into temporary forms,
sat ranged around. The room waxed
merry, save where the wrecker's wife
sat crouching near the fire, her head
supported by the wall. At length the
first supply of spirits was on.
"I'll bring you BETTER cried the
wrecker. 'What we have been drink
ing was watered. I'll bring il you as
pure as from the stl.''
He disappeared; and, after the lapse
of about ten or fifteen minutes, returned
with fresh supply. He opened the
door unobserved, but stopped short up
on remarking that the place which he
had just quilted, was occupied,by three
or four who were intendy employed in
examining the head of the dead body,
from which the sheet had been partial
ly removed. The rest of the company
were leaning forward, apparently abb
sorbed in what was passing. a.
s"ris an ugly mark" said one.
'sNo rock could do that" observed
another.
"No,' interposed third; "'tis more
like the blunt end of an axe head; see,
here is the regular mark of the edge
all around, would not be Black Nor
ris for all he has got by this days work."
"Why not?'' vociferated the wreck
er, coming forward and confronting
the speaker.
Every eye was turned toward the
wrecker, in whose countenance despei
ration and gathering fury we're fearfully
depicted. No answer vas returned to
his question.
"Why not?' repeated he, with in
creased vehemence.
"Why not" echoed the young man,
recovering from temporary surprise.
"Why, who was it stove your fathers
forehead in, Black Norrls!" added he
after a pause.
He had scarcely time to duck bis
head. The vessel which the wrecker
carried, flew over it, and in the next
moment, the young mans throat wasin
the ruffian's grasp.
"Loose your hold Of him. cried sew
eral at once. BLACK Norris paid no
heed to them. Three or four of the
strongest and boldest rushed together
upon him at once; overpowered him
and rescued his almost sufficated vic-
tim. The wrecker drew his knife and
brandished it.-They rushed upon him
again before he had time to make
stroke with it and wrenched it from
him, His wife, who, it appeared, had
retired into the inner apartment during
the interval of her husbands absence,
now burst from it, san On her knees
before him. and clasping him round the
legs with one arm, while with the other
she supported her infant, imploring him
to be calm. A single blow leveled
child and mothor to the earth. With
horror of the savage act, the spectators
stood while, as if berett IF the power
ofspeech or motion. For second or
two the wrecker glared around him like
a fiend, then suddenly vanished into the
inner room. He searched here and
there, blaspheming all the time, cursing
this thing and that thing, as any thing
came to his hand, except whathe wan
ted. At length, however, he succeeded
in finding his pistols. Then a pouch
filled with slugs; and, last ofall, a pow
der horn presented themselves. He
hastily loaded and primed the weapons
and proceed to the door, with one in
each hand, advanced a pace into the
outer apartment.
"Now," roared the wrecker, "now,
who is the man TO come onf' No one
stirred. i give you just as much time
continued he, sasit will take you to cleal
the house. When that's expired, | fire
at the man that remains
"a wild, shrill, piercing laugh was the
answer TO his menace. ltcomes FROM