The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-05-31


ruffiau turned with the scowl of de-
mon on his face, and lifting his heavy
piece into the air. struck down the he
roic wife. She fell senseess and blee-
ding to the earth. The Refugee gazed
on her moment, and then, with q
curse, called HIS men to follow him in
pursuit of the flying husband.
An hour after, the husband returned,
having thrown his pursuers at fault
Language cannot describe his emotions
on beholdng the condition of his wife.
A neighbor CHANGING to pass, apparent
y some ten minutes after the Refugees
had departed, discovered her senseless
on the ground. She was now scarcely
revived ,and could with difficulty speak.
Yet she strove to smile, and family ex-
tended her hand to her husband, calling
him in those fond tones which only a
wife may use.
"By all that is holy," exclaimed the
agonized man, as he rushed from her
bedside, 81 will avenge this on that rem
egade, or die in the attempt. But Ell
len must know of ii. will wait until
she is asleep and then depart on my
errand. God will favor the right
The stars were faint and few that
night, as the bold farmer, extorling from
the kind neighbor promise of secresy,
stole out in the air, armed with his trus-
ty piece, and after looking a moment
at the sky above, struck rapidly across
the forest. In less than an hour he
had visited two farm houses and obtai-
ned three neighbors to aid him in his
design. Striking into the heart Of the
forest, they pushed on for several hours
without any apparent fatigue, and al
most in silence. At length they came
to a halt.
"Their haunt is somewhere about
here, have learned" said the husband,
81 heard it by chance from one Of their
gang, who mistook me for Bill Rich
ings, who, you know, was supposed to
have no objection to their ways. !
shouldn't be surprised, if the knowledge
of my possessing this information, has
led to the attack tonight"
"Hark," said one Of the band, edo
YOU not hear tread coming through
the woods?' ......
The group instantly relapsed into
silence, and each Of them taking up a
position behind huge tree, or some
fallen trunk IN the swamp, waited
breathlessly for the approach Of the
comers,whose tread might tnow be heard
growing more and more dlstlnct,as they
approached. Directly voices were re-
cognised, conversing in careless tone,
then a loud laugh rung across the night,
and after q momentary silence, one of
the approaching band burst into a song.
Nov is our tIme," whispered the
husband to one Of his companions, ,"take
the right hand man, and leave the lea
der to me; ready-fre.''
The report OF their rifles rang sharp
ly through the woods. and three Of the
refugees leaping into the air, fell dead
upon the ground. The piece of the hus-
band flashed in the pan, but did not 60
off. The captain Of the renegades was
unframed. Sprin2ing back u few steps
from the covert where his assailants
lay concealed, he shouted:
"We are betrayed--we must run for
it, my boys" and before the enraged
pursuers could well undstand his inten-
ton. he had turned and fled, followed
by those of his band who still remained
behind. 1t was no time, however, for
hesitation. The baffled husband was
the first to dash from Lis covert, and
without pausing to see whether the fall
len were dead or not, he thundered:
"Forward- -forward-pursue them
to the DEATH"
AS he spoke, he dashed off in pursuit.
His companions hesitated but mom-
ent, and then followed his example,
Three of the Refugees had escaped, but
there were four in pursuit. Fear see
med, howevrr, to have seized upon the
renegades, else why should they have
retreated before force so little excee-
ding their own? 1t is probable, how
ever, that they imagined far greater
number Of the enraged inhabitants
were on their track, for they could
scarcely suppose that four men would
nave the hardihood to penetrate to their
fastness, when their full number was
known to equal dozen. Whatever
was their motive, however, they con-
Iinued their flight, their pursuers the
while pressing hotly in the rear.
1t was toward morning when two
individuals emerged upon the edge of
IN abrupt hiil, many miles from the fast
hess Of the Refugees. One of them
IL i II l. L