Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1845-07-17

| his words with the vilest abuse and the
ierciest imprecations, "Fh hack this
whelp's limbs to pieces with my knife,
land then burn the mill over your head.
Twill be merry blaze, Itrow."
/ II put my trust in God, replied the
dauntiess girl, .sNever shall you set
your foot within these walls, whilat 4
have lift 10 prevent it.
The ruffian laid the'child on the ground
while he sought for combustibles where
with to execute his latter threat. In his
4 search he esplcd the only possible clan
|destine enti ance to the building. ltwas
a large aperture in the wall. communi-
eating with the great wheel and other
machinery Of the mill. and was point
entirely unprotected, for the reason that
the simple occupants had never supposed
it feasible for any one to seek admiss-
ion thro' such dangerous inlet. Ella
ted with his discovery, the rufain re-
turned to the infant. and, tying the hands
4 and the feet ofthe child, threw il ON the
ground, even as the butcher will ding a
lamb destined for the slaughter, 10 wait
his time for staying. He then stole
back TO the aperture, by which he hoped
to effect an entrance.
i All this unseen by the dauntless girl
within. In the meanwhile her mind Sias
busted with a thousand cogitations. ahe
{ clearly perceived that no means would
|, be left untried to effect an entrance, and
, she knew that on the exclusion Of hel
foe depended her existence. A thought
struck her.
.'Itis Sunday" said she to herself;
"the mill never works on the Sabbath
suppose set the mill a-going now? /,
! can be seen afar off; and hapIy my mas
ter, or some of his neighbors, wonder
ling at the sight, may hasten hither t
. know the cause. A lucky thought
she exclaimed. No sooner said thar
I done. Being all her life accustomed t
e mill gear, it was but the work Of a mo
. ment for her to set the machinery in mo-
: ton. A brisk breeze, which sprang uI
s as it were, by the interposilion Of Prov
ldence, at once set the sails flying. Th,
: arms Of the huge engine whirled rount
with fearful rapidly: the great whee
r slowly revolved on it's axle; the smalle
] gear turned. and creaked. and groanet
accordingly, as they came into action
the mill was in full operation. sjef
It was in that very instant that the
ruffian Diether had succeeded in squeez.
ing himself through the aperture in the
wall, and getting safely lodged in the in
terror Of the great drumwheel. His dis
may, however, was indiscribable when
he began to be whirIed about with its 70.
tation, and found that all his efforts to
put stop to, the powerful machinery
which set it in motion, or to extricate
himself from the perilous situation, were
fruitless. His cries were most appall-
ing, his shrieks were truly fearful; his
curses and imprecations were horrible
to hear. Jenny fastened to the spot
and saw him caught, like reptile as
he was, in his own trap. 1t need not be
added that she did not Iiberate him. She
knew that he would be more frightened
than hurt, if he kept within his rotary
prison; and she knew also that, unless
he attempted to escape, there was no
danger Of falling out Of it, even though
he were ,nsensible and inanimate all the
while. In the meantime, the wheel went
round and round, with its steady unS
ceasing motion; and round and round
went the ruffian along with it, steadily
and increasingly too. In vain did he
implore her pity on his helpless condi-
ton in vain did he pray to all the pow
ers of hell to his aid. She would not
hear nor heed him; and unheard and un.-
needed Of them muttering curses, be was
whirled round and round in the untiring
wheel, until at last, feeling and percep--
tion failed him, and he saw aud heard
no more. He fell senseless on the bot
tom Of the wheel; but even then his i'm
animate body continued to be whirIed
round and round, as before, the brave
girl not daring to trust to appearances
in connection with such villain, and
being, therefore, afraid to suspend the
working Of the machinery or stop the
mill gear, and tackle from running at the
fullestspeed.
A loud knocking at the door was short.
ly after heard, and she hastned thither.
II was her master and his family, accom-
[panied by several OF their neighbors.
The unaccustomed appearance ofthe mill
sails in full swing on the Sabbath, had,
as she anticipated, attracted their attefI ,
i ton, and they had hastned homa frnu.
church for the purpose OF ascertaninq the
cause of !thenrhenonienon. The father
bore bis little boy in his arms; he had
cut the cords wherewith the child was
tied, but he was unable to obtain from
the affrighted innocent, an account OF
the extraordinary circumsta tances that had
occurred. .1sI 9'
4 Jenny, in few words. told all; and
then the spirit which had sustained her
SO long and SO well. while the emerger,
! cy lasted, forsook her al once as II nass.