The Ripley advertiser. [volume] (Ripley, Miss.) 1843-1897, 1846-04-18
THE LAND PIRATE.
A STORY Of TIE REYOLUTIOY
BY JAMES II. DANA.

Durng the war Of the Revolution the dis
t.ict ct country lying between the American
lines on the Hudson, and the British OUT posts
shove New rk, called tauiiarly the neutral
ground.was infested by a set Of wre chcs known
MS COW boys, skInners, AND land pirates, WHO
preyed at will on Ihe wings. a party of then,
long carried on their ou'rages unchecked IN
close vicinity to the Brush lines; leader ot
redoubtabe courage, wJo had once been a col.
on''t offs estate, hut having squandcred ii
10 rio'ous living had AIKEN to his present irfpg,
ular life on the breaking cut oftrou.l3s.
Accounts Of his atrocities had long before
found their way 10 he American lin, $; aud the
evil became at !epgih So great that II Vas de.
setnned at any cost u eXtrptie lis company.
But this wa found easier to threaten tEa1 l.
achieve. Keeping cloae to his secret haunt,
or moving with astonishing celebrity across thr
country i, was impossible to discover or over.
take Harding, for such was the Gimc the ms
creaIt bore.
young oftiser at length VOLUNTEERED to en-.
ter 1ardmg'5 company as spy, IN order 10
obtain such Information az would lead to his
being entrapped. Lieut. Vaughan knew that
his he hung on thread, in such iiieult
mission; for discovery would be instant dealt;
besides he had a personal interest IN tire de-
etruc,jon of the land pirates. His heart hadI
been IN possession Of Emily lieadley, the only
daughter of wealthy farmer who, though
hitherto a neutral, was suspected Of leaning to-
wards the American cause, aud the anxious
heart of the lover began to fear that Harding,
attracted by the wealth of the father or the
beauty of the daughter, might, sooner or later
make Heai!ey'a farm the scene Of his lawes5
arcdfes.
I, was dark and stormy night en- which
Vaughan, disguised as deserter, found his
way 10 a low ,averG near the Hudson where
the land pirates were known sometimes 10 har
Dor With great difficulty, and ut without
exciting some suspicion, he was enrolled as one
Of their number: but his story was So well con.
coc,ed tina, all doubt after while sremoved.
One morning comrade approached hun
.You are 10 accompany US, for the first time,
TO night said he, The captain has resolved
10 attack old Headley, who you may have heard
lives up among the hills, aud is almost as rich
se Engl sh lords They say too, that he has a
pretty daughter. but of that know nothing,
though il he has, III venture TO say the captain
siIl not forget her
Vaughan could hardly conceal his agitation
during these words. The blow which he had
long feared was about to fall, and he neither
had the time 10 warn his friends nor the power
20 avert the catastrophe What could he do!
His frs, thought was to desert and hasten to
Headley farm, but he knew he was watched
closely and that this could not be effected.
In few minutes, however, Vaughan mana.
Red to steal away from his comrade, and saun.
tered into the inn, for they were then at ano.
Their low tavern similar TO the one where he had
first Joined the freebooters. The bar maid was
there alone; the words in which she spoke sur.
prised him.
'And so captain Harding is going to attack
old Mr.. HeadIey's house to night she said pet.
tishly, Il can tell him it will come TO no good
Mr.. Headley has done him or the king no harm;
but tie the daughter and not the father Har.
ding Is after. She refused him once, when he
was gentnman, and now he's determined to
have her, on his own terms the VILLAIN
At this conformation of his worst fears Vau-
CHAN could not withhold mutered curse
The girl looked up. He saw that his indgna.
ton had betrayed him ard his eye guailed be-
meath her searching glance But he was re
lieved by what followed.
Lieutenant Vaughan said the girl, bending
over and whispering in his ear, you see you
are known; but have nothing TO fear. was
brought up near your fathers, and saw you
many day; my parents farmed the little place
at the foot f,he hill. D. you know me now!
lam Kitty Gray
The recognition was mutual. But the plea.
sure derived from it was alloyed to Vaughan BY
w vt he now heard Of Harding's intentions
h,'y, It seems. had listened, pretending to be
asleep IN the bar, while the leader had diyul
geo to two of his confidential followers, the
evening before his purpose in taking the Head |
fey farm, and il anneared that ha hal hoarJ,d
up MS old rejection, and had now resolved 10