Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1846-03-04

reaches the block-house gate-look!- -
He is surrounded their muskets are
levelled athis head, he is down, down
at their feet. graphing for his life! But
look again!-He dashes his foes aside,
with one bold movement he springs
through the gate, an instant, and it is
locked;' the British soldiers, mad with
rage, gaze upon the high wall of logs
and stone, and vent their anger in
Edrunkensenrses: ~. ..,''' ~
Now look to yonder window! Where
the young girl stood a moment ago,
quivering with suspense, as she beheld
her father struggling for his life, now
stands that old man himself, his brow
barred, his arm grasping the rifle, while
his grey hairs wave back from his
wrinkled and blood.dabbled facel That
was a fine picture of an old veteran,
nerved for his last fight; stout war
rior, preparing for his death struggle.
Death-struggle? Yes!-for the old
man, Isaac WampoIe, had dealt too
many hard blows among the British
soldiers, tricked, foiled, cheated them
too often TO escape nowl A few mo.
ments longer, and they would be rein
forced by strong party Of refugees; the
powder, the arms, in the old block
house, perhaps that daughter, herself,
was 10 be their reward. There was
scarcely hope for the old man, and
yet he had determined to make a des-
perate fight.
ave must bluff off these rascalsp he
said, with a grim smile, turning to his
child. "Now, Bess. my girl, when
fire this rifle, do you hand me another,
and so on, until the whole eight shots
are fred! That will keep them on the
other side of the wall, for a few mo.
ments, at least, ard then we will have
to trust to God for the res,l''
Look down there, and see, a hand
stealing over the edge Of the wall!
The old men levels his piece-that
British trooper falls back with crushed
hand upon his comrades heads!
No longer quivering with suspense,
but grown suddenly firm, that young
girl passes loaded rifle to the veterans
grasp, and silently awaits the result.
For a moment all Is silent below; the
British bravoes are somewhat 10th 10
try lha, wall, when stout old "Rebel," ,"
rife in hand, is looking from yonder
windowl Here is pause-low, deep
murmurs-they are holding council!
A moment is gone, and nine heads
are ,hurst above the wall at once
bark! One-two-,hree! The old
veteran has fired three shots, there are
three dying. groveIling in the yard.
beneath the shadow of the wall!
"Quick, Bess, the riles!"
And the brave girl passes the rifles
to her fathers grasp: there are four
shots, and after the other; three more
soldiers fell back, like weights of lead,
upon the ground, and single red-coat
is seen, slowly mounting TO the top Of
the wall his eve fixed upon the hall
door, which he will force, ere moment
is gone!
Now the last ball is fired, the old
man stands there, in that second.story
window, his hands vainly grasping for
another loaded rifle! AT this moment,
the wounded and dying band, below,
are joined by party Of some twenty
refugees, who, clad in their half.robber
uniform, came rushing from the woods,
and, with one bound, are leaping for the
summit of the wall.
"Quick, Bess, my rifles"
And look there-even while the vet
eran stood looking OUT upon his foes,
the brave girl-for, slender in form, and
wildly beautiful in face, sshe is brave
girl, a Hero>W oman-had managed,
as if by instructive impulse, to load a'ri.
Ae. She handed it to her father, and
then loaded another and another!-|
Wasn't that a beautiful sight? A fair
young girl. grasping powder and ball,
with The ramrod, rising and falling in
her slender iingersl. S. BE
Now look at the wall again! The
refugees are clambering over its sum.
mit-again that fatal aim-again that
horrid cry, and another wounded man
down upon his dead and dying
comradesl ..-' % 49,. /
But now look!-A smoke rises there,
a fire blazes up around the wall; they
have fred the gate. A moment, and
the bolt and the lock will be burnt from
its, sockets-the passage will be free!
Now is the fiery moment of the old
mans trial! While his brave daughter
oads, he, continues to fire, with that,
deadly aim, but now-oh horror! He
falls, he falls, with a musquet ball driven
into his breast----the daughters out
stretched arms receive the father, as,
with the blood spouting from his wound,
he topples back from the window.
All, it is sad and terrible picture Il