The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1846-01-08
THE BIBLE LEGEND OF THE WISSA
HIKON.
From George Lppards secoud Lecture before the William
a. Writ Institute.

HIKON.
From George Lippards secoud Lecture before the William
| - Writ Institute.
II was here in these wIlds of the Wssahik-
on,* on the day of battle, as the MONDAY
sun came shining through the thickly clus-
tered leaves, that two men met in deadly
fconflict near a rock, that rose-Llike the huge
wreck of some prmeval world-at least one
hundred feet above the dark waters OF Wis
sahikon.
That man with the dark brow, and the
darker grey eye, flashing with deadly light
with the muscular form, clad in the blue hunt
ing frock of the Revolution, is Continental
named Warner. His brother was murdered
the other night at the Massacre of Paoli--
That other man, with long black hair, droop-
ing along his cadaverous face, is clad in the
halfmilitary costume of Tory refugee
That is the murderer of Paoli, named Dabney.
They had met there in the woods by acci-
dent, and now they fought, not with sword
or rifle, but with long and deadly hunting
knives, that flash in light, as they go turn
ing and twining and twisting over the green
sward. .,j u. r.-t
AT last the Tory was down! Down on
the green sward with the knee of the Cont
mental upon his breast--that upraised knife
quivering in the light, that dark grey eye
flashing death into his face! a5
&"Quarter-I yield!' gasped the Tory, as,
the knee was pressed upon his breast
"Spare mel yield"
"My brsther!n said the patriotsoldier, in
that low deep tone of deadly hate-"My
brother cried for quarter on the night of Pa
oil, and, even as he clung to your knees,
you struck that knife into his heart! Oh! |
will give you the quaser of Paol!''
And his hand was raised for the Blow, and
his teeth were clenched in deadly hate. He
paused for moment, and then pinoned the
Tory's arms, and with one rapid stride drag
ged him TO the verge of the rock, and held
him quivering over the abyss. ~
"Mercy!" gasped the Tory, turning black
and ashy bye turns, as that awful gulf yawned
below.
mercy! have wife-a child-spare
mel"
Then the Continental, with his muscular
strength gathered for the effort, shook the
murderer once more over the abyss, and then
Kissed this bitter sneer between his teeth:
"My brother had a wife and two child
ren!-The morning after the night of Paoli,
that wife was widow, those children were
orphans Wouldn't you like to 60 and beg
your life of that widow and her children?"
This proposal, made by the Continental
in the mere mockery of hate, was taken in
serious earnest by the horror-stricken Tory.
He begged to be taken to the widow and her
children, to have the pitiful privilege of beg
gng his life. After a moments serious
thought, the patriot soldier consented; he
bound the Tory's arms yet tighter; placed
him on the rock again--led him up the
woods. A quiet cottage, embosomed among
trees, broke ON their eyes.
They entered that cottage. There, be-
side the desoate hearth-stone, sat the widow
and her Children. She sat there matronly
woman of thirty years, with face faded by
care, deep dark eye and long black hair
hanging in dishevelled fakes about her shoul-
ders. -- ... s>
On one side was dark-haired boy, Of
some six years-on the other little girl,
one year younger, with light hair and blue
eyes. The Bible--an old and venerable
volume--lay open on that mothers knee.
And then that pale-faced Tory flung him
self upon his knees, confessed that he had
butchered her husband on the night of Paoli,
but begged his life at her hands,
"Spare me, for the sake of my wife, my
child!!''
He had expected that his pitiful moan
would touch the widows heart-but not one
relenting gleam sofened her pale face.
"The Lord shall Judge between us!" she
said in cold icy tone, that froze the MUIR
derer's heart-"Look! The Bible lays open
upon my knee. l will close that volume,
and then this boy shall open it, and place
his finger at random upon a line, and by that
line you shall live or die!"
This was a strange proposal, made in full
faith of wild and dark superstition of the
olden time.
For moment the Tory kneelng there,
lvid as ashes, was wrapt in thought Then
in faltering voice, he signifed his consent.
Raising her dark eyes to Heaven, the
mother prayed the GREAT FATHER to direct
the finger of her son-she closed the Bible
she handed it to that boy, whose young
cheek Redeemed with loathing as he gazed
upon his fathers murderer!
He took the Bible-opened its holy pages
at random-placed his finger on verse.
Then there was silence!
Then that Continental sold dier, who had
*The wssahikon is situated about five miles of phil