Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1846-03-04
RAVENNA OHIO, WEDNESDAY, MARCH A, 184e

ing, over him, the light from the, win-
dow streaming over her fathers grey
hairs, while The ancient, furniture of
the small chamber affords dim back.
ground 10 the scene! ''.' s1-.'s-'' 81
Now hark!--the sound Of axes, at the
hall door-shohfs hurras--cursest 2
"We have the old rebel, at alast!"
The old man raises his head at that
sound; makes an effort to rise; clutches
for a rife, and then fails back again,
his eyes glaring, as the fierce pain OF
that wound quivers through his heart.
Now watch the movements Of that
daughter. Silently she loads rifle,
silently she rests its barrel against the
head of the powder-keg, and then, plac.
ing her finger on the trigger, stands
over her fathers form, while the shouts
ofthe enraged soldiers come thunder
ing from the stairs. Yes, they have
broken the hall door to fragments, they
are in possession of the old block house,
they are rushing toward that chamber,
with murder in their glaring eyes! Had
the old man thousand lives, they were
not worth a farthing's purchase now.
Still that girl-grown suddenly
white as the kerchief round her neck
stands there, trembling from head TO
foot, the rifle in her hand, its dark tube
laid against the powder keg.
The door is burst open-look there!
Stout forms are in the doorway, with
muskets in their hands, grim faces, stain.
ed with blood, glare into the room:
Now, as If her very soul was coined
into the words, that young girl, with
her face pale as ashes, her hazel eye
glaring with deathly light, utters this
short meaning speech
advance one step into the room, and
| will fire this rifle into the powder
there!"
No oath quivers from the lips Of tina,
girl, to confirm her resolution, but there
She stands alone, with her wounded
father, and yet not soldier dare cross
the threshold! Embruted as they are
lin deeds Of blood, there IS something
terrible to these men, in the simple
words of that young girl, who stands
there. with the rifle laid against the
powdcr.keg.
They stood, as ifspell. bound, on the
threshold Of that chamber!
AT last, one, bolder than the rest, 9
bravo, whose face is half-concealed in a
thick red beard, grasps his musket, and
levels it at the young girls breast!
"Stand back, or, by, will fire!'
Still the girl is firm; the bravo advan
ces step, and then starts back. The
sharp "cleck" of the rifle falls with ar
unpleasant emphasis upon his ear.
"Bess, | am dying" says the old
man, family extending his arms. "Ha
ha, we ioiIed the Britishers! Come
daughter--kneel here; kneel and say a
prayer for me, and let me feel your
warm breath upon my face, for | am
getting cold-O, dark and coldE"
Look!-As those trembling accents
fall from the old mans tongue, those
fingers unloose their hold of the rifle
already the troopers are secure of one
victim, at least, young and beautiful
girl; for affection for her father, is mas
tering the heroism of the moment
look! She is about to spring into his
arms! But now she sees her danger!
again she clutches the rifle; again--al.
though her fathers dying accents arc
in her ears--stands there, prepared to
scatter that house in ruins, if a single
rough hand assails that veteran form.
There are a few brief terrible mo-
ments OF suspense. Then hurried
sound, far down the mansion; then a
contest on the stairs; then the echo Of
rifle shot and the light of rifle blaze,
then those ruffians in the doorway fall
crushed before the strong arms Of Con.
tinental soldiers. Then a wild shrek
quivers through the loom, and that
young girl--that Hero-W oman, with
one bound, springs forward into her
brothers arms, and nestles there, while
her dead father--his form yet warm--
lays with fixed eye-balls, upon the floor.
ANEcDoTE;-A person applying to
the Judge ofprobate for letter Of ad-