The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-04-11

SHftN" hSio-"ohioA,I h"a iAs"A"6Se 80
if by instructive impulse to load a7rifle. |
She handed it to her father, and then |
loaded another and another! Was not
that a beautiful sight9 A fair young
girl grasplng a rifle, with the ramrod
rising and falling in her slender fngers!
Now look down to the wall again.
The refugees are clambering over its
summit; again that fatal aim, again a
horrid cry, and another wounded man
topping down upon his dead and dying
comrades!y seas 4 ~ .4voa
But now look! a smoke rises there, a
fire blazes up around the wall; they
have fired the gate. A moment, and
the bolt and the lock will be burned
from their sockets, the passage will be
free! Now is the fiery moment ofithe
old mans tral:- while the brave daught-
er loads, he continues to fire, with that
deadly aim, but now, horror! he falls;
with musket ball driyenintohis breasts;
the daughters outstretched arms re-
ceive the father, as with. the blood
spouting from his wound he topples
back from the, window! 'sa
All, it is a sad and terrible picture!
That old man, writhing there, on the
oaken floor, the young daughter bend
ing over him, thelight from the window
streaming over his face, over her faith
er's grey hairs, while the ancient fur
mture of the small chamber affords a.
dim back ground to the scene! at'..
Now bark! the sound Of axes at the
nall door; shouts; hurras; curses! .sa}
"We have the old rebel, at last!"
The old man raises his head at that
sound; makes an effort to rise; clutches
for rifle, and then falls back again, his
eyes glaring, as the fierce pain OF that,
wound quiyers through his heart.
Now watch the movements of that
daughter. Silently she loads a rifle, 81
lentIy she rests its barrel against the
head of that po WIDER 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 towards that chamber,
with murder in their hearts, and in their
glaring eyes! Had the old man a
thousand lives, they were not worth a
farthing's purchase now.
Still that girlgrown suddenly white
as kerchief round her 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 door way, with
musquets in their hands,, grim faces
stained with blood, glare into the room.
Now if her very soul was coined in
to the words, that young girl, with her
face pale as ashes, her hazel eve glar-
ing will. deathly light, utters this short
yet meaning speech: s
"Advance one step into the room,
and Iewill fire this rifle into the powder
therep' (, .,,,.,g s.,,.,s -,
No oath quivers from the lips Of that
girl, to. confirm. her resolution, but she
stands, alone, with her wounded father,
and vet not a soldier dare cross the
threshold! Embruted as they are in
| deeds of blood, there'is some thing ter
rible 10 these men in the simple words
Of, that young girl, who stands there
with, the rifle laid against the powder
keg. !, s,5 LIS 81. ss,tl 49,. .4,.s
They stood, as if spelLbound, on the
threshold Of that chamber. si,otsA
AT last, one, bolder than the rest, a
bravo, whose face is half concealed in
a thick red beard, grasps his musquet
and levels it at the young girls breast
"Stand back, or, by--,Iwill fret
T. Still the girl is firm the bravo ad
vances'a step, and them starts back. =
The sharp "ciicp Of that rifle falls with
unpleasant emphasis upon his ear. '''-
aBess, / am dying" gasps the old mar
| family extending his arms, "Ha, ha
we foiled the Bfitishers! Come daugh
ter--kneel here, kneel and say pray
ler for me and let me feel your warn
breath upon my face, for ! am getting
cold--O, dark and coldw : l'aA
4 Look Las those trembling accents fall
from the old mans tongue, those fling
ers uuloose their hold of. the rifie--al
ready the troopers are secure ofons
victim, at least young and beautiful
girl; /; for affection for her father, is mas
ferIng the heroism of the moment-7
Look! She is about TO spring into hi
larms! But now she, sees her danger
laealns she cIuches the rifle; again--al
though her father's dying accents arr
In her earsstands there, prepared (
scatter that house in ruins, if a slngl'
lrough hand assails that veteran form
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