Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-07-09
From the United States Saturday Post.
HERBERT TRACY;
Or the Legend Of the Black Rangers
BY GEORGE LIPPARD.
CHAPTER Nv.


the mistl" exclaimed major Tracy, as standing
amid a body of ten soldiers, placed IN the ex'
treme north window flhe front OF the house, ne
discovered the approach Of the Rangers, "lial
As live, they are rebels, engaged IN the execu'
iion Of some desperate purpose NOW my men,
now-stsy-wait a moment-ho"' now Let
your aim be sure; pick every man Of 'hemi
Nowl"
The word Of command rose on his tongue,
when be felt a hand laid lightly on his arm. He
Iurned and beheld the form OF Marian WalIham;
her blue ewes glaring wildly, her lips apart, her
cheek pale as death, aId her golden hair, flow
ing in disordered masses over her neck and
shoulders:
"Maior Tracy-beware" exclaimed the mai.
den, clutching his arm conyulsively-"Pause,
for the sake of Heaven, ere the blood Of your
son is upon your sodll''
Fro the major could gather the meaning of
the maiden's words, the voice of the foremost
Rangerrose without-"Now, Nghthawks, now"
and the blaze Of six rifles flashed from the lawn
into the open window. -Four British soldiers
fell heavily to the floor, and with a wild shrek,
Marian laid her hand upon her heart, her senses
swan in wild confusion, and she sank at the feet
ofmaior Tracy, insensible and motionless.
"Follow me, every man Of you!" shouted ma.
for Tracy, leaping from the window out upon
the lawn, while the smoke Of the American RI
Aes yet hung in heavy folds across the easement,
and obscured the vision. "Follow me every
man Of you'll"
Scarce had the words died on the air, when
Nlighting upon the slight embankment in front OF
the mansion, he glanced around and beheld
through the smoke, body OF the Rangers in the
act of friug the brushwood, beneath the north
ern window, while the other division was moving
toward the window, raising their pieces as they
advanced.
Major Tracy sprang from the embankment;
another leap and he stood within arms length of
the advancing Rangers. Raising his sword in
the air, he glanced at the breast of the foremost
Ranger, and prepared TO plunge it in his heart,
when slight breath Of air waited the smoke
aside, and major Tracy confronted his son.
"Oh God-My falher!"
"My son!"
He started back with the quick instantaneous
movement of surprise, his right arm dropped to
his side, and with his dark, flashing eyes, start
ing from their sockets, while his eyebrows were
woven together, with the sudden, nervous ex
preston, that trcmbed along every line ol his
face, he gazed upon the form Of Herbert Tracy
before him, and perused every lneament oil his
countenance, as if TO assure himself that what he
beheld was no phantom or unreal creation oil
the aga;ed fancy. And there stood the son,
the same expression of intense surprise gather
ed over his face, his dark eyes flashing with the
same expression, the same Irown upon his brow,
and his right hand grasping his good rifle dropped
by his side. with The same impulse that unnerv-
cd his fathers arm.
Oh, what wild contest was at work in that
fathers heart. as he thus stood gazing upon the
child of all his hopes, now banned and cursed, BY
those lips that should have spoken but the words
Of blessing and the sounds Of prayer; how fierce
iy were tumultuous feelings sweeping over his
soul; how bitter was the struggle between nature
and pride; between the long INDUCED feelings o
natural affection, revivng in all The vlgor and
the new risen bitterness OF worldly ambition, OPP
posing the remembrance Of every kindly sym
pathy, with the stern thought, che has set my
will at defance-let the consequences be upor
his own head; he has sown in the storm-le
him reap the harvest Of his folly in the whirl
wind"
AT last words came 10 the fathers tongue, ant
again the sword was poised in the air.
"Rebel" he shouted between his clenchet
teeth-"Not thus did think TO meet thee, upor
she battlefield, with the weapon of thy disloyal
~ in thy hand"
"FATHER"-shrieked Herbert, as all the me
mores Of his infancy came crowding around hi;
heart.
"But, Now that met we are, here on this Grim
soned sod, foot to foot and hand TO hand, tel
thee traitor, that thou or |, must measure out
grave upon this field. Thou hast a sword
draw and defend thysef!"
"Fatherl" cried Herbert spreading forth hi
hands, and dropping his rifle upon the earth
"Here is my breast! | make no defence-l ofe
no resistance-strike and fulfil your cursel"
"Frend Tracy, thee must not harm thy child
exclaimed voice, familiar to the ears of lathe
and son, and the stalwart arm Of the Quaker wa
thrust before the upraised hand of major Tracy
81 tell thee, friend Tracy, thee must not harr
lhy own flesh and blood" repeated the Quaker
as wrestling the sword from the fathers hanc
with grasp that it was vain TO resist, he YER
coolly shattered it into fragments upon his knee
"Major Tracy, thee is not in thy right mind 0
surely thee would not demean thyself so unwse
w. And Young man-dOes thee hear?-mour
thy war-horse and get thee away from the fielC
See thou not that the Americans are fleeing
round theel Away with thee--away with heC
Thv own men are cut down before thee, in tn
very act of firing yon window shutter-Ha! ve
Tily!"
While Herbert, unheeding the scene oftumu
and blood around him, sank on his knees, an
clasped his lather by the hands, the stout Quaker
Joab Smiley, srode aside TO the window, wher
Harry Heft and sergeant Brown were struggIln
amid the dead bodies Of their comrades, again>
five Of the British infantry, who had clubbo
their muskets, and were raising them over tn
heads Of the sinking Rangers, in the act Of dea
ing the death blow.
"HoId, friend, thee must not strike thy brotl