The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-10-02
WHOLE NO. 248.

emu closer 10 her bosom; the old woman pray
ed and groaned, and George and Jim clonched
their pistols with the grasp of despair. The
purSuerS gained on them fast the carriage made
a sudden turn, and brought them near ledge
| OF steep Overhanging rock that rose in an
isolated ridge or clump in large lot which
was all around IL quite clear and smooth
This isolated pile, or range of rocks, rose up
black and heavy against the Frightening sky
and seemed to promise shelter and concealment
| lt was place well known TO Phineas who had
been familiar with the spot in his hunting days
and 1t was to gain this point he had been racing
his horses
Now, for it, said he, suddenly checking his
horses and springing from his seat to the ground
"Out with you, in twinkling. every one. and
up into these rocks with me- Michael, thee tic
thy horse to the wagon and drive ahead 70
Amarahs and get him and his BOYS to come
back and talk TO these fellows
10 twinklmg they were all out of the car
ringe
There" said Phineas, catching up Harry,
| you each Of you see TO the women and run,
nor. If you ever Odd run y
There needed no exhOrtahon Quicker than
we can say it, the whole party were over the
fence, making with all speed for the rocks, while
Michael throwing himself from his horse, and
fastening the bride to the wagon, began driving
| it rapidly away.
Come ahead said Phineas, as they reached
the rocks, and saw, in the mingled starlight and
dawn the traces of a rude but plainly marked
iootpath leading up among them athis is one
of our old hunting dens Come upi0
Phlneas went before, springng up the rocks
like a goat with the boy in his arms Jim
came second bearing his trembling old mother
over his shoufuersand George and Eliza brought
up the rear. The party of horsemen came up
TO the fence qnd with mingled sbo2ts and ec+l- e.
were dlsmountlng TO prepare to follow them.
A few moments scrambling brought them 10
the top OF the ledge the path then passed be-
tween narrow dcfle where only one could
walk at time till suddenly they came 10 a rift
or chasm more than yard in breadth. and be-
yond which lay a pile of rocks, separate from
the rest of the ledge, standing full thirty feet
| high with Its sides steep and perpendicular as
those of a castle. Phineas easily leaped the
chasm, and sat down the boy on smooth, flat
platform OF crisp white moss, that covered the
top of the rock
"Oyer with you !" he called "spring, now,
once for your lives! - said he, az one after an
other sprang across Several fragments of loose
stone formed II kind of breast-work, which shell
tered their position from the observation of
those below
"Well here we all are" said Phineas, peep
ing over the stone breast-work TO watch the
assailants who were coming tumultuously up
under the rocks g Let 'em get U.S. if they can
Whoever comes here has to walk single file
between those two rocks in fair range of your
pistols, boys dye see?"
g do see,D said George; "and now, az this
matter is ours, let us take all the rick, and do
all the fighting"
"Thee's quite welcome to do the fighting.
George" said Phneas, chewing some checker
berry leaves his he spoke; "but may have the
fun of looking on | suppose But zoe, these
fellows are kinder debating down there, and
looking up like hens when they're going TO fly
up ON TO the roost Hadn't thee better give 'eni
II word of advice before they come up-just to
tell 'em handsomely they'll be shot if they dol"
donsabcs and posse GonssanTee q ngPAGnE in
dies at the last tavern as could he engaged by
IA little brandy to go and help the fun of trap
ping set Of niggers
"Well, Tom, yer coons are fairly freed, said
one.
ayes, see 'em go up right here said Tom;
"and here's path I'm for going right up.
They can't Jump down in "A hurry, and it won't
take long to ferret 'em out"
"But, Tom, they might fire at us from be-
hind the rocks" said Marks. " That would BIO
ugly, you know"
:Ughw said Tom with sheer always
for saving your skim Marks. No danger mig
gers are too paguy scared !"
IL don't know why shouldn't save my skin,
said Marks ats the best I've got and mig
gers do fight like the Devil sometimes
At this moment George appeared ON the top
of rock above them, and, speaking in calm,
T clear voice, said
Gentlemen, who are you down there, and
what do you wnnt!"
awe want party of runaway niggers, said
Tom Loker. Gone George Harris and Eliza
Harris, and their son, and Jim Selden, and an
old woman We've got the officers here, and
warrant 10 take EN- and we're going to have
'em, too Dye hear amt you George Harris,
that belongs to Mr. Harris, of Shelby county,
Kentucky?p
~ am George Harris A Mr.. Harris Of Ken
lucky, did call me his property. But now I'm
free man, standing on Gods free soil, and my
wife and my child claim as mine Jim and
his mother are here We have arms 10 defend
ourselves, and we mean TO do it. You can come
up if you like; but the first one Of you that
comes within the range Of our bullets IL dead
man, and the next and the next and 80 on TIL
the last y
aOh come come I" said short, puffy man,
t stepping forward, and blowing his nose as be
did 80 Young man, this amt no kind Of
talk at all for YOU. You see we're officers Of
Justice We've got the law on our side, and
the power, and so forth--so you'd better give
up peaceably, you see for you'll certainly have
10 give up ut last"
al know very well that you've got the law ON
your side, and the power said George, bitterly.
, You mean TO take my wife TO sell in New Or
, leans and put my boy like calf in traders
pen. and send Jim's old mother 10 the brute
that whipped and abused her before, because
{ he couldn't abuse her son. Yon want TO send
: Jim and me back 70 be whipped and tortured
> and ground down under the heels OF them that
you calImasters and your laws riH bear you
( out in f-morc shame for you and them. But
e YOU haven't got us; we don't own your laws
r we don't own your country we stand here az
free under Gods sky as you are aud by tho
y great God that made us well fight for our lib
erty till we die
4 George stood out in fair sight on the top Of
n the rock a. he made his declaration Of indie
H pcndence--the glow of dawn gave flush 10
a his swarthy check, and bitter indignation and
: despair gave fire 10 his dark eye; and as if APP
v healing from man 10 the Justice Of God, be
! raised his band 10 heaven as he spoke.
4 II IL had been only Hungarian youth nov
q brayely defending in some mountain fastnes
the retreat Of fugitiyes escaping from AustriI
d into America, this would have been sublime
heroism; but IA IL was q youth Of African
descent, defending the retreat Of fugitive
through America into Canada Of course we ar
n too we'll instructed and patriotic 10 see any he
70 roism in IT, and IL any Of our readers do, thel
must do ii on their own private responsibility
10 When despairing Hungarian fngtiyes max
IL their way against all the search warrants anc
+ authorities Of their lawful Government .