Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-02-11
MARION AND HIS MEN; McDonald's
Rescue.
81 u. 8. CuIrMAN.

heScues
BY II, 3. CuIPMAN.
The old man and Marion were soon
brought forth, and Hunter was strapped
upon saddle, and his daughter rested
'upon palfrey between too stout troop
ers, and the coward set off at full gallop
into the wood, leaving the remainder to
carry out the orders of the captain. And
well did they obey him, for of the COM
psny gathered at the house that night
but few escaped to tell the tale; and the
reddening glow that lit up the darkness
and glimmered afar through nook and
dell, until its rays were reflected back
by the dashing waters of the Santee, told
that the building was fired, and fast sink
ing beneath the efforts of this consuming
element of destruction.
The heavy tread of a horse echoed out
upon the air, as solitary horseman rode
along the banks of the river, and took his
way in the direction Of the farm house of
Elihu Hunter. He was about twenty
years of age, and was in the uniform of
Marion's men, He rode tall, coal black
stced, and was completely armed for Of
fensive or defensive operations,
He had evidently been belated, and
now wishing to make up for lost time, for
his noble steed was urged forward at a
rapid gallop, and his eye wandered anx-
iously and warily around him suddenly
bright red light broke upon the forest,
and far down the stream he saw the lurid
sparks ascend into the air, and beheld a
red glow planted upon the cloud, by the
conhagration below, Hastily in his stir
rups, he gazcd for an instant upon the
GCpna md then oYC1aim a1
my God it is the house of Hunter
away away
He struck his spurs deep into the side
of his horse, who, giving wild snort,
sped like an arrow from powerful bow
through the wilds of the forest.
The red glare of the fire cast an un-
earthly glare upon the surrounding objects
and revealed with fearful distinctness the
features of a strong man who had emcr-
ged from the depth of the wood, and
stood leaning upon the rife, gazing at the
glowing embers, His lips quivered with
emotions, and tear started involuntarily
to his eyc-but brushing aside this evil
denco of his weakness, if it may be called
that, he strolled to where the form of a
female lay stretched upon the earth, and
STOPPING down he sorutinized with one
deep, long glance, those pallid features,
and parted the matted locks from her go
ry brow, where the fatal missile had for
ced its entrance and deprived her of life
and then raising himself to his fullest ex-
tent, he grasped his rifle with spasmo-
die clutch, and breathed forth in fervid
tones the single word
"IemgeanCe"
And turning around, was about leaving
the spot as the sound Of a horses gallop
fell upon his ear,
Poor McDonald' = he muttered he
comes but to find his affianced brides
house in ruins, and her in the hands of
the most implacable foe =
The rush of the stccd was heard, the
underwood parted in twain, and with a
bound, u horscman boltcd in front Of the
burning mansion, and glanced an unearth-
ly stare around him.
1t was Mcdonald the affianced of Ma
rfon Hunter
His lofty brow was as pallid as that OF
the dead female that lay beneath his
horses hoof; and his cheek as pale as
the white rose Of Sharon; while every
limb Of the strong man trembled like an
aspen leaf, and his bosom heaved almost
to bursting with the force of his emotion,
as he. shouted forth in the agony Of his
heart
My Marion my Marion! oh where
art thou?'
Go seek the enemy Of our land, that
human demon of Tarleton's, Captain FL
lerslie, and you will find her whom you
Seek and the hunter strobe to his side.
Earle, my friend, how long since this
deed happened?
Not an hour since
Then by the souls of my forcfathers,
she shall yet be mine 7 and turning his
steeu' s%' he dashed rapidly from the spot,
joAo"ed by the hunter, after taking one
hind him. ''
The beams of the morning SIN ciIdcd
the tree tops and glanced fspidIv from
hill to hill, as Captain Ellerslic and his
party issued from the black forest, and
entered upon the more open country
around it. In the centre Of the group
rode the prisoners, and the eye of the Of
fcer often rested with gloating adlnira,
ton upon the fair features of the defence
less Marion, as she silently and with
downeast eyes rode along with sturdy
trooper upon each side, to prevent any
sudden resolution she might form to es-
cape The livelong night the party had
travelled on with upwearied vigilance, and
now that tho terror Of tho forest. known
as the haunt OF Marion and his men, we're