Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1852-07-15
FannOn'S Mare.
INCIDENT OF THE REVOLUTION.

/ body of facts more interesting than any
tale of faction. He was reckless fellow
/ bloody minded as the hounds of Hayti.
He sometimes slew the helpless and in
nocent in cold blood-the coward! But
he had an instructive tone and bearing OF
authority that kept his people within the
metes and bounds of his will. He and
his party were one day resting themselves
by spring, lounging here and there on
the green grass in the shade of the trees.
One of his subordinates, big strong man
had GOT mad at him. His rage had been
boiling in him for several days, and some
fresh affront caused his rage to become un-
governable, e,-he drew his sword, and was
resting with his elbow on the ground and
his hand under his head. His devoted
followers were around him, and he heard
the click of their locks as they cooked
their rifles. Let him aloneP cried Fan
non, in his sharp tone. He laid still,
clam and self-possessed, with his keen,
dark eyes fixed on the raging lieutenant,
as he made tremendous plunge at his
breast. But when the stroke came, its
object swerved away like snake, and
the baf1led man plunged his sword into
the ground. Quick as lightning lannon's
sharp hlade passed through his gigantic
form.
Thus and thus punish those who dis
regard my authority!'--and his eyes
glowed and sparkled like a serpent's.-
The man instantly sunk to the earth for
ever. But lannon's mare is written at
the head of this sheet, and she is the he
roine of the present writing. Achilles
had his Xanthus and Bains and Podarge!
Alexander had his Bucephalus; Mcdonald
had his Selim. Fannon was man of
blood, like them, and like them he had
his favorite charger; and lannon's mare
was worthy of her owner, 'or even bet
ter man He called her the Red Doe,
from her resemblan nee in color to deer
She was rare aninlsl-feet, powerful,
intelligent, docile as a lamb-and her
owner valued her. | dare say, above king
or country, or the life of his fellow men.
She bore him proudly and fearlessly in
the bloody skirmish or quick retreat
When he stood on the noisy council of his
partizans, or in the silent ambush, the
faithful brute was by his side, ever ready
to bear him whithersoever he would. But
Fannon lost his mare. Down on the east
of the Little River, the partizan and some
four or FIVE Of his followers, one day cap
tured a man by the name of Hunter-a
whig from the country about Salisbury,
n. c. This was sufficient cause for death
and Fannon told the man he should hang
him. Hunter was evidently man of the
time, but what could he do, alone and de-
fenciess, with dozen bitter enemies? It
was complete desperation. The rope
was ready, and strong oak threw out
its convenient branches. Fannon told him
he might pray, for his time was come
The poor man kneeled down, and seemed
absorbed in his last petition to the throne
of mercy. Fannon and his men stood by,
and the trusty mare stood among them,
with the reins on her neck. They began
to be impatient for their victim to close
his devotional exercises. But they soon
discovered more of earth than Heaven in
Hunters thoughts; for he sprang on Fan
mons mare, bowed his head down on her
powerful neck, pressed his heels on her
fanks, and darted away like the wind.
! The tory rifles were leveled in a mo-
ment-'shoot high. shoot.-cried Fannon
Save nay mare!'
The slugs all whistled over Hunter
back, save one that told with unerring
aim which tore and battered his shoulder
dreadfully. He reeled on the sadie, and
felt sick at heart: but hope was before
him and death behind him, and he nerved
himself for the race. On he sped-through
woods and rayines, and brambles, did
that powerful mare carry him safely and
swiftly. His enemies were in hot pur-
suit
/ They followed him by the trail of blood
from his wounded shoulder He came to
Little River, there was no ford; the bank
was high, and deep place in the stream
before. But the foe came: he drew the
rein, and clapped his heels on her sides,
and the gallant mare plunged recklessly
into the stream. She snorted in the spray,
as she paved the yielding wave, and arch
ed her bautiful name above the surfaces
and SKINNED along like white swan.
/ Hunter turned her down the stream, in
the hope Of eVading her pursuers, and she
reared and dashed through the flashing wa
ter of the shoal, like lightning in the
storm-cloud.
/ But Fannon was on the trail, and rush
/ ed down the brink with all the rough en-
ergy that the loss of his favorite could in
spire. Hunter turned the mare to the
opposite bank; it was steep-several feet
Of perpendicular rock-but she planted
herself on the shore at bound; and then
away she few over the interminable forest
Of pines strait and swift as an arrow
that admirable mare.
] On and on did the generous brute bear