Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-11-05

a loaded rife to the veterans grasp,lpa
awaits the result.
For a moment all is silent below. She
British bravad)es are Somewhat 10th htry ell
that will when a stoutold "Rebel,' kifie ar
IN hand, is looking from yonder windy lii
There IS Q pause-low deep murmurs they B
are holding a council ii
A moment is gone, and nine heads are b
thrust above the wall at once-hart! One.R
two, three The Old veteran has fired
threesshots-there are three dying mel
grovelling in the yard. beneath the shadow
of the uallI
"Quick, Bsss, the Rifles p
Aud the brave girl passes the rifles to
her fathers grasp There are four shots,
one after the,other; three more soldiers fall
back, like weights Of lead upon the ground,
and a single rel coat is seen, slowly noun
ting to the top + the wall, his eye fixed
upon the ball do4, which he will force ere
a moment is GONG
Now the last aaIl is fred the old man
stands there 10 thlt second story window,
bis hands vainl5 <rasping for another loa-
ded rife. At moment the wounded
aud lying aandA 1joinSd by a par
ty OF some tVenk] Efuges, Nno, c,sd III
their half robbeA Inform, came rushing
from the woods, lid with one bound are
lcaping from the summit of the wall!
"Quick, Bess, my rlfe!'
Aud look there-even while the veteran
stood looking out upon his foes-the brave
girl, for, slender in form and wildly beau
tifui in face, she is a brave girl, a Hero
Woman'-had managed, as if By instinc.
tive Impulse, to load a rifle. She handed
it to her father, and hen loaded anolher'
Wasn't that a beautiful sight? A fair
young girl grasping powder aDd ball, with
the ranrod rising and falling in her slen-
der fingers!
Now look down on the wall again. The
refugees are clambering over its summlt
again a horrid cry, and another wounded
man topping dowH upon his dead and dy
ing comrades!
But now look! A smoke rises there,
Ere blazcs up around the wall-they hag
fired the gate. A moment, and the Dol
and the lock viii be burnt from their sook
ets--the passage will be free! Now IS tn
fiery moment otthe Old man trial. VIM
: his brave daughter loads, he continues t
: fire, with that deadly aim, but now--oE
a horror lie falls, with a musket ball Or
! ven into his breast. The daughters GU
stretched arms received the father, as wit
0 the b~IoodIspopfing from his wound he toI
pies bacEfrom the window.
All. It is a sad and terrible picture.
) The old man w~rithingthere on the oakt
q floor fhe Young daughter bending oy
him. the light from the window streamil
oveyher face and over her fathers or:
,r boik. while the ancient furniture Of t
re sIall chamber affords a dim back grou1
d to the scene.
ID Now, bark! The sound of axes at
10 hall door-shouts, hurras, curses !!
at owe have the old rebel at last
RI The old man raises his head at tt
Id sp.ad, makes an effort to rise, clutches
Ls wv 81
q ing, as the fierce pain of that wound gu
le ers through his heart.
e, Now watch the movements of Il
AZ daughter. Silently she loads a rife, sile
: ly,she rests its barrel against the head
- hat powder keg, and. then, placing
finger on the trigger, stands over her ia
"a er form, while the shouts of the enras
soldleE come laundering from the sta
Yes, they have broken the hall door
. ' fragments, they are in possession of the
~, ~ block-house, they are rushing toward t
L chamber WITH murder in their hearts /;
III in their glarins eyes. Had the old ma
l,i' thousand lives, tAey were not worth a
things purchase nov.
la' Still that girl, grown suddenly white
me the 'kerchief round her neck-stands tn,
no trembling from head to foot, the rife
'pe her hand, it's dark tube laid against
au- powder key.
ing The door is burst open-look there
TN Stout forms are in the door, with mus
ses in their hands !; grim faces, stained '
blood, glare into the chamber.
e" Now, as if her very soul was coined
e.ep the words, that young girl, with her
ing pale as ashes, her hazel eye cleaning
ing deathly light, utters this short yet meal
as speech:
OF "Adyance one step into the room,
me I will fire this rife into the powder thel
$ II No oath quivers from the lips of
ced girl, to confirm her resolution, but t
:. she stands, alone with her wounded fat
his and yet not a soldier dare cross the tn
ong old Imbrued as they are in deec
the blood, there is something terrible to t
'un, men in the simple words of that young
who stands there, with the rife laid az
iing the key Of powder.
snes They stood, as if spell bound, on
: ne threshold of that old chamber.
ana At last one boider than the rest, a b
WIN whose face ishalf concealed in a black b
anu grasps his musket, and leyelsit at they
'Aen girls bresti! fH
"Stand back, or by-I will FIRE"
'ung Still the girl is firm. The bravo az
win cesa step, and then starts back. The
rug click of that rife falls with an unple
man emphasis upon his ear.
ping "Bess, | am dying" gasps the old
PACK family extending his arms. "Ha! ha
are foiled the Britishers Come, daue
kneel, here /; kneel and say a prayer 70
rlor' and let me feel your warm breath upo
face, for | am cold-O, dark and cold
nan Look! As these trembling accent
from the old mans tongue, those Fl
iieu, unloose their hold of the rife alread
now troopers are secure Of one victim, at
y oe "a young and beautiful girl; for affe
'ees' for the father is mastering the herois
'ock- the moment. Look! She is abou
was spring into his arms But now she
ny a her danger! Again she clutches the
de- again, although her fathers dying ac
ara In her r cho stands fboro pro,