The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1856-10-01

ses loaded rifle TO the veterans grasp,
and silently waits the result.
For moment all is silent below the
British braves are somewhat 10th to try
the wall, when stout Cd rebel, rifle in
hand is looking from yander window =
There is a pause-low, deep murmur,
they are holding council.
n mOnent is gone, and nine heads are
thrust above the wall AT one--hark! One
--two-thrcc The old man has fred
three shots, there are three dying men,
groyeIing in the yard, beneath the shae!-
ow Of the wall
"Quick, Bcss, the rifles ~
And the brave girl passes the rifles 10
her fathers grasp; there are four shots,
one after the other three more soldiers
fall back like weights of lead upon the
ground, and II single red coat is seen slow.
y mounting 10 the top of the wall, his eye
fixed upon the door, which he will force
ere moment is gone
Now the last ball is fired, the cid man
stands there in that second window, his
hands vainly gra$ping for another rile!-
At this moment, the wounded and dying
| band below are joined by party Of some
twenty refugees, who, clad in :heir half
robber uniform, come rushing from the
woods, and with one bound arc Ieapiug
from the summit of tho wall
"Qaick, BeSs, my rifle :"
And look therc--evcn while the vete-
ran stood looking out upon his foes, the
brave girl-for, slender in form, and wild,
ly beautiful in face, she is brave giTl 4
Hero Woman'-had managed rs if by
distinctive impulse to load rifle. She
handed it to her father, ard then loaded
another aud another. Wasn't that a
beautiful sightl A fair young girl, grasp
ing powder and ball, with ramrod rising
and falling in her slender fingers.
Now look down the wall again. The
refugees are cIambering over its summit
again horror cry, and another wown-
ded man toppled down upon his dead and
dying coaradeS
But now look A smoke rises there,
fire blazes up around the wall; they
have tired the gaze. A moment, and The
bolt and the lock will be burnt from its
sockets--,ha passage will be free. Now
| Is the fiery moment of the old mans trial.
While his brave daughter loads he contin-
Ties 10 fire. lie falls ; he falls with mus.
kct ball driven into his breast--the daugh-
ter's outstre,ched arms receive the latter,
as with the blood spouting from his wound
he topples back from the window.
All, it is sad and terrible picture
That OLD man writhing there on the
oakcn floor, the young daughter bending
over him, the light from the window
streaming over her face, over her fathers
gray hairs, while the ancient furniture Of
The small chamber affords dim back
giound 20 the scene.
Now hark the sound Of axes at the
ball Observation-Disclosures!
I'VE have the old rebel, at last"
The old man raised his head at that
sound made another effort to rise
clutches for rifle, and then falls again,
his eyes glaring, as the fierce pain Of the
wound quiyers through his heart.
Now watch the movement of that
daughter. Silently she loads rifle, silent
Iy she rests the barrel ag ai,,st the head of
that powder keg, and then, placing her
finger on the trigger, stands over her ia
TIERS form, while the shouts of the enrag-
ed soldiers come laundering from the
stairs. Yes, they have broken the hall
door to fragments; they are in possession
of the old blocl; house, they are rushing
for that chamber with murder in their
hearts and in their glaring eyes Had the
old man a thousand lives, they are not
worth farthing's purchase now.
Still that girl-growing suddenly white
as the handkerchief round her neck
stands there, trembling from head to foot
tho rifle in her hand, its dark tube lald
against the powder keg.
The door is bugst open--look there !
Stout forms are in tho doorway, with
muShets in their hands, grim faces Stain
ed with blood stare into the chamber.
Now, as ii her very soul was coined in
TO the words, the young girl, pale as ash
es, her hazel eye glaring with deathly
light, utters this short yet meaning
speech.
Advance one step into the room, and
will fire this rifle into the powder there
No oath quivers from the lips Of that
girl, TO confirm her resolution, but there
she stands alone with her wounded ia
ther, and yet not a soldier dare cross the
threshold. Embrucd as they are in deeds
,of blood, there is something terrible to
these men in the simple words Of that
young girl, who stands there with the RI
ae laid against the keg Of powder.
They stood spell bound on the thre.-
hold Of that chamber.
At last one bolder than the rest, bra.
vo, whose face is half concealed in n thick
red beard, grasps his musket and levels it
at the young girls breast.
Stand back, or by, will fire.
Still the girl is firm, the bravo advan'
ces step, and then starts back. The
sharp "clck' OF that rifle falls with an un.
pleasant emphasis upon his ear.
'Bess, am dying, gasps the old man
family extending bis arms. lila, ha, we
foiIed the Britishcs. Come daughter,