Smyrna times., 1857-09-16

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had frequently gone away and left his family
alone before, although these were dangerous
times to do SO, and as they were never molest.
ed, he felt no, fear this time, as they seemed
perfectly willing to stay alone, and exerted
themselves considerably to get him off,
"Mind, Martha" said Adam to his wife, as
he mounted the horse, keep the house well
fastened. have the rifles we'll loaded in the
garret, and you will find plenty powder and
shot in the iron chest, if you want it. will be
back by ten to-morrow-good bye !" and as he
said this he dashed his spurs in his horses sides
and was soon out of the lane that led from his
house to the high-road. His wife and daugh-
ters watched him from the piazza until he was
out of sight, and the noise of his horses hoofs
had died away:
"The Hessians will have to be pretty cute
to get our new hats this time, won't they, Elza!'
said Mrs. Williams to her eldest daughter, as
they were seated around the sewing table in
the evening.
"Indeed they WILL" was the brief reply.
Chow is that's" asked Edith, the youngest,
who was very busily engaged at sewing some
thing similar to patchwork.
why, mother has buried them :" said Eliza.
"Buried them that's quite joke, ,-ha ha !
you don't mean it?'' said Edith, laughing until
tears shone in her beautiful eyes.
81 do mean it, and what's more, mean that
no one shall know where they are but ourselves"
replied Eliza.
81 think myself it's a famous idea," said
Mrs. Williams. People bury their money !;
why cannot we as well bury our hats %
Hark! ~ exclaimed Eliza, suddenly starting
up. Il thought heard voice under the win.
dow -
Immediately all was silent as death. Edith
dropped her work, and Mrs. Williams followed
the example. They were still as possible for
at least ten minutes; but no sound was audible.
"Oh. pshaw she's trying to frighten US"
exclaimed Edith, getting tired of listening.
"Or else it's the wind she heard, said Mrs
Williams, looking surrepttiously over her
specs.
81 am positive it was human voice." said
Eliza.
"Oh, nonsense, you are getting nervous"
replied Mrs. Williams, resuming her work.
"Well, might have been mistake but it
sounded very much like the voice of man."
Hist! did you hear that !-the report of
:" said Edith.
"And now another voice under the window"
said Eliza.
/" You are right this time," said Mrs. Will
liams. 81 heard voice and a footstep, too"
Ilark hark don't whisper"
"They are walking on the piazza, do be-
lieve."
L" Hist! hist! tits the company of foraging
Hessians," said Mrs. Williams in a low voice.
" The doors and windows are well bolted and
barred down stairs, girls; and let US look after
the rifles in the garrett"
In moment the mother and her two daugb-
ters had ascended the stairs, and were in the
garrett, or, as it was termed by Adam, the " gun
ROOM"
"Four rifles well loaded, and plenty of am
munition, girls, so we can give them as good as
they send," said Mrs. Williams, closing the
room door.
"That we can" exclaimed the girls, and
each one took rifle from the corner.
Hear ! hear that! they are trying to force
the door," whispered Edith.
"Open the window cautiously, Eliza" said
Mrs. Williams, g. and we will give them taste
of our quality" .at.s
The window was opened, and crack crack
crack went the three rifles, and three of the
assailing party reeled to the ground.
"Ha I! ha!' shouted the leader of the party
below, " that's rather more than we expected
but we have them now. Three fair faces, if
my eyes do not deceive me-by Jove: we must
work hard to take them!''
The report of another rifle rang on the air,
and the speaker reeled from the piazza, dead.
"Quick quick Edith" exclaimed Mrs.
Williams, "re-load the rifles, or they will be
too much for us -
"You arc almost exhausted, mother" replied
Edith, handing her loaded rifle. {" Let me
take your place till you rest WHILE"
d" No, no: keep out of danger, girl, am pre-
narad for. - 10 .f.5 5 ',"- ...'-'
o, God, that shrek! how wild and terrible
as it broke from the lips of the lovely girl,when
she saw, the next moment, her mother stricken
a corpse at her feet! A Amusket ball had pene-
trated her forehead, and sunk deep into her
skull
'"Let us hold out no longer" said Eliza, as
she bent weeping over the body of her neither.
"There is no use, and now that she is dead,
what have we left to live for 90
1"Courage, sister, courage!" replied Edith,
taking up the rifle dropped by her parent when
she fell, ard rushing once more to the window.
/" This shall avenge' her death !"
"Be merry, boys, be merry !" shouted the
present leader of the party, eve have settled
the account of one Of them, and the two others
cannot stand II uarv rnuth loncar ~, . Ms4W