True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-12-30
Interesting Miscellany.
A Revolutionary Legend.


It was here in these wilds Of the Wis
sihikon, on the day of the battle, as the
noon,day sur came shining through the
lhiekly, clustered leaves, that two men
met in deadly conflict, near. a rock that
rose, like the huge wreck of some prime.
val world, at least one hundred feet above
the dark waters of the Wissihikon.
'The man with the dark brow. and the
darker grey eve, flashing with deadly
light; with muscular form, clad in the
blue hunting frock of the Revolution-is
.aContinental named Warner His bro
ther was murdered the other night at the
massacre of Paoli. That other man, with
long black hair, dropping along his cada-
verous face, is clad in half military cos.
tune Of tory refugee. This is the muir
derer of Paoli. named Dabuey. ..
They had Elet there in the woods. by
accident; and now they fought, not with
sword or rifle, but with long and deadly
hunting knives, they 60 turning, twining
and twisting over the green sward.'
At last the tory is down ! down on the
turf, with the knee Of the Continental on
his breast-that upraised knife quivering
in the light-that dark eye flashing death
into his face '.j
"Quarter! yield" gasped the tory
40 tbe knee was pressed upon his breast ;
!"spare mel yield" &c.,,
:; MY brother" said The patriot soldier
in tone Of deadly hate ."my brother
cried for quarter on the night Of Paoli
and even as he clung to your knees. you
stuck that knife inlo his heart. o, will
give you the quarter of Paoli !"
And as his hand was raised for tie blow
and his teeth clenched in deadly hate, hs
paused for moment, and then pinioned
the tory's arm, and with rapid stride he
dragged him to the verge of the lock, and
held him quivering over the abyss.
"Mercy" gasped the tory turning
black and ashy by turns, as that awfu
gulf yawned below. " Mercy | have q
wife, child spare me"
Then the Continental with his muster
ed strength gathered for the effort, SHOOK
the murderer once moreover the abyss
and then hissed the bitter sneer between
his teeth: a.. t# 49,.
.' "My brother had wife and two chill
dren. The morning after the night of thu
Paoli, that wife was a widow-those chill
dren orphans! Wouldn't you like to g
and beg your life Of that widow and lie
children r., a. ............. '..
The proposal made by the Continenta
in The mere mockery of hate, was takeI
in serions earnest by The horror-strickeI
tory. He begged 10 be taken to the wild
ow and her children, to have the painful
privilege Of begging for his life. After
moment Of serious thought, the patrioti
soldier consented. He bound the tory
arms ye, tighter, placed him on the rocl
again, and then led him up the woods
A quiet cottage embosomed among tn
frees, broke on their eyes. .,,... 500.
They entered that cottage. There be
side the desolate bearthstone, sat the wi
dow and children. She sat there, ma
tronly woman Of about thirty years. will
a face faded with care, deep dark eye
and long black hair hanging in DISNEY
elled state about her shoulders. .. j..
T" On one side there was dark haire,
boy Of about six years on the other
little girl, one year younger, with ligh
hair and blue eyes. The bble-an old
venerated yolume--lay open on the moth
5er's knee. ',Y a.s1 - .gg:,a.g..'..
'oh Aud then the pale faced tory flung him
self on his knees, confessed that he ha
obutchered her husband on the night
Paoli, but begged his life al her hands !!
J" "Spare me for the sake Of my viii
and childv' .a...l,... '.....
sHe,had expected that this painful moa
you'd touch The Widows heart, but no
one relenIing gleam soflened her pal
face. :roi, isll,A -E yL. -.
.j .,"Tbe Lord shall nudge between US |!
.,she said in acold. icy tone, that froze til
murderer's heart: nLook. the bibl
lies open in my lap, ! will close that vo
! ums, and then this boy shall open il, an
place his finger upon a line al random
and BY that line you shall live or die !"
.a This was q strange proposal made j
good faith of wild and dark Ruperstitio
Of the olden time. For moment the 70
a ry as pale as ashes, was wrapped in tho
Thea ia a fal.ering voice he signifies hi
consent. ;,,,..,, 81, .i,.n ~
loa Raising her dark eyes, to Heaven. th
,1mother prayed the Great Father to direc
nathe finger Of her son. She closed ,th
'obook. and handed Tito that boy who's
young cheek Redeemed with loathing a
he gaSedupon his fathers murderer, II
tOoklthe bible, opened its holy pages
adrahdOm, and placed his finger upon
10 Verse!i1'2 40 sao 40 ,sai,3 Ia ,,e,.
~ Then there was a silence The Coz
niGineIla soldier, who hads~orn to Avsng
his brothers death stood there with dill,
0''ting eyes and parted lips. ! The Oulpr
kneeling on the floor, with o face liS
discolorod clay, felt his heart leap 10 h
throat. " 1l,l ~ iet0Th - iNNT