Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1858-07-14
sImKINs, DURIsoE & CO., Propr1etors.

him. The door however resisted their efforts
"Do not attempt that again." said Catherine
:. /" or you are dead man." at the same time
presenting from the window heavy horseman's
pistol, ready cooked.
At the sight of this formidable weapon the
companions of Van Zant, who had crossed the
street at his CALL retreated
"What," cried the leader, "you towards
are you frightened at the threats of girl ?''
and again he threw himself violently against
the door. The weapon was Immediately dis
charged, and Van Zant fell.
The report was heard at the church, and
males and females rushed out to ascertain the
cause.
On looking towards the residence of Judge
V-they perceived five men running at full
speed, to whom the Judges negroes and several
others gave chase; and from an upper window
of his residence handkerchief was waving, as
if beckoning for aid.
ALI rushed TOWARDS the place. and upon their
arrival, Van Zant was in the agonies of death.
He still retained strength enough to acknowl-
edge that they had long contemplated robbing
the house, and had frequently been concealed
in the ne;Ghborhood for that purpose, but no
opportunity had offered until that day. when
| lying concealed in the woods they saw the Judge
and his family going to church.
The body of the dead Tory was taken and
buried by the sexton of the church as he had
| no relatives in the vicinity.
After an absence of two hours or thereabout,
the negroes returned, having succeeded in cap
turing Finley, and one of the strangers, who
were that night confined and the next morning
at the earnest solicitations of Judge v,
liberated on the promise Of mending theirlives.
1t was in the month of October of the same
year that Catherine was sitting by an
upper back window in her fathers house knit
ting; though autumn, the weather was mild,
and the window was hoisted about three inches.
About sixty or seventy feet from the rear Of
the house was barn, huge old fashioned edi
'1fice, with upper and lower folding doors; apd
accidentally casting her eyes towards the barn,
she saw a small door ION range with tile front
door and window at which she was sitting) open,
and number of men enter. Tie occurrence in
summer immediately presented itself to her
mind, and the fact that her father and other
males of the family were at work in q field at
some distance from the house, led her to suspect
that that opportunity had been improved by
some of Van Zant's friends to plunder and re-
vcnge his death. Conccaling herself behind the
curtains, she narrowly watched their movements.
She saw mans head slowly rising above the
door and apparently accommodating the prcmi-
ses it was Fincy's.
The object was now evident Going to the
armory, she selected a we'll loaded musket and
resumed her place by the window. Kneelng
upon the floor sue laid the muzze Of. the weapon
upon the window sill, between the window cur
tains, and taking deliberate aim she fired.
What cffact she had nruducpd she knew nut
BVs 6l 9se HE6z! cut sas barn
brought her father and his workmen to the
house, and going to the barn, the dead body OF
Finley lay on the floor.
catherine Y-afterwards married Captain
Of the Continental army, and she lives, the
honorcd mother of numerous and respectable
line of descendants. The old house is also Gin
the land of the living" and has been the scene
of many pranks Of the writer of this tale, IN
the ley-day Of miscLievous boyhood.