The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1858-07-01

she few as on wlnge, across piece OF black
heathery moss, full of pits and hOllows; and
still the soldier kept his musket at its aim.
His comrades called to him to hold his
hand, and not to shoot poor little innocent
child; but he at length fred and the bullet
was heard to whiz past her feru-crowned
head, and to strike bank which she was
about TO ascend. The child paused for
moment and looked back, and then bounded
away over. the smooth turf; till, like a
cushat, she dropped into little birchen
glen and disappeared. Not a sound of her
feet was heard; she seemed to have sunk in
to the ground; and the soldier stood without
any effort to follow her, gazing through the
smoke toward the spot where she had van.
ished.
A sudden superstition assailed the hearts
of the party, as they sat down together upon
hedge stene. "Saw you her face riddle, as
my ball went wbizzing past her ear! If she
be not one of thuse field faries, she had been
dead as herring; but believe the bullet
glanced of her yellow hair as against d
buckler." "It was the act of q ga!lows.
rogue to FIRE upon the creatue, fairy or not
fairy; and you deserve the weight Of this
hand, the hand Of an Englishman, you brute,
for your cruelty" And up rose the speaker
TO put his threat into execution, when the
other retrested some distance, and began to
load his musket; but the Englishman was
upon him and with Cumberland gripe and
trip, laid him upon the hard ground with a
force that drove the breath out of his body,
aud left him stunned and almost insensible.
| The fallen rufiian now arose somewhat
humbied, and sulieniy sat down among the
rest. "Why," quoth Allen Sleigh, wager
you weeks pay, you don't venture fifty
yards, without your musket, down yonder
shingle where the fairy disaPpeared;" and
the wage: being accepted, the half drunken
fellow rushed on toward the head of the
glen, and was heard crashing away through
the shrubs. In few minutes he returned
declaring with an oath that he had seen her
at the mouth of cave, where no human foot
could reach, standing with her hair oil FIRE,
and an angry countenance; and that he had
tumbled backward into the burn, and had
been nearly drowned. ......
"Drowned!" cried Allen Sleigh. "Aye,
drowned; why not! A hundred yurds down
that glen the pools are as black as pitch, and
the water roars like thunder, drowned why
not, you English son Of deer stealer!"-
"Why not! Because. who ever was drown.
ed that was born to be hanged" And that
Jest created universal laughter, as it is al.
ways sufe to Do, often as it may be repeated,
ir u company Of ruff ms; such is felt to be
its perfect truth. and unauswerabe simpli,
city.
/ After an hours quarreling, and gibing,
and mutiny, this disorderly band of soldiers
proceeded on their way down into the head
of Yarrow, and there saw, in the solitude,
the House Of Samuel Greve. Thithcr they
proceeded to get some refreshments, and
ripe for any outrage that the occasion might
suggest. The old man and his wife, hear.
ing tumult of many voices aud many feet,
came out, and were Immediately saluted with
opprobrious epi,hets. The hut was soon
riAed of any small articles Of wearing np-
pare; and Samuel, without emotion, set
before them whatever provisions he had
butter, cheese, bread, and milk-and hoped
they would not be too hard upon old people,
who were desirous Of dying as they had lived,
in peace.
Thankful were they both in their parental
hearts, that their little Lilas WIS among the
hills: and the old man trusted that il she re.
turned before the soldiers were gone, she
would see, from eome distance, their muskets
on the green before the door, and hide her
self among the brake. The soldiers devour-
ed their repast with many oaths and much
hideous aud obscene language, which 1t was
sore against the old mans soul to hear in
his own hut; but he said nothing, for that
| would have been wil(ully 10 sacrifice his
life.
At last, one Of the party ordered him to
return thanks, in words impious and full OF
blasphemy; which Samuel calmly refused to
do, .beseeching them, at the same time' for
the sake of their own souls, not SO to offend
their great and bountiful Preserver. icon.
found the old canting Covenanter; l will
prick him with my bayonet, if be won't say
grace!" and the blood trickled down the old
mans cheek, from q slight wound on his
forehead. The sight oft tseemed to awaken
the dormant blood thirstiness in the tiger
heart of the soldier, who now swore, if the
old man did not instantly repeat the words
after him, he would shoot him dead. .,
! And, pc il cruelty were contagious, al.
most the whole party agreed that The de.
mand was but, reasonable, and that the old
hypocritical knaye must preach or perish.-
Here is great musty bible" cried one Of
them. "If he won't speak, ] will gag him
with vengeance. Here, old Mr.. Peden
the prophet, let me cram few chapters Of
St. Luke down your NAV. st. Luke was a
physician, believe. Well, here Is dose
of him. Open your jaws" And with these
|, words, he tore handful Of leaves out Of the
IBible, and advanced toward the old man,
from whose face the terrified wife was now