The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1858-12-08

C0uuteQ ulteeu vi IHeIn CLEARLY ly-tDeTe
were more-a few more-but they came
crowding up over the brow Of the sharp
pitch so thickly that lost my reckon
ing after that. They gathered in front
of our little fort, and then one of their
number-a huge, powerful fellow, as 1
could plainly see-advanced few PAGES
and called ont to US rse.-
"Where's the agent?" he shouted. "Let
him come out, or yell all die wild him!
His blood must Leave his black heart
this night. We're the boys from Ar
| magh, an we know how to dispose
of every sneakin', murtherin' agent in the
country. Come out wild ye, or down
comes yer walls an death to the whole of
ye!" s-a.of} q 5srz Ess&
There was slight question to be de-
cided before we made any reply to this.
Should we commence resistance at once,
or open parly with them? We had
seven rifles, and four good double barrel
ed shot guns, beside four pairs of pistols;
and these were all loaded. Our two
windows were So high that they could
not be reached from the outside, while
we. by standing in chair, could get a
good aim from them. -a3-
"Blood an 'ounds!" cried Pat, in dis
gust "d'ye think ov tratin' wild em? D.
ye think ye can make them Armagh
wolves understand reason? Yell see if
ye only ak 'em." asg
At this juncture the leader of the ma
rauders called out again for the agent.
cam isn't it Archy McGragh that
calls to ye?" said pat. Don't ye know
him? tell ye, he'd murther his own
mother quicker'n he'd let one ov US go il
he got his hands on us!'' --s. ces
j Elweli was at one of the windows,
and he waited mo longer. He rested
the muzzle of his rife upon the stool, and
j fred A howl like the death cry of o
devil, followed the sharp report, and in a
moment more it was answered by full
tcherus from the marauders. lsat.yaf
/ Another riflep cried Elwell, passing
down the empty weapon They'll MUIR
1 der US all ifthey get hold of US now
McGragh has fallen, but Broughshay and
O'Dowd are there Take the other win.
dow. somebody!" Is $50 ~ eg g
Matthew Croft was already at that post
and he fred moment afterwards The.
odore, Pat and myself sprang to loading
the pieces as they were discharged, which
we could do very we'll in the dark, as We
had exact charges, and everything a
, hand With deafening howls the villain!
discharged vo&ey against the cot, anC
some of the balls came through the win
dows, but without damage, as Elwell and
: Croft kept their stand a little upon on,
, side. After this the enemy made rusl
r for the door, but they found it too strong
for them, and they retired to the end o
} the cot, we getting two shots at them a
they went. as9
In a few minutes bright light fash
l ed out upon the darkness, and we foun'
that they had ignited some torches whicl
, they had brought. l leaped into tn
chair by Matthew's side, and saw tn
-murderous rascals just coming around be
4 meath the windows. The beams of tn
e torches flashed in their faces, and l mus
r say that 1 never before saw such dia
il bolical looking set. heard of wild me-
y and these were perfect specimens. Muir
: der stamped upon their every feature, an,
J, they looked like the villains they in trnt
e were. Elwell and Croft fred again, wit
sure aim, and then lodged back to avoi
II the shots that were sent in retnrn Pret
d ty soon the whole crowd sought place O
J. shelter again, and we could overhear ther
e reasoning together. Courtney O'Dow,
a seemed to have taken McGrath's place
e and he had succeeded in gaining their at
:. tention. They were convinced that the
a could do nothing until they had got th
e door down, and O,Dowd was planning fo
o that. Several Of them were armed wit
s down large tree which grew close q
n hand, and from the trunk of which the
e soon formed battering- ram heavy enoug
> to take our door down in an alarmiD
r short space of time.
d "This is coming rather tough" sal
Elwell. "If we take position so as t
: fire they can see us, as they have me
: placed at four different angles for tina
: purpose. The door must come down q
e all events. We may shoot one or tw
more, but we shall gain nothing. The
e can place few men who can effectuall
e cover the advance of the batteries. An
see! There comes the gang now.t Mel
J cy! they've got u: log heavy enough t
4 batter, down a door of, triple iron! Ca
we escape by the roof?" I'd. qafs.9.
"0nly to have them follow us,'' retul
9 ned Mathew, ,.'for we should have to com
8 around upon the plateau in order to ge
e away. There is no possible path over th
e lcliff.p 6 'as i, sal % e-a7 aaT
Q I began to fear for the result. Will
q we had been able TO keep up our fir
{ there had been an excitement which ban
v ished fear; but now that we could onl
look on and see the blood thirsty scamp
: planning our destruction the case becam
$ different. The light of the torches glare
( so fiercely into the cot that we could o
| r. n