The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1859-11-30

room of his daughter, on Cne rlgnb ~
Some one had just risen from the bed ;
| the chamber was vacant. Then look
towards that room ON the left, with
steps of leaden heaviness. Look ! now
the light quivers in his hand. He pau
SEES at the door; he listens. Not q
sound-a stiffness like the grave. His
blood curdles in his veins. Gathering
courage he pushes open the door. He
enters. Towards that bed, through
whose curtains he struck SO blindly a
moment ago. Again he pauses-not
a sound-a Stiffness more terrible than
the grave. He filings aside the cur
tains.
There, in the full light of the lamp,
her young form uthalf covered, bathed
in her own blood-there lay his daugh-
ter, Mary.
All, do not look upon the face Of
the father as he starts silently back
frozen to stone but in this pause OF
horror, listen to the mystery of this
deed
After her father had gone down
stairs, an hour ago, Mary silently stole
from the chamber On the right. Her
soul shaken by a thousand fears, she
opened the door On the left, and be-
held Washington sitting by table, on
which were spread chart and Bible.
Then, though her existence was up in
the act, she asked him, in tone of
calm politeness, to enter the room on
the right, Mary entered the chamber
which he left.
Can you imagine the agony of that
girls soul, as lying on the bed intended
for the death-couch of Washington, she
silently awaited the knife, although
that knife might be clenched in faith
er's hand. a
And now that father, frozen to stone,
stood there, holding the light in one
hand, the other still clutching the red
knife.
There lay his child, the blood stream
ing from that wound in her arm-her
eyes covered with CLASSY film.
"Maryl" shrieked the guilty faith
er-for robber and tory as he was, be
called to her, but that was all he could
say.
Suddenly, she seemed to wake from
that stupor She sat up in the bed
with her CLASSY eyes. The strong hand
of death was upon her. AS she sat
there, erect and ghastly, the room was
thronged with soldiers. Her lover
rushed forward and called her by name.
No answer. Called again-spoke to
her in that familiar tone of olden time
still no answer. She knew hm not.
Yes, it was true-the strong hand
of death was upon her.
Has he escaped " she said, in
that husky voice.
eyes :" shrieked the father, "Live,
Mary, only live, and tomorrow I will
join the camp at Valley Forge"
Then that girl, that Hero Woman
dying as she was, not so much from
the wound in her arm, as from the deep
agony which had broken the last chord
of life, spread forth her arms, as tho
she beheld form floating above the
bed, reckoning her away. She spread
forth her arms as if to enclose that an
gel form
Mother 2" she whispered-while
there grouped the soldiers-there with
speeches. agony on his brow, stood
the lover-there, hiding his face with
one hand, while the other grasped the
light, crouched the father-that light
flashing over the dark bed, with the
form in it's centre" Mother, thank
God! Formy life l have saved him"
Look, even as starting on that bloody
couch, she speaks the half formed word,
her arms stiffen-her eyes wide
open, sat death, glazing in her fathers
face.
She is dead. From that dark room
her spirit has gone home.
The half-formed word still quiyering
on the white lips of the Hero Woman
-that-uttered in husky whisper,
choked by the death-rattle-that word
was" WASHINGTON p