Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-04-22
CHAPTER I.
rns tsAsus or rHr ssrsx.

their var wtth great dniculty through almost i'm.
psrviess wallis interlAcsd and opposing shrubbery
mel ct nidnight beneath the spreading branches Of
cypcs Rse = place called Laurel Swamp, In South
Carolina, In The year III They gathered sticks and
leaves and made 6rr. The flames. sprineing up
nun she dry heap, threw red glare upon their faces
which wsre seansd and dis6gured By the play Of bad
passions. They were .oung mca--the Oldest not
bsing more than thirty-6ve years Of age As they
stood In = circle around the FIRE, they resembles
group Of vasabead English giPsies, fresh from the
ssocks OF the whipping post They were armed with
sabres, knives, pistols and muskets Their faces
were smutched with powder, their boards and hair
long and neglected, their garments torn BY conflict
and the sharp teeth Of the cypress hedges. The
names Of these men were respectively as follows;
Martin yantassie, Nathaniel Herrick, Philip Lang
ford, Simon ArTowswitb, John Nicolson, James Pol
lard, and Timothy Becker.
Vantassie q tall. athletic, H. visaged fellow
the leader Of these fierce and intractabe spirits
Undertaking bis heavy sabre, and planting its point
10 the ground between bis feet he addressed his COM
panions.
"Aeu,' he said, In hard, harsh voice. that harmo-
missed well with his general prestige we've met here
tonight TO bind ourselves together in perpetual TEL
lowshp by solemn oath and mutual Agreement
Every mans hand 10 agin us-leas'wse, in these
parts-and ours, in turn is agin every man. We've
allegiance to his gracious Majesty the King of
Great Britain and the righu ruler OF these colonies,
have touched his money, aud will do his work"
at isn't the king care much about, muttered
Nat Herrck, but the utter destruction and exierm
nation Of the Whigs. South Car'liny Is already
MORN half conquered. The rebel cause is rapidly
GROWN weaker, and we'll soon sweep EN- away like
chat It'll be strange II Nat Herrick don't have his
share Of the plumber
There was an appauding murmur around the grim
circle.
Il was comm to that subject added yan,assie,
impatcntly. Il reckon know the merits of the
case, and understand the natnr' of your fcelns my
lads. We never seed the King of England. my of
and II we should, it's ngn reason to sposc that he'd
speak to aud to toll the TRUTH little about
him. love Martin Vantassle better nor do any
king In the world. ] fight the Wings because their
side 10 the weakest, and hate EN- and there's n
prospect Of maxim someihin' by 1t. When we've
driven en- out which will be soon cordin present
appearances we'll he OF the country ourselves
Well have houses and lands, and nggers TO wait
Us. ,
inats the KIND o Talk like TO hear said Jim
Fonaro'
kind OF taik loo, thatH prove prophetic,
re)o,neo 'antassie.
~, woald, Il we eonld keep Marion and Snmp'er
sui! interPosed Langford
Inc swamp FOX VIII soon be still enough, I'll
warrant Jei ooionei iarleton Is on his track, aud
ne Trap MIN aiore mes week Older However,
ne'ner oere nor mere let Them night Tor glory
VINO w w'I-oar motto Is boofy ana B.any
we Know who your beauty is, said Simon Arrow
smith, WIN ieer 1T is Jessie Burnside
ana ne snail have her too said lierrick, with an
oa'n,
inank Nat Herrlck and II you don't succeed
WIN Ruth haviiand, i'll be no faul, OF mine
And will nobody speak word tor meT asked
hang'ord.
hundred, II you likes cried Pollard, though
10 appears like the greatest nonsense to be run
MIN arter women when there's so much real fghtin
70 De Done NV mistress Is a bloody one, aud find
ner wherever there Is "higto hang I'LL to nile or
nnouse 10 burn howsomdever, II YOU like Judith
burnside, IT'S none my business, and reckon none
on W u stand 10 yonrw she svery handsome, and
p,ouo as sne 10 handsome aud II you win herat all,
WI DC oy foul AMI not by fair means. don't want
" oe nAru on ye, fhii Langiord but I'm sure you
cant 40 much IN the way OF what folks call honest
eoonsh'P. But don't be down-hcarted, lad, for we're
pound 10 aid each other under all circumstances, and
III AL cases
, marun vantassie drew his sabre from the earth and
blade was dnted and serrated with service and there
were red stains upon 1t. The other six unsheathed
theirs and crossed them upon his, when he dictated
terrible and impious compact which they severaIly
repeated Itwasto prohne and shocking to be pnt
verbatim upon paper. They pledged themselves to
mutual brotherhood and crime to cxtermina,e the
struggling and hunted Wings to give no quarter TO
the captured foe to pursue the flying fugitive with
remorseess fury to commit every enormity upon the
ee'enseleSs patriots torob to burn, to outrage help
less innocence.
When this fearful and unnatural compact had been
made Vantassle turned to Herrck and asked
What names have you brough,p
Herrick drew soilsd paper from his waiscoat
pocket and bending towards the FIRE, read the follow
ing names:
Paul Haselhurst, Frank Haviland, Tom Hutter,
Podtah Askepeace, Gideon Grant. Blinko u niger,
and One-eyed Saul Of Laurel swamp
Man, said Vantassle, these are for the sword
We are to hunt them down and kill them. BY virtne
Of my authority, and BY abe oath which you have
sworn, command you to pursue the persons whose
names you have heard. night and day. till you have
swept them out Of existencev
There are seven OF them and seven Of us--a man
for EACH said Herrick.
Lat dot k,,t To-,