Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1859-04-28
CHAPTER I
TnE LEAGuE or ImE SEVEN

& q = x -.
tree. at a place called Laurel Swami in
/ South Carolina, in the year I37- Tb,x
gathered sticks aud leaves and made n 6,o
ioe hames, spriDgiug up from the dry heap.
Threw red glare upon their faces which
were scanned aud disfgrred by the nl,v ~
bad passions. They were Young men-',ba
l oldest not being more than al irty.6v. v.,,s
/ of age. As they stood in a eirel, .,onnJ
the bre, they resemlled a croup Of v,ga
bond English gipsiss fresh from tb, .,oeh.
or the whipping poet. hey were armed
With sabres, knives, pistols and musket.
Their faces were smutched with povde,
their boards and bAir long aud neglected
their garments torn by coGf,ct. and ,b.
sharp teeth Of the cypress hedge. Tho
names Of these men wero respectively
as follows Martin vantsssIe N,,b,,;sl
HerTiek, Philip Lapgfrrd. Simon Arrows.
with, John NieoisoD, James Pollard. and
Timothy Becker.
NantAsslei a tall, athletic, III visagod fel.
low was the leader Of these fierce and in.
traeiable spirits UnsheAiLing his heavy
sabre aud planting its point ir the ground
between his feet, be addressed hi. com.
psnions.
Men he sid, IN hard harsh vo;-,
'eat harmon'Eed vel. aith his general pre-.
hge' we've met here tonight TO bind our.
serves together IN perpetual fellowship
ny solemn oath, aud mutual agreement
Every mans hand isagin us-leastvise in
'oese parts-and ours, 10 turn, Is .pin
every msn We've sworn allegiance to ri.
gracious Majesty, the King Of Crsa, Br;.
tain aud the rightful ruler Of these ooloni..
have touched his money, aud will do hi,
work MS
II isnt the king | care so much abo,,i
inuttered Nat Herrick, but the u,to, d..
ruction and extarmiGatiou of the Wbi,.
South Car liuy is already more'n half con.
queted' The rebel cause is rapidly CROWN
weaker, and we'll soon sweep em sw.v liLa
shNh. ltll be strange If Nat Herriek don't
have hts share of the plubder'
lhere vas au spplauiirg murmur around
the grim circle
i was comm to that subject added
NADtassls, patiently. Il reckon | kuov
the merits Of the case, and under.tsnd IN.
natur of your iselin's my lads We never
seed the King Of England. any Of u. and
IL W. should, ITS sgin reason TO s'pose that
hed speak TO US aud 10 tell the truth. -.
care little about him love Martin Van.
tass'e better nor do sny king 10 the world
light the Wings because their side j. m.
weakest, and bate EN- aud there's , nTos.
p'ct OF making sometLin' by il When
we've driven em out, which will lie soon
'eordin to present appearances. we1l he
masters OF the country ourselves WelI
have houses aud lands, and niggers to wait
on us
'Thst'sthc kind o. talk like to bear. said
Jim Pollard
Its kind Of talk, toe. tba, n prove pro,
phetic,' fojOined Nan,ass!e.
IL Wouli, Il VIC could keep Marion and
sumpter still, iuterposed Langford
The Swamp Fox will soon he .tilI enough
III WsrrsBtJe Colonel Tarlcton i, on Li.
track, aud he'll trap hin, afers he'.awcsk
older. However. that's neither here nor
there let them Ggbt for glory who will
our motto Is 'BOoiy and BsaHiy."
We know who yOsr beauty Is, said Simon
ATroWsmitb, with leer; 1t is Jessie Burn.
side
And he shall have her, too = said Her.
rick. With az oath
'Tians'e. Nat IIcrr.ck, AMI IL you don't
sueeeel WitA Rs,h IiAviisnI. it'll Sc n , fss,,
Of mine
And will nobody speak a word for mo p
asked LsDgford
a hundred, il you like . cried Pollard.
though 90 me It appears like the greatest
nonsense TO he Tuunin' AfteT women when
there's so much real fghiin' to To doue Lfy
mist-ess - q bloody Que, aud knd her
wherever there j. WhgIto hang . tall to ri.
he, or house 60 burn HousomdeTsr. Il
you like judith Burnside, its none o my
business, and reckon none on Us n stand
IA your way. she's very handsome aud il
you Win her at oil. tll be by foul aud not
By fair means. 4 don't -ant 10 be hard on
yo Phil Langfofd, but IN sure you can't do
much ~ the way % what folks call honest
e0uftship. but don't he douu,hcaued. led, /
for we're bound 20 aid each other under all
eifousmtsness, aud 10 GIl cases
Martin Nsatssslo drew be sabre from
the cath sad thfustiog - fouard. held u
ovef the blazing Ere the BIZ De vas diuied
and strrafed With service and there we're
red stains upon 10. The other siH uasheath.
ed theirs aud crossed them upon bis, shsn
ho dictated q terrible sod impious compact
Which they ssvsTally r6peaisa. IL sss toe
proiane and shocking 20 BE- put verbati@
upon paper They pledged themselves 20
mutual brotherhood ahd crime. 10 sHttrmin.
sse she struggling snd ksstsd WkiEs 10
give no quarter 70 The csptnrsd Zoe 70 puT.
sue tbe aying fugitive silh rsm0rfsiess
iafy TO commit every en0mHy upon che
dsfenssisss psir'ots 70 rob. 70 burn, 70 cut
rags helpless innocebcs.
When ibis fearful aod pbbaisral eompsst
hsd been made. Naptssslo turned 20 Her
rick snd ssksd
What ssmss bsvs you brought ?"
Hsrriek dfsv . soilsd pspsr from bis
unisfcoat posket and bendisg togafd she
Gre Fead che follouing names
Paul lisaslhurft, Ffsak iIstilabd, Ton
Halter. Podjsh Mskspesoe, Gideoa GTsut,
blake. niger, sd Ons-syed saal Of Lsa.
rel Ssamp'
MAJ, ssia Vsotsssls. these sSs fsr tLs
sVofd We srs - bunt them douu snd
Nall them. By virtpe a ny suthorify. asd
snd By tbs oaih shish yoa have svorn.
son man& you % pofsue iAs persons whore
samss gsa hsvs besfd, h'gbt snd tsy, hit
gsa have SEsPt thea eat of oxistsaos =