The Van Buren press., 1861-07-31

| God is everywhere. His words are on
the heart. He is on the battle field or in
our peaceful homes. Praise be to his holy
name.
1t was in the wilds of Nissahicon, on
the day of battle, as the noon day sun came
through the thickly clustered leaves, that
two men met in deadly conflict near the
| reefs which rose. like some rrimeval world,
| at least one thousand feet asoye the dark
waters of the Wisshaicon
The man, with dark brown faces and
parker gray eye, flashing with deadly light,
and muscular form. clod in a blue frock OF
the revolution, is u continental named War
Ken.
The other man, with long. black hair
dropping along his cadaverous face, is clad
in half military costume of a tory refugee.
This is murderer of Paoli named Dehency.
They met by accident, and now they
fought not wifi the sword or rife, but with
| long and deadly hunting knives they strug-
gled, twining and twisting on the green
sward. AT last the tory is downtown on
the turf with the knee of the continental
upon his breast-ths upraised knife flashed
death in his face.
Quarter I! l YIELD" gasped the tory, as
the knee was PRESSED upon his breast
Spare me yield"
My brother" said the patriot, in that
tone of deadly hate, {" Ny brother cried for
quarter on the night of Paoli, and even as
he chung to your knees you struck that
knife into his heart. 0, will give YOU
quarters of Paoli."
And as his hand raised for the blow and
his teeth were clenched with deadly hate, he
paused for moment, then pinioned the
tory's arms, and with rapid stride, drag
ged him to the verge of the rock. and held
him quivering over the abyss
Mercy T. gasped the tory, turning ashv
pale by turns, as that awful gulf yawned
below. Mercy! l have wife and child
at home-spare me.''
The continental, with his muaculsr
strength gathered for the effort. shook the
murderer once more over the abyss, and
| then Missed this sneer in his face:
My brother had wife and two children.
The morning after the night of Psoli. that
wife was a widow. those children orphans.
Would you not like to beg your life of that
widow and her orchsps 90
The proposal made by tho continental IN
mockery and bitter hate, was taken in seri-
ous earnest by the terror-stricken tory. He
begged to be taken to the widow and her or
phsn children. and to have the privilege Of
begging his life. After moments seri-
ons thought, the patriot soldier consented
dc bound the tory still tighter, placed him
on the rocks. and led him to the woods. A
quiet little cottage. embossed among the
trees, broke on their eyes. They entered
the cottage. There. beside the desolste
hearthstone. sat the widow and her children
She sat there. q matronly woman of about
twenty-three years, with . face faded hv
care. deep. dark eye. and long black hair.
hanging in disheveled state about her
shoulders. On one side was dark-hsi
BOY OF some six years, on the other side a
girl one year younger, with light blue eyes
The Bible-an old and venerable volume
lay open upon the mothers knee And now
the pale-faced tory flung himself upon his
knees. and confessed he had butchsred her
husband on the night of PAoli. and begged
his life at hsr hands.
child.'' = y "n0-"y
He had expected this pitiful moan would
touch her heart. but not one relentinr eleam
softsnsd her face.
The Lord shall Judge between Ms, she
said, IN cold 10y tone that frose tho MUIR
dsrsrs heart. Look, the Bible is in nv
lap. viii close.it. and this boy shall open
to line, and By that you shall live or die. J"
Inns was : strange proposal made in good
f.lfh OF = Wild and dark supsrstition Of
oidsn times. For moment the tory. pe.s
q q asnes. wae wrapped in deep thought
tnsn' IN . stainting voices s;eniasd his con-
60Qts T.