Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1861-04-05

Mr.. Oakley wen, to Simeons window.
Who knocks there?"
walter Van Cuyler."
"wbat do you wan,?"
Food. rest and shelter. Brant's men
are close upon my track. Let me come in
quickly"
The sharp crack Of a rife, and the words
liar and hypocri'o were his anewer. a
fierce yell arose behind the hay stack. and
on, building, as twenty dark forms rushed
forward. brardu.hins their weapons and
firing at random, while a. many more hoy
cred in the ou,.kirt. o, the wood.
Within the house all was pcrfcc, silence,
broken only by tho "now boys" Of Mr.
Oakley. and the roar Of sir OF the bc-, rifles
in the country.
"SiS down. \ mau Tor each bullet :
Good 80 .lii tho cKGliing voice OF Oakley.
q" The powder, girls. and we'll give EN- an.
other"
A shower Of bullet. ra,,lch like hails,one'
abou, the windows. aud Gu, .hor, his words
Mr. Oakley picked M some ,h', fell harm.
le..ly to the loor, aud laughed.
Tho .crpen,' are kinder than ! thought.
They arc firing 10 keep u' in balls a'eter
ci.s. ~ much the better, Tor We have none
too many. Now, boy'."
Anoth-r n,.h and roar. aui again the
voice OF Mr.. Oakley.
Fire steady. boys, and take sooi aim.
Don't waste the powder"
4 dead silence en'ucd.
They're cnsei, fubrr-,hcy're stealing
ofl to cover. exclaimed simeon.
"So, they they're only con,rrinr some
new dsyiluy. John AMI Matthew. round
with YOU to tho hack OF tho house. Grace.
-my God whore did ,ha, shot come
from :" ~ with sharp crv Reuben. the
eldest, lclpsi three Zee, into the AIR and fcll
forward on hi. hcs. stone dead.
Mr.. O,sley .rrans farwnrd AMI threw
hcr-cl on h,s body The far haired clie',
va. her dtrling Another shot came crash.
ing ,hrou sh the window, aud brdled iis,!f
deep IN the opposite wall.
Aim at ylndcr tree. shouted Mr Oak.
lev. IL .aw the CLEAN Of rIlc stock
among the leaves"
\ third -hp, whitrci - close past us a.
10 make u. start hack an then our rii'-
answered. and DARK boiy wen, down. and
struck with heavy ",hud" " against the
ground
"iIr'. .ilcnced." !" eIclnimNl Mr.. Oakley.
with a sleam Of stern satisfaction shooting
acro., hi. lace. Z" Hut sec none the rest,
Where are they hIiine'"
FEATHER father /" called Grace, in an
agonir~i ton.
Mr.. Oakley ran hastily INTO the hack room
where .he was 4 .talwari man IN hunt
IN. froek. and - bronzci a. to make IL al.
mos, doubtful IL her white OF r~i. swung
himself from an aijpinin: tree on to the
balcony. and was trying 10 fOrcc himself
through the little window.
4. Mr. oakley rushed forward, he drew
the hunting snlic he wore in It's belt /; but
-eifrns the sharp edge IN hl. bare hand, the
iniuria,cd father wrc-;ei IL from his grasp
by main strength, and plunged !, up TO the
hill, in hi- breast.
A fierce yell and harmless rollcy from
those in ambush. received this new defeat,
and then came another Of those ominOus
pauscs.
"whl, can they be abou, ?" mu'tcred
Slmeon. who was again at the look ont
"Thcy surely can't dream Of firing the
house"
".he door the door" ga'pcd Gricc
Rich, :" exclaimed her father. The
girl had more wi, than Us all We mus,
barrlca!c the hail."
Never mind the shutters" said Mrs.
Oakley. who had gained her marbls.l'ke
compo.urc. 1--WE will bar them,' and
she began To draw the belts.
/ Mr.. Oakley be,i,atsi, for the task was
one Of danger, bu, there was no tune to lo'e'
and chairs, sofas, aud tables were rllei ~
a, shor, distance from the door, in what
was really formidable birricade, guarded
as i, was by those unerrins rides. The
smell Of burning wood. and the smoke that
I filled the hall. now grew almost intolerahle
Mr.. Oakley placed Us on the stair case, aud
told hi, sons 10 stand close and take coed
am. \ portion Of the door !cll In. MIR
Oakley raised his rila and Walter Van
/ Cuyler. who wa. the frs, o'pring in, stag
rerei back with groan. The others swarm
cd IN like be-s. bu, a second aud third %
those deadly volleys brought them to stand
No man cared to expose himself to suel
certain death.
Mr. Oakley turned imre,aou.'y to hi
sons: " Give 'em another, boys boa, 'en
oa," but a mute shake Of the head was Oh
only answer. Their powder Wa. exhausted
For a moment, a deadly palor over'pread hi
his countenance; the next his voice ram
out clear and Grn Us ever
"Clo.e up. Draw your knives. w
will sell our lives as teirly as possible"
Gone on. their powder !. OUT" shout
Cd man who. with half u dozen Others
had succeeded in scrambI,ng over the BARR
cade. and wa. making hD way towards th
li,tlo group.
YOU'D better be careful. Our wome'
hare ,h,ir knittin. ne. .es yO',' retorte'
Mr.. Oakley derisively.
Well take caro- OF you and the womei