The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1863-10-28

eff you can you may" was all the no.
BILE girl replied. "God is greater than
you, and in Him l put my trust
"Cut the brat's throat y roared the i'm
prisoned rufian above; "that will bring
her to reason"
Stout hearted as poor Hannchen was,
she quailed at this cruel suggestion. For
a moment her resolution wavered, but it
was only for moment. She saw that
her own death was certain if she admitted
the assailant, and she knew that her mas
ter would be robbed. She had no reason
to believe that the life of the infant would
be spared by her compliance. 1t was to
risk all against nothing. Like discreet
girl, she consequently held fast ir her re-
solve to abide as she was while he re-
her. e
AN ye open not the dcor," shouted the
villain from without, accompanying his
words with the vilest abuse and fercest
imprecations, III hack this whelp's
limbs to pieces with my knife, and then
burn the mill over your head Twill be
a merry blaze, L trow"
II put my trust in God, replied the
dauntless girl; 'never shall ye set foot
within these walls whilst have life to
prevent ye.'
The rutfian laid the infant for a mo-
ment on the sward as he sought for COM
bustibles wherewith to execute his latter
threat. In this search he espied, per-
haPs, the only possible clandestiAe en-
trance to the building. 1t Was u large
aperture in the wall. communicating with
the great wheel and the other machinery
OF the MILL and was point entirely un-
protected, for the reason that the simp!e
occupants had never supposed 1t teasIbe
for any one to seek admission through
such dangerous inlet. Eated with his
discovery, the ruffan returned to the in
fant, and tying the hands and feet of the
child, threw it on the ground even as a
butcher will f1ng lamb destined for the
slaug ghter, to awqit his time for staying
He then stole back to the aperture by
which he hoped to effect an entrance. All
this was unseen by the fdauntess glri
within. In the meanwhile her mind was
busted with thousand cogitations. She
clearly perceived that no means would be
lCiS uhtA tSd " SuSSt an ihiSO, nuo ohO
knew that on the exclusion OF her foe de-
pended her own existence. A thought
struck her.
1T is Sunday said she to herself; "the
mill never works on the Sabbath; suppose
set the mill agoing now? 1t can be
seen afar off, aud haply my master, or
some OF his neighbers, wondering at the
sight, may haste hther to know the
cause. A lucky thought she ex-
claimed; s''tis God who sent it to me. +"
No sooner said than done. Being all
her life accustomed to mill gear, it was
but the work Of moment to set the ma
chinery in motion A brisk breeze which
sprang up, as it were, by the special in
terposition of Providence, at once set the
sails flying. The arms of the huge en-
gine whirled round with fearful rapidity;
the great wheel slowly revolved on its
axle; the smaller gear turned and cracked
and groaned, according as they came into
actioh-the nill was in full operation.
Il was in that very instant that the rufian n
Diether had succeeded in squeezing him
self through the aperture in the wall, and
getting s,fcly lodged in the interior of
tue great drum wheel.
His dismay, however, was indescribable
when he began to be whirled about with
its rotation, and fonnd that all his efforts
to put stop to the powerful machinery
which set it in motion, or to extricate
himself FROM his perilous situation, was
fruitless. His cries were most appalling;
his shrieks were truly fearful; his curse
and imprecatirns were horrible to hear
Haunchen fastened to the spot, al saw
him caught, like reptile as he was, in
his own trap. 1t need not be added thai
she did not liberate him. She knew thai
he would be more frightened than hurt
if he kept within his rotary prison; and
she knew, also, that uless he attempted
to escape, there was no danger of his fal
ling out of it, even though he were insen,
sible and inanimate all the while. Intht
meantime, the wheel went round ant
round with its stead, unceasing motion
and round and rouAd went the rut6al
along with it, steady and increasingly
too.
In vain did he promise the stout heart
| ed girl to work hor no harm: in vain die
hS IN PioiO hOi " tdNO pitJ "H hio III L
less condition; in vain did he pray to al
the powers of heaven, and adjure all tn,
powers of hell to his aid She woulC
not hear nor heed him; and, unheard anc
unheeded of them likewise, mutterins
curses, he was whirled round and rount
in the untiring wheel, until, Hast. feel
ling and perception failed, and he saw an(
heard no more He fell senseless on th'
bottom Of the engine, but even then hi
inanimate body continued to be whirlet
round and round, as before; the brav'
girl not daring to trust In appearances II
I 1eoanection with such a Villas, and being
therefore, afraid to suspend the working
OF the machinery, or stop the. mill goa
and tackle from running at their fCl
speed. qa
A loud knocking at the door was short
ly after heard, and she hastened hither
1t was her pastor and his family accom-
4 panied by several of their neighbors
The unaceustomed appearance Of til
mill sails in full swing on the Sunoay
had, as she anticipated, attracted thei
attention, and they had fastened HON
from the church for the purpose of as
oart. .;n;no, tho aauSe of the nhenomapor