Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-04-27
A Revolutionary Legend.


day sul came shining through the
t lickly clustered lea, es, that two men
met in deadly conflict near that rock
which rose like huge wreck of some |
primeval world, at least one hundred |
feet above the dark waters of the
l
The man with the dark brow and |
the darker grey eye flashing with a
deadly Iight-with muscular form clad
in a blre hunting frock of the Rcvo-
lution-is a continental named War
rem. His brother was murdered the
other night at the massacre OF Paoli.
The other man with long black hair
dropping along his cadavcrouS face,
is clad in the half military costume Of
a tory refugee. This is the murderer
of Paoli, named Delaney.
They met here by accident, and
now they fought, not with sword and
rifle, but with long and deadly hunt
ing-knives they struggled, twining and
twisting over the green sward.
At last the tory is down down
on the turf, with the knee Of the con-
tincntalupon his breast-that appraised
knife quivering in the light-that dark
eye flashing death in his face!
"Quarter! [ yield" gasped the
tory, as the knee was pressed upon
his breast; "spare mel yield"
my brother" said the patriot sold
Ter, in that tone of deadly hate, amy
brother cried for quarter on the night
of Paoli, and even as he chung to your
knees you struck that knife into his
heart. Oh, will give the quarter of
Paoli y
AS his hand was raised for the blow
and his teeth were clenched with dead
~ hate, he paused for a moment then
pinioned the tory's arms, and with a
rapid stride, dragged him to the verge
Of the rock, and held him quivering
over the abyss.
Mercy gasped the tory, turning
black and ashy pale by turns, as that
awful gulf yawncd below, "Mercy
have a wife and child-spare me-"
Then the continental, with his mus
cular strength gathered for the effort
shook the murderer once more over
the abyss, and then Kissed this bitter
sneer between his teeth
any brother had a wife and tive
children. The morning after h {
night Of Paoli, that wife was a widow
and those children orphans I! WoulC
not you like to go and beg your life
Of that widow and her children ?"
The proposal made by the contiren
tai in the mockeIy Of bitter hate wa
taken in serious earnest by the terrO
; stricken tory. He begged to be takeI
to the widow and her children, to have
the privilege of begging his life
After moment of serious thought tn
patriot soldier consented. He boun'
the tory'S arms still tighter, places
him on the rock again, and led hin
up the woods. A quiet cottage en-
bosomed among the trees broke o
: their eyes. They entered the col
tage. There, beside the desolat
hearthstone, sat the widow and he
children. She sat there matronl
, woman Of about thirty years, with
face faded by care, deep dark eye
? and long black hair, hanging in di'
. hevelled state about her shoulders
On one side was a dark haired DO
of some six years; on the other sid
= a little girl, one year younger, wit
J light blue eyes. The Bible-an oil
and venerable volume-lay open o
the mothers knee. And then the pal
faced tory flung himself on his knees
and confessed he had butchered he
y husband on the night of Paoli, an
begged his life at her hands.
"Spare me for the sake of my wit
my child p
: He had expected this pitiful moa
would touch the widows heart, bl
not one relenting CLEAN softened he
! face.
"The Lord shall Judge between us
a she said in a cold icy tone, that froz
S the murderer's heart. Look the Bib
e is in my lap; Twill close the volum
g and this boy shall open it, and plac
n his finger at random upon a line, an
u by that line you shall live or die p
e This was a strange proposal, mad
o in good faith, of a wild and dark supe
d stition of the olden times. For m,
y ment, the tory, pale as ashes, Wa
t. wrapt III thought. Then in faintin
$ voice he signifed his consent.
g Raising her dark eyes to Heavel
/ the mother prayed to the great Fathe
t to direct the finger of her son. 81
| closed the book-she handed it to I'll
IS boy, whose cheek redeemed with loaf
ing as he gazed upon his fathers mu
it derer. He took the Bible, opened il
e pages at random and placed his fingc
c on a verse.
e There was a silence. The cont
5, mental soldier who had sworn I
r avenge his brothers death, stood theI
y with dilating eyes and parted lips.
e The culprit, kneeling upon the foo
IS with his face like discolored clay, fe
h his heart leap to his throat.
e Then, in a clear, bold voice, Il
p widow read this line from the Oh
e. Testament. 1t was short yet terrible
E. "1hat man shall die r'
re Look! the brother springs forwal
d to plunge knife into the murderer
n heart; but the tory pinioned as he
1t clings to the widows knees. He be.
.e that one more trial may be made
W the little girl, that child of five yea
III lOId with r-nf1opt lo.r - -