The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1867-05-22

vice Ike grip OF James ana FRANK on
either arm, -
"Now1 said James, "auswer me pompt.
ly andHcorrectly, or I'll make your posi-
tion uncomfortable. Do you hear ?'
"Who are in your fathers house at
this moment ?" -
"I-I cannot tell" stammered the al
most dead Iyoath.lY g 2A19bNH8
uYou shall Or w S"| z - y "a
"Spare me, and will disclose every
thing. When lett the house there was
no one but our own family and Captain
Bradstone"
"Who is he 2" asked James.
III don't know-I don't indeed" n
"Tell ]" threatened Frank.
"He is Captain, of he Yorkshire Dra-
goons." @ ttS o
The blue eyes of James glistened with
joy, and he soon gained from the Tory's
son revelation which stamped his father
as as traitor of the most appalling char
acier. He discovered that old Living
ston not only kept up correspondence
with the British commander, but that he
had plotted in his traitorous designs that
the little village Of Newark was to be
burned to ashes, and its women and chill,
dren exposed to the mercies Of these pit
iless foes. The old Tory was to receive
as his reward the land whereupon the
village stood and an annual pension from
the English Government.
But stranger than all, the plot was to
be consummated on that very night. and
the 'Tory's son had been captured while
he was going on an errand to Tory
neighborhood about two miles distant.
The little band of heroes learned too
that the British troops had secured their
horses in Livingston's stable, and descen-I
ded the creek in large boat. There
were twenty of them besides the captain.
Bradstone, the leader of the band was in
temper and heart a perfect demon, and
scrupled not in his cruelty to destroy the
sleeping infant or the sickly wife. Not
few in that youthful band of patriots
trembIed for the safety Of widowed mo.
ther.
Some were for departing Immediately,
but James Wilson, who still retained his
grasp on the Tory's son, ordered all to be
silent. The prisoner was. tied hand and
foot, thick handkerchief was tied over
his mouth to preveRt his calling for as
sistance, and stout cord fastened to his
breast and wound about tree. All
hopes of escape forsook George Living
ston. Wilson motioned his little band to
follow him, and in few moments they
stood on the summit of high precipice
which overhung White Clay Greek.
"Now boys" said james Wilson, "the
narrative we have just learned is true and
as we have no muskets or ammunition
we muet make the best Of the occasion.
The British band will pass this spot in
their boat, and as we have an hourto work
let us busy ourselves in rolling some of
these large rocks to the edge ofthis prec.
ipice, and when the red boats pass below,
let us sink them to the bottom"
Each boy set Immediately to work, and
in an incredibly short time, nine huge
rocks, each Of half a ton in weight were
nicely balanced upon the edge of the
giant precipice The creek at this point
was not more than twenty feet wide ; and
was directly overhung by the mass of
rocks on which our heroes stood. II the
British band descended the creek, they
would certainly pass this post; and if they
passed it, then death was their certain
fate. In about an hour the quick ear Of
Wilson detected the measured stroke ol
the mufiisd oars
"They are coming" he whispered ;"let
TO one drop his rock until l give thG
word, and all at onee.'
1t was beautiful night to wreck Q
work of death. The heavens wero span
lgled with innumerable stars, and every
object upon which the moonbeams played
sparkled with silvery radiance.
Closer came the doomed Royalists, and
the hearts of the boy patriots beat wildly
in their bosoms. Peering cautiously ovel
the cliff, James Wilson saw the Tories
slowly bat surely approaching An off
Ger stood in bow, guiding the carmen BY
his orders, and the epaulets on his shoul
ders told that it was the identical fend
Major Bardstone. 20
/ Don't drop till give the ORDER
again whispered Wilson. = iA 0saa
| When the boat was about twenty fee
from the rocks, the boy leader fell secure
ly behind his stone defense, and shouted,
"Who goes there 7" F St&
Ina moment the os'smen ceased row.
ing, and gazed with amusement above
them, The impetus which the boat had
acquired caused it to drift slowly undel
the rocks and just as it got fairly below
forth came the doomed words: ecu
loose in the namo of LibOrtyW
i Each boy pushed his rock at that in
slant, and with one impulse, the gigantic
stones fell. A loud shrek from the wa
ter below, told how we'll the plan had suo
peeded, and when the exultant boys again
looked over the precipice. nothing wa
seen but few pieces Of floating wood
The:boat had been bursted open, and the
occupante had found q grave atthe bot
tom Of the White Clay.
A cry of victory burst from the joyou.
lips of the patriots, and IL was echoed
along the old creek in solemn grandeur.
"Now for our prisoner" cried Frank
Howard, bounding ahead; but what wal
the astonishment Of the boy to find thai
in the effort to free himself George Liv'
ingston had been enoked to death. There
was no time for repiuing, the traitor and
the son had met their deserved fate, and
there was no one to mourn their loss