Wyoming democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Wyoming Co., Pa.) 1867-1940, 1868-07-22

as if to warn him of his danger, but make
no sound. Why all this silent agony for
the man who sits so silently there
One moment ago as the girl, in prepar-
ing the hasty supper, opened yonder closet
adjoining the next room, she heard the
low whispers of her father and the Tories
she heard the dice box rattle, as they were
casting lots who should stab Geotgo Wash
ington in bis sleep.
And now the words, "Beware, on this
night you die!" trembled half formed on her
lips, when the father comes hastily from
the room and bushes her with look.
"Show the gentleman to his chamber,
Mary, how calmly polite a murderer
can be, that chamber at the head of the
stairs, on the left. On the left, you mind"
Mary takes the light, trembling and
pale. She leads the soldier up the oaken
stairs. They stand on the landing, in this
wing of the farm house, composed of two
rooms, divided by thick walls, from the
main body of the mansion. On one side,
the right, is the door of Mary's chamber,
on the other, the left, the chamber Of the
soldier, to him chamber of death,
For a moment, Mary stands there trem-
bling and confused. Washington gazes
upon that pale girl with look Of surprise.
Look ? she is about to warn him of the
danger, when, see there her fathers rough
face appears above the head of the stairs.
"Mary, show the gentIcnan into the
left. And look We, girl, its late; you'd
had better go into your own room anG go
to sleep"
While the Tory watches them from the
head OF the stairs, Washington enters the
chamber on. the left, Mary the chamber on
the right.
An hour passes. Still the storm beats
on the roof still the snow drifts on the
hills. Before the fire, in the dim old hall
of the farmhouse, are seven half.drunken
men, with that tall Tory, Jacob Mannheim,
sitting in their midst; the murderer's
kufe in his hands. For the lot had fallen
on him. He is to 90 up stairs and stab
the sleeping man.
Even this half-drunken murderer is pale
at the thought; how the knife trembles in
his hands-trembles against the pistol
barrel. The jeers of his comrades arouse
him to the work the light in one hand,
and the knife in the other, he goes up
stairs, he listens; first at the door of his
daughter on the right, then at the door of
the soldiers chamber on the left. All is
still. Then he places the light on the
floor he is gone moment silence there
is faint groan He comes forth again,
rushes down the stairs, and stands there
before the fire, with the bloody knife in
his. hands.
Look !" he shrieks, as he scatters the
red drops over his comrades faces, over
the hearth, into the fire. Look, it is his
blood-the traitor Washington y" His
comrades gather round him with yells of
Joy ; already, in fancy, they count the gold
which will be theirs for this deed, when
10 ! that stair door opens, and there, with
out a wound, stands George Washington,
asking calmly for his horse.
What !" shrieked the Tory, Mannheim
" can neither steel or bullet harm p
Are you living man? Is there no wound
about your uniform
The apparatiou drives him mad.
He starts forward, he places his hand
trembling upon the arms the breast of
Washington. Then he looks at the bloody
knife, still clasped in bis right hand, and
stands there quivering as if with a death
spasm.
While Washington looks on with silent,
wonder, the doc: is flung open, the bold
troopers from Valley Forge thronged the
room, with the gallant form and bronzed
visage of Captain Williams in their midst.
At this moment the clock struck twelve
Then horrid thought crashes like thun.
der-bolt upon tie brain ofthe Tory Man
helm. He seizes the light -rushes to the
room of his daug hter on the right. Some
one had just risen from the bed-the
chamber was vacant. Then toward the
room on the left, with steps of leaden
heaviness. Look now the light quivers
in his hand. He pauses at the door; be
listens. Not a sound-a stiffness like the
grave. His blood curdles in his veins.-
Gathering courage, he pushes open the
door. Towards the bed, through whose
curtains he struck SO blindly a moment
ago. again ne pauses-not a sound
stiffness more terrible than the grave
He things aside the curtain.
There, in the full light of the lamp, hel
young form but half covered, bathed il
her own blood, there lay his daughter
Mary.
Aud, do not look upon the face of he1
father, as he starts silently back, frozen t.
stone but in this pause of horror, lister
to the mystery Of the dead.
After the father had gone down stairs al
hour ago, Mary silently stole from tn,
chamber on the right, her soul shaken BY
a thousand fears. She opened the dool
on the left, and beheld Washington siltin!
by a table on which were spread char
and Bible. Then, though her existenc,
was In the act, she asked him, in a tone o
calm politeness, to enter the room on thu
right. Mary entered the chamber whic!
he left.
Can you imagine the agony Of that girl
soul on the bed. as intended for the deatl
conch of Washington, she silently awaited
the knife, although that knife might b.
clenched in fathers hand.
| And Dow father frozen IN sfonA stonf