The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1869-08-05
REVOLUTIONARY TALE.


1t was in the wilds of Wissahicon, on
the day OF battle, as the MONDAY sun
came through the thick clustered leaves,
that two men met in deadly conflict near
the reef which rose, like some prin,eval
world, at least a thousand feet above tho
dark waters Of the Wissahicon
The man with dark brown face, and
dark grey eyes, flashing with deadly light,
and muscular form, clad in blue frocE
of the Revolution, is u continental named
Warren
The other with long black hair, droop-
ing along his cadaverous face, is clad iu
the halt military costume of Tcry refu-
gee. This is murderer Of Paoli, named
Delaney.
They met by accident, and now they
fought, not with sword and rife, but with
long and deadly hunting knifes they strug-
gled; twiuing and twisting on the green
sward
At last the tory is downtown on the
turn, with the knee of the continental on
his breast-the upraised knife flushed
death in his face.
Quarter! | yield.!' gasped the tory,
as the knee was pressed on lis breast
| spare me L yield
"My brother" said the patriot, in a
tone Of deadly hate, my brother cried for
quarter on the night Of Paoli, and even
as he clung to your knees you struck that
knife into his heart l wsll gsve you the
quarter of Paoli.
And his hand was raised for the blow,
and bis teeth were clench with deadly hate
| he paused Tor moment, aud then pinlon-
Ell the tory's arms, and with stile drag
ged him to the verge of the rock, aud held
Ainl quivering over the abyss.
"Merdy!" gasped the tory, turning
ashy pale by turns, as that awful gulf
yawned below. Mercy have wife
and child at home-spare ne"
The continental, with i muscular
strength gathered for the effort, shoo, the
murderer once more over the abyss, and
then Missed his bitter sneer in his face.
"My brother had wife and two children.
The morn.ng after the night at Paoli that
wife was a widow those children orphans
! Ask mercy for them y
The proposal made by the continental
in mockery and bitter hate was taken in
serious earnest by the terror stricken to-
ry. He begged to be taken to he widow
and her children and to have the privil-
ege of begging for his life. After mo-
mert of serious thought the patriotic sol
der sonsented. He bound the tory's arms
still tighter, placed him on his feet, and
led him through the woods. A quiet cot
tage embossed among the trees broke on
their eyes. They entered the cottage
There bosiao the desolate hearthstono, sat
the widow ard I5r children.
She sat tbe,e, d matronly woman OF
about Is ycars, with face faded by care
deep dark eys, and long black hair,
hanging IN dishelveied state around her
shoulders One side was a dark haired
boy OF six years, on the other side, girl
one year younger, with light blue eyes
The bible-an cid and venerable volume
lay open upon the mothers knee. And
the pale face tory flung himself upon his
knees, and confessed that he had butcher
ed her husband On the night of Paoli, and
begged his life at her hands. "Spare me,
for the sake Of my vile and child -
He had expected this pitiful moan would
touch the widows heart, but not one re-
lenting gleam softened her heart.
The Lord shall judge between US,
she said in cold, icy tone, that froze the
murderer's heart ''Look, the bible is in
M lad | will close the volume, aud let
my little son place his fingers at random
upon line, aud by that you shall live or
die"
This was strange proposal made in
good faith, of a mild and dark superstition
of olden times. For moment the tory
pile as ashes, was wrapped in deep thought
then IN Z faint voice he signifcd his
consent.
Raising her dark eyes to heaven the
mother prayed to the Great Father to di.
rect the finger of her son. She closed the
book-she handed it to the boy, whose
cheek Redeemed with loathing as he gazed
upon his fathers murderer He took the
bible and opened its holy pages az random
and placed his finger upon verse. There
was science. The continental soldier
who had sworn to avenge his brother:
lips. The culprit kneelipg upon the 1foor
with his face like discolored clay, felt his
heart leap in his throat.
Then In clear, bold voice, the widow
read this line from the Old testament
It was short yet terrible: That man slal
surely die" Look ! The brother sprlngs
forward to plunge the knife into the mur
derer's heart but the tory, pinione1 as h'
is, clings to the widows knees. He beg
that one more trial may be made by the
lettle girl, that child of five years old
with golden hair and laughing eyes.
The widow consents. There is an aw
full pause. With smile in her eye, anl
and without knowing what she was doing
the little girl opened the biDie as it lay or