The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1870-09-28
Thrilling Revolutionary Tale.


holy name. .n N
III was in tic wilds of Wissahicon on
the day Of tho battle, as the MONDAY
sun came through tho thick, clustered
leaves that two men met in deadly
Conflict near the reef which, rose like
some primcval world, ut least thou.
sand feet above tho dark waters of the
Wissahicon.
The man with dark brown face,
grey eyos flashing with deadly light,
and muscular form, clad in blue
frock of the Revolution, is Continen-
tai, name Warren.
The other with long black hair,
dropping along his cadaverous fuce.
is Glad in the half military costume of
tory refugee. This is n murderer Of
Paoli, named Delaney.
They met by accident, and how
they fought, not with sword or rife,
but with long and deadly hunting
knife, they struggled, tw,ning und
twisting Oh the green sward.
At last the Tory ls iown--down Oh
the turf-the appraised knife flashed
death in his face.
Quarter | yield ~ gasped the
Tory, as the knife was pressed on his
breast. "Spare NE, ] yield !"
My brother said the patriot, in a
tone Of deadly hate, "My brother
cried for quarter on tho night Of
Paoli even as he clung to your
knee, you struck that knife into his
heart. will give you the quarter of
Pao)i."
And his hand was raised for the
blow, aud his teeth were clenched
with deadly hate he paused for II
moment, and then piuioned the Tory's
arms,$and with rapid stride, dragged
him TO the verge of the rock, and held
him quivering over the abyss.
"Mercyw gasped the Tory. turning
eshy pale by turns, ut the awful yawn-
lug below. "Mercy [ have wife
and cinitG at home-spure me T.
The Continental, with muscular
strength gathered for the eff,rt, SHOOK
the murderer once more over tn"
abyss, and then hissed his bitter sncel
in his face.
"My brother had a wife, aad two
children. The morning after the
night at Paoli, that wife was widow;
those children fatherlcss. Ask mercy
from them !"
The proposal made by the Coutin.
,ental in lpockery and bitter hate, was
taken into serious earnest by the ter
ror stricken Tory. III begged to be
taken to the widow apd hsr children:
and to have the privilege Of begging
for his life. Another moment OF
serious thought and the patriot soldie,
consented. h.
/ lie bound the TorJ's arms. still
tighter, placed him on his feet, and
led him through tho woods. A quiet
cottage embossed among the trees,
broke on their eyes. They entered
the cottage, There beside the desc.
,]ate ,hcarthstone, sat the widow and
her two children. S.
She sat there, a "matronly woman Of
about twenty eight years, with face
faded by core "a deep, dark eye, and
long black hair hanging in dishevel.
ed state about'her shoulders. On one
side was dark haired boy Of six
years. on the other side was girl
one year younger, With light blue
'eyes. The Bible-an old and vcnera.
'ble volume--lay opon upon the moth
er's knee, and pulc-faced Tory flung
.himself onC his knees s,and confessed
ythatthe had murdered her husband On
the night of Paoli, ,iand begged his life
at her hands. lh'sGD9 80 J .N.srEl
10 s'Spare me for the sake Of my wife
ennd children p'1- a,I
Va HS had. OK peeted this pitifnl moan
.lwould touch tho widows heart but
not one relonting gleam softohed her
face.
'tt"aThe IIorl shall Judge Us,'' she
said, In cold, icy tone, that froze the
murdercr's heart. "Look, the Bible
Is in NY lap. J. will close the volume
and lot my little son place his finger
at random upon line, and by that
you shall live or die"
This was strange proposal, made In
good faith, of mad and dark super
stition of oldon times. For moment
the 'rory, pale as ashes, was in dcep
thought-then in faint voice, he
signified his consent.
no Raisibg hcro eyes Heaven, the
mothcr prayed to the Great Father to
direct The finger ,of her son. She
closed the book she handed it to her
SON. whose checks Redeemed with
loatbfng as be gaz9d upon his father
murderer. He took the Bible and