Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1870-12-06
MISCELLANEOUS.
Thrilling Revolutionary Tale.

1uT1lllug hGNUIuIIUutII 1dl6s
God is everywhere. His words are in the
heart. He is on the battlefield and in our
peaceful homes. Praise his holy name.
1t was in the wilds of Wissahicon on the
day of the battle, as noouday SUI came through
the thick clustered leaves that two men met
in deadly conflict near the reef which rose.
like some primcval world. at least thousand
feet above the dark waters of the Wissahicon.
The man with dark brown free, grey eyes.
flashing with deadly light, and muscular
form. clad in blue frock of the Revolution,
is Continental named Warren.
The other with leng black hair. dropping
along his cadaverous face, is clad in the half
military costume of Tory refugee. This is
murderer of PaoR, named Delauy.
They met by accident. aud now they fought.
not with sword or rife. but with long and
deadly hunting-knives they struggled, twin
ing and twisting on the green swnrd.
At last the Tory is downtown on the
turf--the upraised kuiIe flashing death in his
Quarter! Iyield !" the tory. as the knife
was pressed on his 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 Pauli even as he cung to your
knees you stuck that knife into his heart. l
will give you the quarter of Paoli."
And his hand was raised for the blow ard
his teeth were clencbed with deadly hate;
lie paused for moment, and then pinioned
the Tory's arms, and with rapid stride.
dragged him to the verge of the rock, and
held him quivering over the abyss.
"Mercy!" gnsped the Tory, turning ashy
pale by turns, at the awful yawning below
Mercy, I have a wife and child at home
spare me !"
The Continental, with muscular strength
gathered for the effort, shook the murderer
ouce more over the abyss, and then hissed his
bitter sneer in the face.
"My brother had wife and two children.
The morning after the night at Paoli that wife
was a widow those children iatheress. Ask
mercy from them.
The proposal made by the Continental in
mockery aud bitter hate was taken into serious
earnest by the terror-srrcken Tory. He
begged to be taken to the widow and her chill
dren, and to have the privilege of begging for
his life. Another moment of serious thought
and the patriot soldier consented.
lie bound the Tory's arms still tighter,
placed him on his feet, and led him through
the woods. A quiet cottage. embossed among
the trees, broke on their eyes. They entered
the cottage. There. beside the desolate hearth
stone, sat the widow and her children.
She sat there. matronly woman of about
twenty-eght years, with face faded by care /;
a deep, dark eye, and long black hair hanging
in dishevclcd state about her shoulders. On
one side was dark-haired boy of six years,
on the other side a girl one year younger.
with light blue eyes. The Bible an old and
venerable volume, lay open on the mothers
knee. and the pale.fnced Tory flung himself
on his knees and confessed that he had mur.
dered her husband on the night of Paoli and
begged his lie at her hands.
Spare me for the sake of my wife and
childrcn?"
He had expected the pitiful moan would
have touched the widows heart but not one
relenting CLEAN softcned her face.
The Lord shall judge between u.s. she
said in cold, icy tone. that frcze the mur-
derers heart. Look. the Bible is in my lap.
/ will close the volume and lie. my little son
place his finger at random upon line, and
upon that you shall live or die"
This was strange proposal made in good
faith ola mad and dark superstition of olden
times. For moment the Tory, as pale as
ashes, was deep in thought then, in faint
voice., he signiied his consent.
Raising her eyes TO heaven the mother
prayed to the Great Father to direct the fin
ger of her sou. She closed the book-she
handed it 10 her son, whose cheeks reddened
with loathing as he eazed upon his fathers
murderer. He took the Bible and opened its
holy pages at random. and placed his finger
upon a line there was silence. The conti-
mental soldier, who had sworn to aveuge his
brothers death. stood with dilated eyes and
parted lips. The culprit, kneeIing upon the
floor, with 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. 1t was
short, yet terrible:
That man shall surely die!''
Look! the brother springs forward to
plunge the knife into the murderer's heart
The Tory. pinioped, clings to the widows
knees. He bees that one more trial may be
made By the little girl, that child of five years.
with golden hair and laughing eyes.
The widow consents There is an awful
pause With smile in her eye. and without
knowing what she was doing, the little girl
opened the Bible as it lay upon her mothers
knee She turned her face away, placed her
finger upon a line.
The awful silence grows deeper The deep
drawn breath of the brother, and the broken
gasp of the murderer. alone disturbed the
stiffness The widow aud dark haIed boy
are breatbless The fitfIe pIrl az sile nauohk