The Van Buren press., 1870-02-22
MISCELLANY.
A Thrilling Evolutionary Tale.

God is everywhere His words are il
the heart. lie i, on the battle field, an>
in our peaceful home. Praise His hel,
name
1t was in the rilds of Wissahicon, Oh
the day OF battle, as the MONDAY sun
came through thethick clustered leaves
that two men metin deadly conflict neal
the reef which roe like some primeva
world at least thousand feet above the
dark waters of theWissahicon.
The man with ark brown face, grey
eyes flashing witt deadly light, aud 4
muscular form, dad in blue irock ot
the Revolution, is continental named
Warren. H.|
The other, with long black hair droop.
ing along his eadaverous face, is clad in
the alf-militalg costume of to-y refu-
gee. This is a murderer of paoli, named
Delaney.
They met by accident; and now they
fought, not with sword and rifle, but with
long and deadly limiting knife they strug-
glcd, twining and Visiting on the green
swald.
At last the toryis downtown on the
turf, with the kneoof the continental on
his breast the praised knife flashed
death in his face.
Quarter yeld!' gasped Tie tory,
as the knee was pressed on his breast
" Spare me, Yield ~
And his hand was raised for the blow
ana ms teeth were clenched in deadly
hate. He paused for a moment, and
then pinioncd the tory's arms and with
a rapid stride dragged him to the verge
of the rock, held him quivering over the
abyss.
Mercy" gaspcd the tory, turning
ashy pale by turns, and that awful gulf
yawned below. "Mercy! have wife
and child at home, spare me'
The continental with terrible strength
gathered for the effort, shook the mur
derer once more over the abyss, and then
hissed this bitter sneer in his face -
"My brother had wife and two chill
dren. The morning after the night at
Paoi that wife was q widow, those chill
dren orphans ask mercy of them! ~
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 the widow
and her children, and to have the privi.
lege Of begging for his life. Another
moment Of serious thought-the patriotic
soldier consented. He bound the tory's
arms still tighter, placed him on his feet,
and led him through the woods. AQuiet
cottage embossed among the trees broke
on their sight they entered there beside
the desolate hearthstone, sat the widow
and her children,
one sat there, a matronly woman o
about twenty eight years, with face fad
ed oy care; deep, dark eye, and long
oiack hair hanging in disheveled stat,
about her shoulders On one side wa
a dark Injured boy of about SIX wears, OF
the other side, girl one year Younger
WIN Light blue eyes The Bihle-an ol,
ana venerable volume-lav upon tn,
mother knee. The pale faced tory Gnns
himself upon his knees and contesse,
that he had butchered her husband OF
The night Of Paoli, and begged his life a
her hands.
"Spare me for the sake Of my wifi,
and child"
He had expected this pitrul moan
would touch tho widow heart but not
one relenting CLEAN softened her face.
The Lord shall judge between us, -
she said in cold, icy tone that froze the
murderer's heart. Look, the Bile il in
my lap, will close the volume and let
my little son place his fingers at random
upon line, aud by that you shall live or
die"
This was a strange proposal, made in
good faith, of n wild and dark supersti.
ton Of elden times. For a moment the
tory pale as ashes, was absorbed in deep
theught-thcn in faint voice he sigui-
fed his consent,
Raising her eyes to heaven the mother
prayed to The Great Father to direct the
finger of her son. She closed the book
she handed it to the boy,whose cheeks
reddened with oathing as he gazed upon
his fathers murderer, He took the Bible
and opened its holy pages at random, and
placed his fingers upon verse There
was silence. The continental soldier,
who had swore to avcDgc his brothers
death stood with dilated eyes and parted
lips. The culprt kneeling upon the floor
with the face like discolored clay, felt
his heart leap in his throat.
Then in a clear, bold voice the widow
read this line from the Old Testament
II was short vpt tprgiblp
That man shall surely die"
Look the brother springs forward to
plunge the knife into the murderor's
heart; but the tory, pinioned as he is,
clings to the widows knees. He bcgs
that one more trial may be made by the
little girl. that child Of five years old, with
golden hair and laughing eyes