Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1871-11-07
The Hours Siege.

1t was past midnight on the 18th o
August commenced my grandmother
but though the river was in front o
us, and the forest stretched for mile,
behind us, and to the right and left,
could not catch even the sight of lea
or the ripple of the water SO sultry
and heavy brooded the darkness arounc
US. rt
l had not been in the best of spirits
that day, for it was the time when W.
dreaded every hour to hear the BON
bardment of New York, and though
in the house of Thomas Oakley, a bro
ther Of my father, l had nething tc
fear, there hung over me such terror
and dread of that day that could no,
help fearing least some evil had hap
pened to my parents, who were still in
the city. a.3
AS usual with the sleepless, all sort,
Of fancics teased my brain. My room
like all the others was large, and furn.
ished in the style that seems so quaint
to the people of the present day.
The chimney piece was tiled with
porcelain, curisouly wrought into illus.
trations of scripture. The bed and
furniture that had all been brought
from England, was tall, dark, stiff and
carved, while the walls were hung with
somber family portraits. And as
lay and watched for the day the tiled
figures seemed to move and glover at
me in the uncertain light that came
through the loop-hole in my window,
while I thought the eyes of the por.
traits were, one and all, fixed on me
with a solemn, warning stare, and so
it happened that l heard the clock
strike three, and was just falling off
in a dose when there came a light step
in the hall, and cousin Grace called in
a strange voice outside the door
"Helen Helen %
Twas up in a moment, and was out
to where she stood, looking like
spirit, with her ashy face and fair hair
falling about her; and I remember
the thrill of astonishment with which,
spite of my fright, I saw that, she was
dressed, and held in her hand pow.
der flask. "
"Put on your clothes as soon as you
ian, Nellie" she said, in a voice that
srembled a little, though she was do.
ng her best to be calm. "Brant's
men are coming, and father wants us
Ill down stairs"
Brant's men tbs difficult to make
'ou understand the horror with which
hat name was pronounced and heard,
r to express the terror with which, as
hurried on my clothes, thought of
trace and myself in the hands Of those
,erciless savages. No wonder that
he trembled in every limb, or that
'homas. Oakley and his Eve stalwart
'ns, men not easily daunted, looked
ale in the dim morning light. ~
don't know as I have spoken to
ou before Of Thomas Oakley, a man
yer six feet in heighth and of noble
resence, with grand face, and look.
4 as If it might have been chisseled ,
ut of marble, and hair as white as
low, although scarcely past his prime.
Ve have no such men nowadays. I
ave his portrait in my little cabinet
onder, and you may see that he looks
il he was a kind and noble gentle
an. '' 'a-'bA /.
As for his sons, they were like him,
II, strong limbcd, fearless, and de,
'utly attached to their stately moth
:, who was preparing breakfast while
icy fastened The shutters Of the low.
! Window and bolted the heavy (
,ors. - le II
"ltt a shame to route you cut 20