Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-06-01
THE HOURS SIEGE.


-Aaantic Monthly.
THE HOURS SIEGE.
SKETCH OF THE REVOLUTION.
IT was past the midnight of the 18th of
August commenced my grandmother),
but though the river was in front of us,
and the forest stretched for miles behind
us, and away to the right and left, could
not catch even the sigh of leaf or the
ripple OF the water, so sultry and heavy
5rooded the darkness around us.
had not been in the best of spirits that
day, for it was the time when we dreaded
every hour to hear of the bombardment of
New York; and though in the house of
Thomas Oakley, a brother of my father,
had nothing to fear, there hung over me
such terror and dread of that day that
could not help fearing lest some evil had
happened to my parents, who were still in
the city.
As usual with the sIeepless, all sorts of
fancIes teased my brain. My room, like
all the others was large, and furnished in
the style that seems SO quaint to people of
the present day.
The chimney piece was tiled with por-
ceiain, curiously wrought into illustrations
Of scripture. The bed and furniture, that
had all been brought from England, was
tall, dark, stiff and carved, while the
walls We're hung with sombre family por-
traits And as lay and wished for day
the tiled figures seemed to move and glow
er at me in the uncertain light that came
through loop-hole in my window, while
L thought the eyes of the portraits were,
oneand al, fixed on NE with solemn,
warning stare; and so it happened that
heard the old clock strike one, two three,
and was just falling off into a doze, when
there came a light step along the hall, and
cousin Grace called in a strange, scared
volce, outside the door: Helen, Hell
enin1
was up II, moment and out to where
she stood, looking like spirit, with her
ashy facc,, and fair hair falling about her ;
andl remember the thrill of astonishment
Wnsn which, spite of my fright, I saw that
sneswas already dressed, and held in her
hand q powder flask.
can, Nellie" she said, in voice that trem-
blei little, though she was doing her
beStto be calm. "Brant's men are COM
iag and father wants us all down stairs"
Brant's men! 1t is difficult to make you
understand the horror with which that
name was pronounced and heard; or to
express the terror with which, as hurried
on my clothes, thought of Grace and N.Y.
self in the power of those merciless saw
ages. No wonder that she trembled in
every limb, or that Thomas Oakley and
his five stalwart sons, men not easily
daunted, looked pale, as they moved about
In the dim morning light.
don't know as | have spoken to you
before of Thomas Oakley, man over six
feet INF height, and of noble presence,
T,oo hot Loo bod - ;,l,f
have been chiseled out of marble, and hair
as white as snow, although he was scarcely
past his prime. We have no such men
now -a-days. have his portrait in my lit
tie cabinet yonder, and you may see that
he looks as he was, kind and noble gem
tlenlan
As for his sons, they were like him
tall, strong -limbed, fearless and devoutly
attached to their stately mother, who was
preparing breakfast, while they fastened
the iron shutters of the lower windows,
and barred the heavy doors.
Its a shame to rout you out SO early,
Nellie,' said Mr.. Oakley, as he noticed my
pale, frightened face; but if we don't eat
our breakfast now those rascals may not
give us chance to eat it at all and to my
mine, after good cause, there's nothing
like a good breakfast before going into a
fight"
II wish Mark was here" said Grace,
timidIy.
mo doubt, Pussy but I've sent for
him. You Yost, the half-witted lad that
brought the news, has gone on after him
and the volunteers, who were to start for
the camp to-day and if we can but keep
the rascals at bay till they come, we may
give them as good peppering as they de-
servesa's
Ay, if! but oh, that dreadful uncertain
ty. The house was of stone, and SO
strongly built, that it was doubtful if they
could either raze or fire it. But who knew
what else might happen? How many of
that fair family would gather around the
board Tomorrow morning?- All! it was a
dreadful day; but think the hour before
the attack was the worst of ALL
1t was not to, be expected that we could
eat much breakfast; but hurried as the
meal was, it was hardly over when one of
the boys whom my uncle had posted at
the lockout, called out that they were
coming, and stealing along the woods at
the right, as if they hoped to surprise us.
At once the men hurried with their rifles
to the windows of the second story while
Mrs. Oakley, pale, but still outwardly
calm, motiOned US to follow, and hand out
the powder.
linen came CeaQ silence.
"Look out, Simeon" said the father, in
low voice, land tell us what the Tascals
are about"
Posting themselves around the house
but under cover. They think to catch us
mapping. There's man coming this way
now-he-Why, father, it is Walter Var
Culyerr'
We all started. The meaning of this
sudden attack was clear enough now.
Van @Culyer had been professional
patriot and warm admirer of Grace and
on his rejection by her, had gone away
vowing to take a terrible revenge on the
whole family.
"The traitor" muttered my uncle; +" it il
he, then,-sthat has brought down this
swarm Of hornets. What is he doing
now?"
"Hehas been trying the windows to SEE
if they are fastened. Now he is at the
door" -
The words of Simeon were at time,
drowned in series of laundering knocks
at the door,
Mr.. Oakley went to Simeon's window
and demanded:
"Who is there?"
Walter Van Culyer."
What do you want ?"
Good rest and shelter Brant's me
are on my track. Let me in quickly"
The sharp crack of a rifle and the word
liar and hypocrite /" were his answer. !
fierce yell arose from behind the haystack
and outbuildings, as twenty dark form
rushed. forward, brandisking their weapon
and firing at random, while as many NOR
hovered on the outskirts of the wood
Within the house was perfect silenc'
broken only by the low "now boys" {
lIr. Oakley and the crack of six Of th
best rifles in the country.
six down! A man for each bulle
Good' said the exulting voice of m
uncle. "pThe powder, girls, and we'll gi1
'em another"
A shower of bullets, that ratified lik