The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-07-25

to humble the proud beauty, and tc
accomplish this end he proposed to his
troops, that they should assist him il
bearing her from home
"Old Demarset," said he ''is rich
and his cellar is stocked with rare old
wines; his money and wines shall be
your booty-I will content myself
with the charms of his pretty daugh-
ter. Ha, my lads, what say you
You take the gold and ransack the
cellar and L will bear away the pretty
Mary 2"
Elated with the prospects of filling
their pockets with the root of all
evil" and replenishing their exhaust
ed canteens with good liquor, the sol
diers insisted upon making the attack
that very night; and after draining
the last drop to the success of the en-
terprise, they laid down ON the grass
to rest till midnight.
Scarcely had they composed them
selves to sleep, when John Van Cleef
who seated i'll his skiff with his head
out Of the cave, had overheard the
whole, floated silently down with the
tide, keeping close i'll the deep shadow
of the bank, and landed a short dis
tance below the soldiers.
When he was interrupted by the ap-
preaching dragons, he was on his way
to visit the house of Mr.. Demarset,
whose daughter had promised to be-
come his bride as soon as the war
should close.
He delayed but a moment to ex-
anime the printing of his rife, and to
form an estimate of their number, and
then borne upon the wings of anxious
love, hurried across the country, and
soon reached the house of his father
in-law elect, which was about three
miles from New Brunswick. Here he
unfolded the whole plot, Demarset,
who was a true rebel, Immediately
armed himself, his two sons and three
negroes, and determined to defend his
family altar to the last; and the youth
swOre to- live or die by his betrothed.
They had scarcely time to make the
necessary arrangement for defence
when the party arrived and demanded
admittance and shelter for the night,
which was fatty refused. The de-
mand was repeated, accompanied by
a threat of violence if their request
was not acceded to.
Their answer was a shout of def
ance from those within, and shout of
warning to retire or suffer the cOnse-
quence.
The soldiers laughed at the warning,
and one of them who attempted to
force open the door, was shot through
the head by one of the negroes.
This somewhat dampened the ardOr
of the soldiers, who expected to meet
with no resistance, but the plunder
was too valuable TO be abandoned
without an effort, then began an as
sault in earnest, and after losing two
more of their number succeeded in
forcing an entrance, but the family
had retired to an inner-room, and hav-
ing barricaded the door, all efforts to
force it proved unavailing.
After deliberating a few seconds
two of the soldiers went out and re-
, turned with rail, with which they
soon battered the door down, receiv-
ing as it fell, the fire of the party with
in, which did much execution.
a desperate hand to hand encOun-
| ter ensued, in which one of the negroes
s5ot IsilIod a,ad tho ho~~i1. I~fo', ~1e---
wounded more or less; except one of
! the brothers.
The soldiers fought furiously fired
with the hope Of booty and burning
! to revenge their dead comrades, their
! attack was most furious and the be-
sieged family battling for their lives
! ,,a+ +bair foo with bravery
Van Cleef, although bleeding pro-
! fusely from a sabre cut across the fore
! head, welded his weapon with almost
| superhuman energy, cOntesting every
inch of ground with the maddened as
/ saiIants.
The tide was turning in favor OF
! the dragons, when the officer spring
inc forward to seize the girl who had
swooned from fright, allowed himself
to be put off his guard, receiving a
tremendous blow from Van Cleefs
rifle. which stretched him lifeless on
! the floor.
Dismayed by the death Of their lea
, der. the dragons fled, leaving nine OF
/ their number dead ON the spot.
All the Demarset family recovered
of their wounds, and Van CIeet, as
soon as peace was declared, was re
warded with the hand he had so nobly
defended, and judging from the nu-
merical force Of the Van Cleet family
in New Jersey, it is fulfilled to the let
ter the scripture injunction-'ncrease
and multiply"