The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-05-06

he said with smile, turning to hl
child
Now, Bess my girl, when ] fir
this rife, do you hand me another
and so on until the whole eight shot
are fired That will keep them o
the other side of the nall for a fey
moments, at least, and then we wi
have to trust to God for the rest."
/ Look down there, and see a han
stealing over the wall. The old ma
leveled his piece-that British troop
er falls back with a crushed han
upon his comrads' heads!
No longer quivering with suspense
but suddenly grown firm, the youni
girl passed loaded rifle to the veter
ans grasp and awaits the result.
For a moment all is silent below
the British bravoes are somewha
lOath to try that wall when a stout
old "Reble," j." rifle in hand, is lookin:
from yonder window Here is I
pause-low, deep murmers-they
are holding a council
4 moment is gone, and nine headt
are thrust above the wall at once
bark i-One--two-three /! The ole
veteran has fred three shots, thre,
dying men grcvel in the yard, be
meath the shadow Of the wall,
"Ouick BpSs the rifles ~
And the brave girl passed The
rifles to her fathers grasp; there are
four more shots, and three more
soldiers fall back like weights o
lead upon the ground, and a single
red coat is seen slowly mounting tC
the top of the wall, hiseye fixed upt L
the hall door, which he will force ere
a moment is gone.
Now the last ball is fired, the old
man stands there in that second story
window his hands vainly striving
for another loaded rife.
At this moment the wounded and
diving band below were joined by a
party of some twenty refugees, who,
clad in their half robber uniform,
came rushing from the woods, and
with one bound are leaping from the
summit of the wall.
Quick, Bess, my rifles"
And look there-even while the
veteran stood looking out upon the
foes, the brave girl-for slender in
form and wildly beautiful in face,
she is brave girl, hero woman
had managed, as if by instructive
impulse, to load rife. She handed
it to her father, and then loaded an
other and another. Was not that a
sight? A fair, young girl
grasping powder and ball, with RAM
rod rising and falling in her slender
fingers
Now look down to the wall again.
The refugees are climbing over its
summit-again that fatal aim-again
that horrid cry, and another wound
ed man tumbled down upon his dead
and dying comrads.
But now look, A smoke rises
there, the fire blazed up around the
wall; they have fired the gate. A
and the bolt and lock will
be burned from the socket-the pas
sage will be free. Now is the fry
moment of the old mans trial!
While the brave girl loads, he con-
.inues to fire with that deadly aim,
out now-oh, horrorl He falls, he
'alls, with a musket ball driven into
ais breast-the daughters outstrech-
ID arms receive the father, as with
blood spouting from the wound, he
opples from the window.
Oh, it is a sad and terrible picture.
The old man writhing there on the
,aken floor, the young daughter
over him, the light from the
streaming over her face,
,ver her fathers gray hairs, while
he ancient furniture of the small
affords dim back ground
o the scene.
Now bark The sound of axes at
be hall door shouts. hurrah. curs-
:.
1--WE have the old rebel at last ~
The old man raised his head at
hat sound; makes an effort 10 raise,
lutches for rife, and then falls
'ack again, his eyes glaring, as the
hort but meaning speech.
Advance one step into this room,
nd l will fire this rifle into the pow
er there"
No oath quivers from the lips of
hat girl to confirm her resolution,
ut there she stands alone, with her
father, and yet, not a SOL
ier dare cross the threshold, En-
ruted as they are in deeds of blood,
here is something terrible to these
zen in the words of that young girl, |
Tho stands there, with the rifle laid
gainst the powder keg.
They stood, as if spell-bound, on
be threshold of that chamber.
At last, one bolder than the rest. |
bravo, whose face is half enclosed
/ a thick red beard, grasps his
lusket and levels it at the young
iris breast, "Stand back or | will
re!r
Still the girl is firm; the bravo ad-
ances a step, and then starts back.
he sharp "click" Of that rife falls
18th unpleasant emphasis upon his
lr.
"Bess, 1 am dying" gasped the
ID man family extending his arms.
Ha, ha, we foiled the Britishers
ome, daughter, kneel here; kneel
nd say a prayer for me and let me
.el your warm breath upon my face,
,r | am pettinp cold-Oh dark and |