The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1874-10-16

for q rife, and then falls back again, his
eyes glazing, as the fierce pain of that
wound quivers through his heart.
Now, watch the movements of the
daughter. Silently she loads a rifle, ST.
lently she rests it against the head of
that powder keg, and then placing her
finger on the trigger, stands over her
fathers form, while the shouts OF the
enraged soldiers came laundering down
the stairs. Yes, they have broken the
hail door to fragments, are in possession
Of the old biock-house, they are rushing
oward the chamber with murder III
their eyes! Had the old man a thou
sand lives they would not be worth d
farthing's purchase now.
Still that girl, grown suddenly white
as the kerchief round her neck. stands
there trembling from head to foot, the
rife in her hand. its dark tube laid
against the powder keg.
The door bursts open ! Look there
Stout forms are in the doorway, with
muskets III their hands: grim faces
stained with blood, glaring into the
room.
Now, as if her very soul has coined
the words, that young girl, with face
pale as ashes, hazel eyes glarine with
deathly hight, utters this short but
meaning speech
Advance M step into this room.
and l viii fire this rifle into the powder
there"
No oath Guivers the lips of that girl,
to confirm her resolution, but there.she
stands alone, with her wounded father,
and Vet not q soldier dare cross the
threshold. Emhrued rs they are in
deeds Of blood, there is something ter
rb.e 10 those men IN the words OF that
Young girl, who stands there with the
rifle laid against the powder keg.
They stand as if spell-bound, on the
threshold CT tAat chamber.
At last one bolder than the rest, a
bravo, whose face is half Enclosed in Il
thick, red beard, grasps a rife and lev
it at he Young girls breast.
Stand back. or / will fire -
Still the girl is firm the bravo adj
a step and then steps back. The
click Of that rifle falls with
an unpleasant emphasis upon his ear.
"Bess, I am dying" gasps the old
man, extending his arms. "Ha, la, we
have fooled ;he Bri;ishers. Come,
daughter, kneel here kneel and say n
prayer for me. and LEI me feel your
warm breath upon my face, Tor l am
cold. Oh, dark and cola :"
Look As those trembling accents
from the old mans tongue, those
u]nloose their hold of the rifle
the troopers are secure of one
& young and beautiful girl, for
FOR her father IS mastering the
Of the moment-look +, She is
about to spring into his arms. But now
She sees her danger again, she clutches
he rifle again, though her fathers dy- ,
accents are II her ears, stands there.
prepared to scatter that house in ruins
+ a single rough hand ~assails that vet /
ran form. I
There are 4 few moments of terrible {
suspense, then a hurried sound far
Town the mansion, then Il contest on the {
,tairs. then the sound of rifle shots and g,
he light OF rifle blaze. Then the ruff 3
ians i'll the doorway fall crushed by the {
trong arm of the Continental soldiers. r
Then a wild shrek quivers through the y
DOM, and that young %girl-that hero Of r
woman-with n bound springs into il
Ter brothers arms, and nesties there n
Thile her father-his form yet warm y
with fixed eyeballs, upon the floor.
4 GTE NyFI MIR