Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1875-10-22
seletted Mlisfellanv.
THRILLING REVOLUTIONARY
TALE.


in the heart He is on the battle field
and in our peaceful home. Praise his
Holy name.
1t was in the wilds of Wissahicon, on
the day of battle, as the MONDAY sun
came through the thick clustered leaves,
that men met in deadly conflict near the
reef which rose, like some primeval
world, at least thousand feet above the
dark waters on the Wissahicon.
The man with dark brown face, grey
eyes flashing with deadly light, and a
muscular form, clad in blue frock of
the Revolution, is Continental named
Warren.
The other, with long black hair,
dropping along bis cadaverous face, is
clad in the half military costume of a
Tory refugee. This is . murderer of
Paoli, named Delaney.
They met by accidcn......N how they
fought, not with sword'..' rife, but with
the long and deadlyNsS Idting knife, they
struggled. twining asytwisting on the
green sward.
At last the Tory is downtown on
the turf, with the knee of the Continen-
tai on his breast-the appraised knife
flashed death in his face
Quarter | yield p gasped the
Tory. as the knee was pressed on his
breast. ''Spare me, yieldr'
"My brother" said the patriot. in a
tone of deadly hate, "my brother cried
for quarter on the night of Paoli even
as he chung to your knees you struck
that knife into his heart | will give
you the quarter of Paoli."
And his hand was raised for the blow
and his teeth we're clenched with deadly
hate; he paused moment, and then
pinioned the Tory's arms, and with a
rapid stride, dragged him to the verge
Of the rock, and held him quivering ovei
the abyss.
Mercy" gaspod the Tory, turning
ashy pale by turns, and that awful gull
yawning below. mercy have a wife
and child at home--spare me-"
The Continental with muscular strentgf
gathered for the effort, shook the murder
err over the abyss, and then Kissed his
bitter sneer in his face
"My brother had a wife and two chill.
dren. The morning after the night al
Paoli that wife was widow those chill
dren fatherless Ask mercy from them p
The proposal made by the Continental
in mockery and bitter hate, was taken into
serious earnest by the terror-stricken
Tory. He begged to be taken to the
widow and her children. and to have the
privilege of begging for his life. Anoth-
err moment of serious thought, and the
patriotic soldier consented. He bound
the Tory's arms still tighter, placed him
on his feet, and led him through the
woods. A quiet cottage embossed among
the trees broke on their eyes. They en-
tered the cottage. There, beside the
desolate bearthstonc, sat the widow and
her two children.
She sat there. q matronly woman of
about twenty-eight years, with a face
faded by care deep, dark eye, and long
black hair, hanging in disheveled state
about her shoulders. On one side was a
dark haired boy Of six years, on the
other side, girl one year younger, with
light blue eyes. The Bible-an old
aud venerable volumc-lay open upon
the mothers knee. And the pale-faced
Tory flung himselfon his knees, and con-
fessed that he bad murdered her husband
on the night of Paoli and begged his
life at her hands.
"Spare me for the sake Of my wife
and child"
He had expected this pitiful moan
would touch the widows heart; but one
relenting CLEAN softened her face.
THE Lord shall judge between us, .
she said, in cold icy tone. that froze the
murderer's heart. Look. the Bible is
in my lap. l viii close the volume, and
let my little son place his fingers at ran
dom upon a line, and by that you shall
live or die"
This was a strange proposal, made in
good faith, Of wild and dark supersti.
ton Of olden times. For a moment the
Tory, pale as ashes. was in deep thought
then in faint voice he signiied bis
consent.
Raising her eyes to Heaven, the moth