The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-07-17

above him the solid form OF one who,
but u day before, had been as full Of
lie as he now was; but not sound es-
capped him, for he knew that silence was
his only preservation. -! n
"Well, rascal, you sec what you are
coming to for deserting from his majts.
ty's service. A halter, I suppose, is
more agreeable than good treatment and
soldiers pay" 5s
Thus spoke Cunningham to the pris.
oner. 80 ''s- .e' .-'. %
"I entered into the refugee corps for
my own reasons. They have proved
satisfactory" the prisoner said, look
ing at Cunningham with a bold counte-
nance.
"Yes, internally satisfactory, you re-
bell A spy, I s'posel DeLancey's ref
ugees would be pretty set il they were
all like you, rogue. No, no; had my
ego on you when you listed, month
ago, and I told Colonel Delaney what
l beloved you Ras. Not royal refu.
gee, but n rebel scouudrel. I was right,
rogue, eh I"
eyes, you were right rs TO myenlist
ing. As to being a'rebel scoundtel, why,
there is m offset-you are royal knaye
and bloodthirsty villain. AL the in
formation I wanted to send TO the great
Washington he has got before. this-so
hang away But 1 should like fvo min
utes' communion with my God first, il
you have the manliness to grant it," r
Astouished US Cunningham was by
the holiness Of tho mans speech, he
knew full we'll that he himself was de-
tested by the English soldiery for his
tyranny, and that o refusal OF such rc-
quest, TO man on tho point of exccu-
lion, would only make him still more
odious among them. With IN il. grace,
he said; . fh
"" Pray, rascal, pray / i don't wonder
thst knave-like yon fears death. A
man who betrays his king be.rays his
God, and it is full time that you try to
make youf peace with Him Three min.
utes-thre0 minutes That's all the
time you have from me. Go oil your
knees at once. then. -Sambo, have tho
halter ready Three minutes only"
The negro had placed the lauternl on
the ground, directly under the gallows.
It's faint light cleaned upward showing
q dim outline Of the gallows frame, and
partially lighting the faces and forms Of
tho soldiers grouped, with their muskets
to m order, III semicircle around the
scene OF execution. ~
The prisoner bent down, resting his
knee upon the earth thrown up around
tho now dug grave. He hSd.no hope OF
escape; and rs he looked upward toward
the heavens, although all was black with
night, yet his eye pierced through the
gloom, and he saw in the future redcmp-
tion ior. tho past The quiyering Of his
lips showed his sincerity; he was
prepared to die. OF n sudden he bent
his head. Ah |. his prayer was heard
rescue wns at hand. His life-oh !
glorious thought-was not to set in
blood through the hands OF menl
Harry y said n voice, in whisper,
proceeding from the grave where the
prisoner had seen a dead body tossed
Int . few moments before, make no
alarr. IT'S /, your comrade, Dick
Martin, Of Washington's lie guard, come
to save yon. Mako some excuse to turn
your back toward the hole where I havc
hidden myself, and l will cat the rope
by which your hands are tied. When
this il done and you hear mo groan,
kick over the lantern, and make for the
east corner Of the graveyard I will
follow. Things arc ready for our es'
cape. Remember, mike no alarm /
Tho prisoner felt as il hc Ind won
empires upon empires. His life was
then safe!
"Come, rogue, your three minutes
are up. Sambo, the ropo there"
The prisoner, without rising from his
knees, turned round so that ho facedthc
lantern, his back towards tho grave.
The negro advanced with the halter, to
place It a-ound his neck. The scone
was striking. In tho foreground stood
the soldiers gazing with no very pleasant
emotions, by tho dim light, upon the
poor prisoner. Cunningham was in the
center, his brutal and harsh features
lighting up with dcvilish expression.
Just rs $ambo got within arms length
OF tho prisoner, the hitter felt tho thoUgI
cut which bound bis arms. lie was
free
But why starts tho colorcl man, lis
eyes protruling from their sockets, as
il death was before him Tn" halter
drops from his lrlnds; he is panlyzed
with Icar Slowly frOm tho grave ri4cl
tue dead boly OF the soldier le had
himself rolled into i'll
Cunningham beheld tho sight, and 50
did the soldiers. The vision was awful
so apparently contrary to human rem
son-thnt with ono accord all fled, ez'
ceptiug Sambo and tho prisoner. Tie
former rolled on the ePround in terror.
In the meantime, the prisoner aud his
comndc, who had 20 opportunely res
cucd him from an ignominious death,
hurried from the graveyard and made
for Lispenard's woods, which then skirt
I'd Tho North river near about where
Canal street ends.
There they found boat, in which
Dick Martin had crossed alone from the
Jersey shore, NIX hours before, to save
his c6mradc. Reaching tho jersey side
Just below Bulls Ferry, in All hour, they
struck. into tho woods, and reached the
camp OF Washington, near West Point
about night tho next day. The morning
after, in general orders, two new lieuten
ants were commissioned in Washington''
liro ---Ii,h,r,.thR- .sealer can imagine
%, lR they % %%Slo,
4 brief examination, perhaps, Is ne
cessary. 1t always SURPRISED the Eng
iish commanders how Washington kney
40 well tho movements male in thei
lines, Washington, in many cases, mad
desertipu duty. He knew who anon
4