The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1876-12-29

| mas irollc. lie swore by the mend that he
would let Lee see that the God that he
worshipped could not save him.
Just after dark Berkely's guard, accom-
| panied by the negro Bob, went to Lees
and captured him without resistance.
They found the family at prayer, and i'm
mediately seized Mr.. Lee and dragged him
away from his weeping wife and children.
At the first alarm Wah Wah had slipped
out at side door, and had cleared him
SELF Captain Lee was Immediately brought
before the Governor, who informed the
prisoner that he would be hung on the
rebel tanner " the next morning at sunrise.
He abused the brave man who stood before
him, and told him that he would let him
see that the God that he worshipped could
not save him.
Captain Lee answered him defiantly, tell
ing him that he did not either fear him
nor the death with which he was menaced,
that he was true Englishman and de-
spised petty tyrants and murderers.
The bloated, half-drunken villain be-
came purple with rage, and ordered his
helpless prisoner to be manacled and placed
under strong guard until morning. The
hardened rascal now wrote note to Mrs.
Lee, telling her that her husband would
be hung to the "rebel-tamer " Christmas
morning at sunrise, and gave her and her
children liberty to come to the execution.
Berkely and his mininns spent the night in
drinking brandy and carousing The mourn
ing family of Captain Lee spent the night
in prayer, and their faith was strong, for
they believed that the God they worshipped
would save their dear husband and father.
Early next morning Berkely with thirty
armed villains escorted Captain Lee from
jamestown to the "rebel tanner" Bob,
the hangman, was wild with delight He
was dressed in fantastic style, wearing
sort of turban made of the wings of the
turkey buzzard. He was stripped naked
to the waist, and had a number of feathers
hung around his neck and dangling on his
breast. One Of his charms was q pole-cat
tail, another n stuffed toad skin, and
cats skull. He had smeared his arms and
breast with blood, and he looked like some
demon from the regions Internal.
When the procession arrived at the fatal
tree, they found Mrs Lee and her children
there. They were kneeing on the ground,
and were engaged in earnest prayer. Mr..
Lee marched with an elastic step. He APP
peared calm and fearless. A rope dangled
from the fatal limb where twenty-five of
the tyrants victims had been launched
into eternity.
Berkely was in hurry and ordered his
minlons to make haste and hang the rebel
as lie wanted his breakfast. On hearing
this Mrs. Lee and her mourning children
set up a sorrowful wall, enough to melt
heart Of adamant. But it made the brutal
murderer more furious, and he told Bob to
stop hat noise The negro made spring
toward the lady and said, You woman stop
dat"-but he did not finish his SENTENCE
Springing into the air with squall like
wild cat. he fell dead on the ground, with
an arrow through his heart. His yell was
answered by an eXultant shout from the
pine thcket, and Bacon and his fifty brave
English patriots were upon the murderer
and his creatures.
Berkely threw down his sword and
shouted treason, and started in double
quick run. His followers did the same
AS Berkely ran, he received o sabre cut in
the rear, which did not prevent his run
ming, but it rendered him unable to take
Il seat for some time. Bacon had ordered
his men not to kill any of the Englishmen
if it could be helped. He called his men
to halt for the present, to attend to their
rescued comrade, saying that they would
then march into jamestown and settle with
the Governor.
Captain Lee was now surrounded by
kind friends. His bonds were quickly cut,
and he stood free man, snatched from an
ignominious death by his friends and re-
stored to his dear family. No one was
killed in the rescue except the negro Bob,
and it was Wah Wah who had sent him
to hotter climate.
After detailing a guard of a dozen men
to escort Captain Lee and his family home,
Bacon and his comrades marched for the
Governors house. Berkely, notwithstand-
ing his unlucky wound, had been too active
for them, and he and his band of despera
does had hurried on board schooner, and
were standing down the James, bound for
the Eastern shore of the Chesapeake.
There was a joyful Christmas in James
town and vicinity on this occasion. The
patriots in council subsequently determin
ed that Berkely should not occupy James
town again. They removed their valua-
bes and burnt the town, setting fire to
their own houses sooner than harbor a
tyrant.
huuinS lhS pun an VI VII
unhealthy for tyrants sailed for England,
and there he received the unqualified cen
sure of King Charles H., who said that
" the old fool had killed more men in that
naked country than he had for the murder
of his father" Berkely died soon after, a
miserable infdel. His last words were
curses, telling those around him that his
room was full of horned devils.
When Wah Wah saw the state of affairs at
his masters home, he stole away and ran
with speed to Major Bacon's residence, to
whom he gave the alarm, and then running
all night spread the news, SO that by break
of day Bacon and fifty of his brave compa-
triots were concealed in the pine thicket
aforesaid, ready for action, and did act
with effect
Captain Lee and his charming family
lived long and happily together, and from
them descended some of the first families
in Virginia and the Carolinas.
Wah Wah lived with the Captain until
they were both old. He was noble spec
linen of the sons of the forest, and was ever
true to his master.
A COntented Spirit.
A New Hampshire boy, now resident
~ IN