The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-03-13

UeE, uATy-tuht CLuLuUeF NJ Cle leau Oh
the stairs, on the left. On tho left, you
mind"
Mary takes the light, trembling and
pale. She leads the soldier up tho oak.
en- stairs. They stand on the lnnding,
in this wing Of the farmhouse, composed
OF two rooms, divided by thick walls
from the main body OF tho mansion. On
one side, tho right, is the door Of Mary s
chamber; on the other, the left, tho
chamber OF the soldier-to him q cham.
Der Of death.
For 4 moment, Mary stands there
trembling and confused. Washington
gazes upon that pale girl with look OF
surprise. Lookl She is about to warn
him Of his danger, when, see there! her
fathers rough face appears above tho
head Of the stairs.
"ATary, show the gentleman into tho
chamber on the left. And look ye, girl
its late-you'd better go into your
own room and go to sleep"
While the Tory watches them from
the head Of the stairs, Washington en-
ters tho chamber en- the left, Mary the
chamber on the right.
An hour passes. Still the storm beats
on the roof-stilI the snow drifts on the
,hills. Before the fire, in the dim old
hall Of that farmhouse, are seven half
drunken men, with that tall Tc ry, Jacob
Mannheim, sitting in their midst; the
murderer's knife in his hand. For tho
lot had fallen upon him. He is to go up
stairs and stab the sleeping man.
Even this half.drunken murderer is
pale ut the tlought-how the knife
t~embles in his hand-trembles against
the pistol barrel. The jeers of his COM
rades rouse him to the work-the light
in one hand, the knife in the other, he
goes up the stairs-he listenSl-frst at
The door OF his daughters chamber on
the right, then at the door Of the SOL
dier's chamber on the left. All is still.
Then he places the light on the floor
lie enters the chamber on the left-he is
gone q moment-silence there is n
faint groan. He comes forth again,
rushes down the stairs, and stands there
before the fire, with the bloody knife in
his hand.
"Lookw be shrieks, as he scatters
the red drops over his comrades faces,
over tho hearth, into the fire. "Look !.
it is his blool-thetraitor Washington!
His comrades gather round him with
yells of JOY; already, in fancy, they count
the gold which will be paid for this
deed, when 10 that stair door opens,
and there, without q wound, without
even the stain OF drop OF blood, stands
George Washington, asking calmly for
his horse.
"Whatl" shrieked the Tory Man.
helm, =" can neither steel nor bullet harm
youi Are you q living man Is there
no wound about your hearti no blood
upon your uniforml"
That.apparition drives him mad. He
starts forward-ho places his hands
tre,nblingly upon the arms, upon the
breast of Washington! Still no wound.
Then he looks at the bloody knife,
still clutched in his right hand, and
stands there quivering as with q death
spasm.
While Washington looks on in silent
wonder, the door is flung open, the bold
troopers from Valley Forge throng the
room, with the gallant form aud bronzed
visage OF Captain Williams in their
midst. At this moment the clock struck
tynlye. Then horrid thought crashes
like q thunderbolt upon the braiu OF the
Tory Mannheim. BE seizGs the light
rushes mp stairs-rushes into the room
of his daughter on the right. Some one
had lust risen from the bed, but the
chamber was vacant. Then towasdsthat
room on the left, with sieps OF leaden
heaviness. Look how the light quivers
in his hand! He pauses at the door; he
listens Not souni-a stiffness like
the grave. His blood curdles in his
veins! Gathering courage, he pushes
open tue door. He enters. Towards
that bed through whose curtains he
struck 50 bliudly moment ago! Again
he pauses-not asound-a stiffness more
terrible than the grave. He filings aside
the curtains. There, in the full light Of
the lamp, her young form but hall Gov
cred, bathed in her own blood-there
lay his daughter, Mary!
All, do not look upon the face OF the
father as he starts silently back, frozen
to stone; but in this pause of horror
listen to the mystery OF this deed
After her father had gone down stairs,
an hour ago, Mary silently stole from
tue chamber on the right. Her soul
shaken by thousand fears, she opened
the door on the left, aud beheld Wash.
iugton sitting b. table on which we're
spread chart and n Bible. Then,
though her existence was wound up in
the act, she asked him, in tone OF
calm politeaess, to take the chamber On
the opposite side. Mary entered the
chamber which be left.
Can you imagine the agony Of that
girls soul, as lying on the bed intended
ior the death couch OF Washington, she
silently awaited the knife, although the
knife might be clenched in q fathers
hand
And now that father, frozen to stone,
stood there, holding the light In one
hand, and still clutching the red knife.
There lay his child, the blood streaming
from that wound in her arm-her eyes
covered with o CLASSY film.
"Mary - shrieked the guilty father
for ro6ber and Tory as he was, he vas
still a father. MARY I" he called to
het, bat that word was all he could say.
Suddenly, she seemed to wake from
this stupor. She sat up in the bed with
be. CLASSY eyes. The strong hand OF
death was upon her. As she sat there,
erect and ghastly, the room was
thronged with soldiers: Her lover
rushedforva.d, and called her by name.
10 answer Called again-spoke TO her