Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-09-18

wore hanging from her belt. and took
her staff from behind the door, and set
out; but Just before she crossed the
threshold she looked down mt Solomon,
who sat there, and said, " Solomon, you
keep house till get back. IL won't he
before midnight" Women who live
alone with cats are apt TO coniide.' things
to them.
II was lonesome walk, and n weary
one for IA woman of her years, but the
thought of her poor cows kept her up.
The night was beautiful. the air was
mild. and the starlight so clear that she
could easily find her way, and yet it was
not bright enough to bctray her to any
one who might be wandering about,
which indeed was very unlikely
thingto happen, for everybody, except n
few stray cottagers like herself, was safe
within the walls of the town; and rs
for the enemy. they were twelve miles
| off in Ghent.
| Besides its own strong defcnces Dude
narde was further protected by great
! ditclcs, deep and broad, along the mead
ows, so that ii was considered safe from
attack on that side. When Petronilla
reached the outcrmost of these bitches
she was much surprised to find that
! there was no water in it, but being
anxious to gather her bundle of grass,
| she fell 10 work, pulling IL up by long
| handluls, until she had secured rs much
rs she could carry, and had just tied 1t
with the cord, when astrangc thing hap
! pened, and she soon learned something
! very important about the ditch.
| Though her hearing was not rs good
rs it once had been, she was sure that
| two or three persons were talking not
far away. and that tlrey were coming
nearer. She instantly pulled off her cap
! that its snowy whitencss might not at
| tract attention, muilled herself to the
/ eyes in her kcrchief, and crouched low
among the tufts of reeds.
And none too soon, for men began to
| pass close by her, carrying long ladders,
| which nearly swaycd against her, so
near were they. She dared not stir, and
| could not raise her eyes to see higher
| than their knees; but rs the feet went by
| her face, one pair after another, she
| counted; and there were four hundred
men.
What was the meaning of it she gath
| cred quickly enough. for the leaders talk
ed over their plans " most over her head,
| They were foes. the men of Ghent,
| come at midnight after long marching
to surprise Oudonardc.
They said that most OF the garrison
and the great officers were away. feeling
| that all was safe-thcy had sent spies
! who found this out-and that the town
was carclessly guarded. and what was
worse, that the inhabitants had drawn
/ the water out of the ditchcs to get the
| fish. and along these channels the enemy
could now approach even Ia the walls
and by means of their scaling g-laddcrs
! climb over.
As soon IL the men had all gone by.
| Petronilla, though shaking with terror
/ hurried as fast as her feet could hobh,e
| by a short path she knew TO the walls
| just where the cmptied ditch would give
/ them place of advantage.
The sentry was going his rounds. and
| finding all was well, would soon have
passed out Of hearing but She began TO
moan and cry as if in distress. and hear
ing her. he came back and asked her what
was the matter.
Then In quayering voice she told her
story, which he knew not what to think
Of; being only poor sentinel ohcying
orders. what should he think when m
old woman started up before him at
midnight begging him TO alarm the gar
rison, when the commander had felt
secure enough TO leave everything just
rs it was?
But he was humane, so he treated her
kindly, and asked her to stop and rest
herself, but she said:
No; If don't hurry away | shall he
n dead woman"
When she had gone, the thought came
to him how true and Kind her voice
was. and what m honest woman she
seemed.
"She made me think of my poor
mother, who has been dead these many
years, fear"
Because of this. he said he would 20
and look off from the highest place and
watch and listen. which he did; but not
sound broke the stiffness except the
cry of night-hird on the meadow;
nothing was stirring, even the old wo-
man was nowhere to- bc seen.
Indeed. she had made haste to get
back to the place where she saw the
men. who remained As she had lcft
them. all but four. who were just being
sent onward with orders from their
leader not To speak. not to cough or
sneeze, hardly even To breathe. but to @
as near the walls as possible without
startling tie watChmau. rcconuuitCr.
and bring back word
This they did; and Pctronilla waited
TO hear the report in dread and sorrow.
for she was sure there was not light
burning in all the town and that the
people were sound asleep in their beds.
never dreaming of danger. and when
the spies returned. their words only
added 10 her misery.
They did not see so much rs a lighted
candle, they said. and they believed that
the sentinel had been his rounds and had
goneto bed; and now it was proposed to
prepare for start. enter the ditch and
move on to the walls.
Then poor tired old Petronilla started
again. and appeared once more to the
astonished watchman, who was still
keeping n sharp lookout. and told him
all she had just heard, and that il was
the last he would see Other that night.
But" she said. " If evil does come to
the town and you escape, my hut can
shelter you from harm. II Is the first
on the road TO Ghent.n
She told him this because lac had a