The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1879-07-24

gees, who, clad in their half robber uni
form, come rushing from the woods, and
with one bound are ieaplng from the
wall!
"Quick, Bess, my rife"
| And look there-eyen while tho vet.
Gran stood looking upon his foes-the
brave girl, for, slender in form and wide.
ly beautiful in face, she 10 brave girl, q
"Hero Woman"-hsd managed, ~ If by
instructive impulse, to load . rife. She
handed it to her father, and then loaded
another, and another. Wasn't that q
beautiful sight! A far young girl
grasping powder and ball, with the ram.
rod rising and falling in her slender fin.
gers.
Now look down on the wall again.
The refugees are clambering over its
summit-again . horrid cry, and anoth-
or wounded man topples down upon his
dead and dying comrades!
But now look! A smoke rises up
there, . fire blazes up around the WALL
they have fired the gate. A moment,
and the bolt and the lock will DO burnt
from their sockets-the passage will be
free! Now is the fiery moment of the
old mans trial. While his brave daugh-
ter loads, he continues to fire, with that
deadly aim, but now-oh, horror Tho
falls, with musket ball driven into his
breast. The daughters out-stretched
arms received the father, a. with the
blood spouting from his wound he top
pies back from the window.
Alb, it is Q sad and terrible picture.
Tho old man writhing there on the
osken floor, the young daughter bend.
ing oyer him, the light from the windo v
streaming over her taco and over her ia
theirs gray hairs, while the ancient fur.
niture of the small chamber affords .
dim back ground to the scene.
Now, bark The sound of axes at the
hall doOr-shouts, hurrahs, curses
ave have the old rebel at last 20
The old man raises up at that sound,
makes an effort to rise, clutches for =
rifle, and then falls again, bis eyes glar-
ing IS the fierce pain of that wound
quivers through his heart.
Now watch the movements Of the
daughter. Silently she loads q rife, 81.
lentiy she rests it's barrel against the
head Of that powder key, and then plac-
ing her finger on the trigger, stands
over her fathers form, while the shouts
of the enraged soldiers come laundering
from the stairs. Yes, they have broken
the hall door to fragments, they are in
possession of the old block house, they
are rushing toward that chamber. with
murder in their hearts and in their glar-
ing eyes. Had the old man Q thousand
purchase now.
Still the girl growing suddenly white
as the 'kerchief round her neck, stands
here trembling from hand to foot, the
rifle in her hand, its dark tube laid
against the powder keg.
The door is burst Open-loOk there
Stout forms arc in the door, with mus
kets IN their hands grim faces, stained
with blood, glare into the chamber.
Now, as it her very soul was coined
into the words, that young CIR, with her
face pale rs ashes, her hazel eye CLEAN
ing deathly light, utters this short yet
meaning speech:
"Advance one step into tho room, and
l will fire this rifle into the powder
there"
No oath quivers from the lips OF that
girl, to confirm her resolution, but there
she stands, alone with her wounded
father, and yet not a soldier dare cross
the Threshold! Imbucd IS they are in
deeds of blood, there is something ter
rlble in the simple words of that young
girl, who stands there with tho rifle land
against the keg OF powder.
They stood as it spell.bound, on the
Threshold of that old chamber.
At last one holder than the rest, q
bravo, whose face is half concealed in q
thick beard, grasps his musket and lev.
els it at the young girls breast.
"Stand back, or BY will fire :"
Still the girl is firm. The bravo ad-
vances step, and then starts back. The
sharp click Of the rife falls with an un-
pleasant emphasis upon his ear.
"Bess am dying" gasps the old man,
family extending his arms. "Ho! hA
We foiled the Britishcrs Come dAugh.
ter, kneel here kncel and say q prayer
for me, and let mo feel your warm
breath upon my face, for I am cold-O,
dark and cold!"
Look! As these trembling accents
fall from the old mans tongue, those
fingers unloose their hold OF the rife
already the troopers are secure of one
victim, at least-a young and beautiful
girl for affection for the father 10 mas.
tering the heroism OF the moment. look!
She is about to spring into bis arms |!
But now she aces her danger. Again
she clutches the rife; again, although
her fathers dying accents are in her
ears, she stands there, prepared to scat
ter the house in ruins, if Q single rough
hand assails that veteran form.
There are . few brief terrible mo-
ments OF suspense. Then . hurried
sound far down the mansion, then o
contest on the stairs then the echo Of Q
rifle shot, and the light Of rifle blaze
then those ruffisns in the doorway fall
crushed before the strong arms OF the
Continental soldiers. Then . wild
shrek guisers through the room. and