The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1880-02-19

Att'AiN# fsHfH# NA tAse A3AftA EA@t ftkA ~
pieces btblua, o. poor lsmaH would saon
Asre hten disposed 81; bu, The alarm
Instantly brought up s crowd of their
apmed comrades, vhosc builels iell ike
bsii around she boa, aud ils gallant lil1ie
1 plot.
Le. as ere a r0lley aud make 4 show q
ssilying ont, sid the colonel; MI take
their attention from hha
Bot IN this be wAs mistaken,
The frs, rattle of masketry from The
besiegel house did indeed recall mos, Of
Ismsirs assAilspp, but II least dozen
were len who kept uP Au uneeasiug lre,
striking The boal again aud again.
All a. once the colonel dashed bic glsss
to The ioor with frightful oath.
Between two gusts Of smoke be bad
lseen ibe boat turn suddenly over, sud 50
wtirllng away down the dark river, Keel
lupwArd.
+ 1'brte's au end Of the poor lad, mutter-
ed the veteran, brokenly. God bless him
for brave liule fellow. Aud now, old
fellow, we mnst just die hard, for there's
no hope lett
The first few hours Of the night passed
I quietly and The exhausted defenders, ut.
terly worn out, slept as II Dragged with
opium But little after midnight the
quick ears OF the two veteran officers
the only watchers In the whole garrison,
except the sentries themselves caught a
faint stirring in the surrounding thIckets,
which seemed to argue some movement
on the part of the enemy.
Listening intoutly for a few moments
they felt certain that they were right, and
lost no time in sronsing their men.
The scsnty stores Of food were opened
once more, aud, crouching together In
the darkness, the doomed men took what
they fully believed TO be their last meal on
earth
They are coming said Major Arm
strong, strainiug his eyes into the gloom
through loophole. hear them creep
ing forward, though can't see them.
What the duce was that? exclaimed the
colonel, suddenly. 1t looked like fiery
arrow flying past.
lrs worse than that, said the major, 10
a low voice. The rascsls are shooting
lighted chips of bamboo on the roof to set
II ON Gre. Send the women up with
buckets to food the tbstch; there's not
moment TO lose.
III 60 and see TO It myself! cried Mrs.
Currie, Fastening ont Of The room.
But the power OF this new weapon had
already become fatally manifest. The
house was an old one, and as dry as tin.
der from the prolonged heat, aud as fast
as the flames were quenched in one place
they broke ont in another.
When day dawned, the fire had already
got frm hold on one corner Of the
building, and a crushing discharge was
poured upon all who attempted 10 exun-
guish it, while the triumphant yells Of
the human tigers below told that they
felt sure Of their pray.
It's all over with us, Old fellow, said
the colonel, graspiDg his old comrades
hand but at least we shall have done our
duty.
Give me one Of your pistols, whispered
Mrs. Currie to her husband, In a voice
that was not her own. must not fall
into their hands alive.
AT that moment Major Armstrong was
seen TO start and bend forward, as If lis |
tening intently for he thought--althougb |
he could scarcely believe hisears that he
had suddenly caught faint sound OF dis
tant. firing.
In another instant be heard II again, |
and this time there could be no more
doubt, for several OF The others bad
caught il likewise, and gleam of hope
once more lighted up their baggard faces
and blood shot eyes.
Louder aud nearer came the welcome
sound, while the sudden terror and con.
fusion visible among The enemy showed |
that they, too, were al 20 loss to guess
/ meaning
Then high above all the din arose the
well-knoSh "Ilurrabln y aud through the
smoke clouds broke q charging line Of
gliltering bsyomt- aud rudy English
faces sweeping away The eowardIy mHr-
derers a. the sun chases he morning
mist.
go
Th.t bo,t. yoytt, ~ wai.,tt Ia aotd