Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-02-04
A STERN L0YALIST.
John Bodoll Dlod Triumphantly in
British Waters.

~ renegade! A rebel against hi
kim! \ b,ack-hcarted traitorl Yol
darc To tell me that George Winthrop
loves you' Son Of can,ing. lying Err,
Winthrop. by the Eternal I'll shoe
hiu an sigh, il he comes on this sidcr
While oil John Bcdcll spoke he tor,
and Hang away letter, reached hi
long rifle from IT, pins above the chin
ncy-placc. dashed its butt angrily 3,
tn iloor and poured powder into hi
paim.
"For Heavens mercy, father! You
would not You could not, The wa
i over II would be murler" cried
Ruth Bcdcll. sobbing,
Would | no,?' He poured the
powder I'm. Yes, by gracious,
quics.r'u III Kill rattlesnakc'" lie
placed tho round bullet on the little
square OF CREASED rag ut the muzllc.
~ rank traitor-bonc and blood of
those who drove out loyal men" He
crowded the tight lead home, dashed
the ramrod into place, looked to the
flint "Ec,t there. old sure death;
wake mp for George Winthrop and
the fierce old man replaced rifle and
povdcr-horn on their pegs.
Bcdyl', hatred Tor the foes who had
beaten down King Georges ease and
imposed tho alternative Of conii,cation
or oath Of allegiance on the vanquished
w., considered fcrocious, even by his
brother loyali,ts Of the Niagara from
tier.
''rhc squire kind o. secs his boys
blood when the sky's red" said they.
in explanation. But their inference
rrrcd. Bcicll was so much an cnthu-
Sia,, tina, he could almost rejoice that
his thrc stark sons had gained the
prize Of death in battle. He was too
brave 20 hate the fighting men he had
80 often confronted. But he abhorrcd
the politicians. especially the intimate
civic enemies on whom he hal poured
scoru before the armed struggle began.
More than any he hated Ezra Win
throp. the lawyer. arch rcvolutionist of
their native town. who had never used
q weapon but his tongue. And now
hi, Ruth. the beloved and only child
left to his cxiled age. had told her love
for Ezra Winthrop's son! They had
been hoy and girl, pretty maiden and
bright stripping. together, without the
squire Suspccting. He could not,
even now. conceive clearly 81 wild a
thing %, their affection! The confess
sion burned in his heart like vcritable
firc--a raging anguish Of mingled
loathing and love. He stool now
gazing at Ruth. dumbly-his hands
clenchcd head sometimes mechanically
quiv,rins, anger, hate, love. grief. tu-
mul,uou, IN his soul.
Ruth glanced up-her father seemed
about 10 speak -- she bowed again,
shuIlering ~ though the coming
worl, might Kin. Still there was 81.
lcucc-a long silence. Bcdcll stood
mo,ionlc.., poised, breathing hard
the silence oppressed the girl-each
moment her terror inCrcased-cXpect-
ant attention became suffering that de-
manded his voicc-and still was silence
save for the dull roar Of Niagara that
moro aud more pervaded the air. The
torture Of waiting for the words-a
curse against her, she feared-overwore
Rnih's endurance. She looked up
again suddenly, and John Bedell saw
in hers the beloved eyes of his dead
wife, shrinking with in,olerable fear.
H. croancd heavily, lung up his hands
dc,poiringly and strobe out toward
The river.
How crafty smooth the green Mag
ara sweep, toward the plunge beneath
that perpetual white cloud above the
falls! From Bedell's clearing below
Navy Island he could see the swaying
and rolling Of the mist, ever rushing up
10 expand and ovorhang. The terrible
stream had profound fascination for
him; with its racing eddieS eating at
the ,hoy,. it,long weeds, visible through
the clear water, trailing close down TO
the bottom; it, memorable, eternal out
ward pouring. Because IL was so
mighty, and 80 threatening, his stern
soul rcjoieed grimly in the awful river.
To iloat, watching cracks and lodges
Of it, Hat bottom.rock drift quickly up
ward; to bend to his oars only when
white crcsts OF the rapids yelled for his
life. OWN escape by sheer strength from
points 80 low down that he sometimes
doubted but the greedy forces had been
tempted TOO long; TO stake his life.
watching tree tops for sign that he
could vet save il, was the dreadful pas
time bywhiCh Bedell sometimes quelled
passionate promptings TO revenge his
exile. The falls Is bound to get the
Squire some day." said the banished
settlers. But the Squire's skiif was
clean built M pickerel, and his old
arms iron strong. Now when he had
gone forth from the beloved child. who
seemed to MIN so traitorous to his love
and all loyalty, he went instinctively
to spend his passion upon the river.
Ruth Bedell. gazing at the loaded
rifle. shu6dered. Her tilial love seemed
TO have died with those threats. Her
fears were deep, but she had not told
all. George Winthrop himself. having
made his way recently through the
forest from Lake Ontario, had given
her his own letter asking leave from
che Squire TO visit his newly-made
cabin. From the moment Of arrival
her lover had implored her to fly with
him. But filial love was strong in Ruth
TO give hope that her father would
yield TO the yet stronger affection fresh
ened in her heart. Believing their
union might be permitted, she had
pledged herself to escape with her
lover II II were forbidden. Now he
waited by the hickory wood for n sig
nal 10 conceal himself, or come for