Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1891-10-10
THE NIGHT ATTACK.

Among the dwellers in northern New
England more til ahundred years ago,
was old Grandfather Moore not, as the
apppllaton would 4en to indicate, fee
bic and superannuatud, but a hale old
man of 60 years, able to strike out from
the shoulder with any pioneer of %. He
was an IriShnlan, and his strong vitality
and the generous vehemence of charac
ter which accompanied it We're gifts of
which the green isle is prodigal to her chill
dren. His appearance, with head erect,
coming squarely and almost tiercoty up
to the work, when he had aught to say
or do, would not have disrredited his an
ctstors. One of these, though the old
In"n cared not to speak of it in Protest.
ant New England had fallen in st. Ruths
battle with General Ginckel: while an
other, having gone over to Scotland, had
shed his last blood at Dumblaine. Per-
haps he himself l. 1t smclt powder in
more than one bloc y fray with the Sas
srmagh. If so, he new it was nothing
to he ashamed Of
have said "perhaps, :" but there is no
need of this qu iation, for the old
mans more intim; e friends know that
once he had carried his own brother
pierced through with a British bayonet-
a mile upon his shoulders, from one of
those dreadful scenes of strife. Grand
father Moores nei&hbors felt for him
kind of rough admiration; so frank, so
ready he was with word and deed; so
like one of those fierce chieftains whom
we may imagine to have disputed the
island soil with Strongbow and his
robber knights in the days of that Eng
lish Harry the Second, who was sur
named "Broomcorn.
= And the old man was very genial. Be-
sides his wife and his immense watch
dog, he had but one living treasure-his
beautiful grandchild Mary, now IL years
old-and upon her he poured the ardent
sunshine of his nature till she became
glorified in his imagination. All nations
have lovely women, but all women have
not the fresh, vigorous beauty of the
Scotch, the Irish, and the Welsh. The
most lovely elements of the Celtic type
We're met in the old mans grandchild.
When little creature, scarce able to
toddle alone, he had carried her in his
arms by the banks of the Shannan; and
now, in the great American wilderness,
she was his solace and delight.
1t was dark epoch in the history of
the colonies. English and Anglo-Ameri-
can were alike depressed by the successive
victories of the gallant Montcalm. Month
after month the British lion crouched in
unavailing resistance, or shrank COVER
ing away. The abilities of the renowned
French marquis had inspired the Gallo
armies with unwonted energy, and from
post to post they pushed on their sue
cesses, under the leadership of that brave
and most able man.
Grandfather Moore feared nothing for
himself; but the wild Hurons, and the
warriors of many another tribe by the
great lakes, penetrated the country
around him, carrying many an unfortu-
nate to long captivity, and leaving only
death and silence by the ashes of many a
hamlet. He feared nothing for himself;
he could fight and die stout hearted but
his white lily from the banks of Shannon
who would protect her when his Old
head-when the old grandsire that so
loved her-should lie cold in death, his
gray scalp dancing at the belt of a Huron
wlrrior?
1t was in the middle of the night. AS
Grandfather Moore awolle, the old clock
that he had brought from Dublin was Just
finishing the IL. A tall clock it was. that
no doubt had cost 90 guineas. 1t stood
upon the rough floor, with great feet like
those of lion; its arched top reached
almost to the beams above the room. and
over the dialpate a ship swung lazily to
and fro. 1t took a long time to speak
"tong, tong, tong g"-and sometime in the
night, when it began thus holding forth,
Mary Moore could not help wishing
it little less circumspect. 1t was too
like IA stammcring man bringing news.
But Mary was not now awake, Grand
father Moore heard the closing strokes
49, "l that the old clock ha been
Sinking IL.
-.... .o.oe of his favorite heirloom car
ri; Grandfather Moore back to Ireland