The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1892-09-30

Around the sides of the room the mus
keteers stopped at the loopholes amid
the light vapor from their shoulder
ing matches.
On the benches the body of listeners
kept their composed countenances
turned upon the preacher. Save his
voice, there was no sound but an i'll
frequent metallic rattle, as some mus
keteer examined his gun or loosened
his iron-hilted broadsword in the
scabbard The words of the preacher
sounded through the house.
And even as aforetime the heather
did iuriously rage, and did compass
the children of covenant with spear
and with javelin round about
A high-pitched, thrilling screech fill
ed the air without, and now rose above
the minister's voice. 1t was sustained
and prolonged in many savage Threats.
There came quick, sharp gatherings
the roof and walls, like EaiIstones
Enoch Brett fell backward from his
] lOophole with an arrow through the
brain. Another man rose from his
seat, picked up the gun which Brett
had dropped and took the vacant sta
| ton.
A dozen muskets answered the
storm of missiles. Their fire seemed
to check the advance of the Indians,
inasmuch as the war-cry grew fainter,
land the pattering of the arrows di-
unfinished.
| ParsOn Pladley had not interrupted
his sermon, although his voice had
been temporarily drowned by the
noise of the assault and defense, eX-
cept for the instant that he cast one
| glance at the musket beside him, and
another at the hour-glass.
All the men who could act were at
their posts why should he not con
tinue to the end, while waiting for the
| desperate struggle which must come
His sense of duty told him that he
ought not to cease his holy office be-
fore the appointed time, except under
compulsion in which he must recog-
nize the hand of God.
His hearers understood this as well
as if he had declared his determine
ton i'll 80 many words. They did
their part by listening with steady at
tention.
Again the cries grew louder and ar
rows-f flights thicker. The guns re-
piled, but this time the attack was
not epulsed. Aponderous humping
on the floor, which shook the whole |
building, told that some kind of bat
tering- ram was being employed to |
break it down. A few more such |
shocks, and the door must fall
Only a pinch or two of sand remain |
ed in the hour-glass. Still it was not |
quite empty, and Parson Pladley
preached on. |
Crash The door was half off its |
hinges. The firearm men crowded be- |
hind it, and delivered a volley that |
appeared for a minute to clear the |
passage. There was yet some sand |
in the hour-glass. The parsons lips |
could be seen to move, though his |
voice was not heard.
A renewed yell and the crashing |
blows once more beat upon the door. |
No shots answered this time, for the |
muskets were empty.
An arrow whistled across the church |
and stuck quivering in the front of the |
pulpit. Around the edges of the shat |
tered door hatchets and clubs were |
brandished in the faces of the defen- |
ders, who dashed them aside with the |
butts of their guns. The women be- |
gan to scream.
The last sand ran out of the hour
glass. Parson Pladley bowed his |
head and said, "Amen!'' And all the |
congregation answered together,
Amen -
Up sprang the hitherto motionless |
listeners, to the rear, men to |
the front,-and from the pulpit the |
old minister, with sword and gun, led |
the way to the aid of the others, who |
were beginning to give ground before |
the mass of hideously- painted figures
who were forcing their way through
the entrance.
Then came out another side of the |
Puritan character. The fierce energy
almost joy-with which the colon
lists fought was as surprising as the |
stony self-control they had shown but
a moment before. Ahead of them all,
Parson Pladley swung his mighty
sword with cries which betrayed the
old horse-sOldier of Cromwell and Har-
rison for such he had been and of
those who followed him, more than
one had stood in the ranks of the
pikemen who met the charges of |
Prince Rupert's Cavaliers, and repell-
ed them, too.
AS if he remembered this. the min
lister lifted up his strong voice in a
stern Psalm which had Numbered
over the battletields of. Naseby and |
Marston Moor-the war song of David |
the king, rejoicing over his victory:
Il have pursued my enemies and |
overtaken them neither did / turn
again till they were consumed
81 have wounded them that they
were not able TO rise they are fallen
under my feet
For thou hast girded me with
strength unto the battle; thou hast
subdued under me those that rose up
against me-
The Indians were like wolves com
batting lions. They shrank, wavered
and wert pressed back to the door,
through it, and outside of it. Then,
by one last rush, they were broken,
scattered and dispersed. They ran in
every direction for the shelter of the
woods many of them fell by the way
under the pixies and swords of their
pursuers. Huddersfield was saved.
Within the meeting house, now half
ruined, dim with powder-smoke and
heaped with broken benches, arrows
and dead bodies, the congregation
gathered around its minister, who.
blackened and bloody, with gown
torn to shreds and great slash across
his forehead, once more raised up his
voice-this time in the glorious strains
of one of their triumphant hymns.
All joined i'll it-even the wounded,
who could scarcely lift their heads
from the ground, and the dying, who
sang their last breaths away in the
81 ateful chorus.
When the injured had been cared
for, and there was once more time for
ordinary matters, Parson Pladley call
ed Abner True to him.
''Son Abner, thou didst well so cum
ningly to avoid those ruthless savages,
and privily warn us betimes. For
this thou meritest reward"
Abner looked up, astonished.
And this shall be thy reward-that
for thy wilful tarrying away from the
sanctuary thou shalt receive no dis
cipline-froIn the church,
but my father will stammered
the boy.
OF a surety he will, placidly replied
the minister, land l trust it may do
thee good"
"Come with me- Abner,' said deacon
Amos
MANLEY II. PIKE.