The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-10-20
dren of the covenant with spear and with
iayolin oround nboufO-

| Javelin around about
| A high pitched, thrilling screech filled
the air without and now rose above tho
minister's voice. 1t was sustained and
! prolonged in many savage throats There
came quick, sharp gatherings on the roof
and walls, like bailstones
| Enoch Brett fell back ward from his loop
hole with an arrow through the broin.
| Another man rose from his seat, picked up
| the gun which Brett had dropped and took
| the vacant station.
A dozen musketS answered the storm OF
/ missiles. Thcir fire seemed to check the
Rd''ance of the Indians. inasmuch as the
war cry grew fainter and the pattering of
the arrows diminished.
Parson Pladley had not interrupted his
sermon although his voice had been tenn
porarily drowned by the noise of the as
sault AMI defense, except for the instant
that he cast one glance ut the mrshct be-
side him and another ut The honr;lass
All the men who could act were at their
posts: why shouid he not continue to the
end while waiting for the desperate strug-
gle which must come? His sense of duty
told him that he ought not to cease his
holy Office before the appointed time, cx-
cept under compulsion in which he must
recognize the hand of God.
His hearers understood this as we'll as if
he had declared his determination in so
many words. They did their part by lis
tening with steady attention.
Again the cries grew louder and arrow
flights thicker The guns replied, but this
time the attack was not repulsed. \ pom
derous humping on the door, which shook
the whole building. told that some kind of
battering ram was being employed to
break it down. a few more such shocks
and the door must fall
Only n Dinch ar two Of sand rn,,nipo,1 IN
the hourglass Still it was not quite
empty, and Parson Pladley preached on.
Crash! The door was half off it's hinges
The iirearm men crowded behind it and
delivered volley that appeared for u
minute to clear the passage There was
yet some sand in the hourglass. The par
sons 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 shattered
door matches and clubs were brandished in
the faces of the defenders, who dashed
them aside with the butts of their guns.
The women began to scream
The last sand ran out of the hourglass.
Parson Pladley bowed his head and said
"Amen!" And all the congregation an
swered together, "Amenr'
Up sprang the hitherto motionless
listeners-women to the rear, men to the
the front-and from the pulpit the old
minister with sword and gun led the way
to the ald OF the others, who were begin
ming to give ground before the mass of
hldeously painted figures who were
forcing their way through the entrance.
Then came out another side Of the Puri-
tan character. The fierce energy-almost
Joy-with which the colonists fought was
rs surprising rs the stony self control they
had shown but II moment before. Ahead
of them all, Parson Pladley swung his
mighty sword with cries which betray ed
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
i'll the ranks of the pikemen who met the
charges of Prince Rupert's cavaliers, and
repealed them too
| AS IL he remembered this, the minister
lifted up his strong voice in stern psalm
which had Numbered over the battlefields
of Naseby and Marston Moor-the war song
OF David, the king, rejoicing over his vic
tory:
II have pursued mine enemies and over.
taken them; neither did l turn again till
| they were consumed.
Il have wounded them that they were
| not able to rise; they arc fallen under nv
| 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 combating
lions. They shrank, wavered and were
| pressed back to the door, through it and
outside of it. Then by one last rush they
1 1.V.Nl
| 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 pur-
suers. Huddersfeld 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-ths time in the glorious strains
of one of their triumphant hymns.
All joined in it-evon the wounded, who
could scarcely lift their heads from the
| ground, and the dying, who sang their last
breaths away in the grateful chorus.
| When the injured had been cared for
and there was once more time for ordinary
matters Parson Pladley called Abner True
to him.
Son Abner, thou didst we'll so cunning
~ to avoid those ruthless savages and
| privily warn us betimes. For this thou
mcritest reward"
Abner looked up astonished.
And this shall be thy rcward-that for
thy willful tarrying away from the sane.
| tuary thou shalt receive no discipline
from the church."
"But my father WHIP stammered the
bow