The Opelousas courier., 1892-12-17
The minister returned to the nulnlr.


The ring of flint and steel sounded al
over the house. 4
make ready your guns" continue
the minister, taking up a heavy musketi
and blowing the match, or fuse, by
which it was discharged. "Musketeers.
to your stations. We that have but swordi
or pixies, sit fast"
The congregation obeyed these orders
as calmly as they had been given
Twenty-Five men, headed by Deacon
True, silently ranged themselves the
loopholes which were pierced in tn,
door ana along the walls. Each knew
his position, and took 1t without delay
sr hesitation; while the fifteen men who
aad no firearms sat stiffiy on the benches
with the women and children, most OF
whom had not looked behind them since
Abner rushed IN.
Parson Pladley looked at the hour.
glass, which still continued to run, and
quietly resumed his sermon. Around
The sides of the room the musketeers
stopped at the loopholes amid the light
vapor from their smouldering matches.
On the benches the body of listeners
Kept their composed countenances turned
apon the preacher. Save his voice,
there was no sound but an infrequent
metallic rattle, as some musketeer ex-
AHMED his gun or loosen his iron-hilted
broadsword in the scabbard. The
words of the preacher sang throughout
the house:
'And ever as aforetime the heather
did ~furiously rage, and did compass the
children of the covenant with spear and
iavelin round about"
A high pitched, thrilling screech filed
The air without, and now rose above the
minister's voice. Il was sustained and
prolonged in many savage Threats.
There cene quick, sharp gatherings on
The roof and walls, like hailstones.
Enoch Brett fell backward from his
Ioophole with an arrow through the
brain. 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 missels. Their fire seemed to check
the advance of the Indians, inasmuch as
the war cry grew fainter, and the pat
isring of the arrows diminished.
Parson Pladley had not interrupted his
sermon, although his voice had been
temporarily drowned by the noise of the
assault and defence, except for the in
slant that he cast one glance at the mus
kst beside him. and another at Thy hour
glass. q
All the men who could act were at
their posts; why should he not continue
to the end, while waiting for the des-
perate struggle which must come4 His
sense of duty told hlm that he ought not
to cease his holy Office before the ap-
pointed time, except under compulsion
in which he must recognize the hand of
God.
His hearers understood this as we'll as
f he had declared his determination in
so many words. They did their part by
listening with steady attention.
Again the cries grew louder and
arrow flights thicker. The guns re-
Piled, but this time the attack was not
fepalsed. A ponderous 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.
Ooly a pinch or two more of sand re-
NAMED in the hour glass. Still it was
not quite empty and Parson Pladley
preached ON.
Crashi The door was half of its
hinges. The irearm men crowded be-
hind it and delivered a volley that ap-
peared for 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
an.wered this time, for the muskets we're
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
brandishei in the faces of the defend
ers, who dashed them aside with the
butts of their guns. The women began
to scream.
The last sand ran out of the hour glass.
Parson Pladley bowed his head and said.
:sAmenl" And all the congregation
answered together, "Amenl"
Up sprang the hitherto motionless
listeners-women 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 of
hideously.painted figures who were fore
ing their way through the entrance.
Then came out another side of the
Puritan character. The fierce energy
almost joy-with which the colonists
fought was as susprisinga as the stony self
control they had shown but q moment
before. Ahead of them all, Parson
Pladley swung his mighty sword with
cries which betrayed the old horse
soldier of Cromwell aud Harrison, for
such he had been and of those who fol-
lowed him, more than one had stood in
the ranks of the pikemen who met the
charges Of Prince Rupert's Cavaliers,
and repealed them, too.
As if he remembered this, the minis
ter lifted up his strong voice in a stern
Psalm which had Numbered over the bat
tledelds of Naseby and Narston Moor
tie war song of David the King, re-
joicing over his victory;
II have pursued mine enemies and