The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-11-04
PARG0E PLADLEI.
a Word Picture OF Old Puritan
Days.

up the settlement stood silent ds 80
many tomb, nmong tho black s'umps
of the hall-clcuncd Gclls. for every
soul ia the place, from the old man "f
ninety 20 tAe. youngest child. WAS in
thc meeting house on the Eiil-cvcry
soul, that l., except Ahncr True.
Abncr Iruc, hose father waS-a dca-
con and tithing-man. and couuted sec
ond only - the minister hlm eli in
rigid picty, was actually pla.inF tru-
ant from meet NJ; and this in Ii village
which looked upon iymnuti4eaud: Ney-
mouth ~ dangerously worldly towns,
relaxed ia morals and manners 10y
ovc~-much prosperity.
I;ut Abncr had wossScd from sun 10
sun every day of The last week, and
lznc,v he must do tn. same ev'ry day
Of the next week and the wu.E after
that; for the corn was to be hnea. the
l-rus, crops got in. and Il score of other
tasks to br done.
1t seemed To him too hard that. on
this one day Of rrst, he should be
Obliged 70 sit uuon bacllless plank
bench all the forenoon, IT, inIced. hc
did not find himself forced 10 lit there
-ongcr; since Parson piaGIcy. who
rarely preached lc>s than three h"ur~.
sometimes preached fau, and once
or twice had been luowHto exceed five
hours.
- when Deacon Amos, with his wife
ard younger children, were reaiy Ipr
meeting, un Ahncr could be f"uuA.
Hidden in the little hay NOV Il the
rough barn, he saw the family depart
his father marching ahcuL cqu.vpcl
with muol.ct, hauaoIctr and powder
horn: for King Puilip an hia IIIiau~
...~.,-r-f g,-ItTf..-
man throughout the colony went 10
field or church without Li7 arms.
Similar groups, similarly accoutrrd,
paced sol .mniy alpar tpwIrl 10. rude
= inctuarv upuu the bill. uuiil Ahnor,
seeing that all Understood a;.a passed
felt that hc was safc-Ior Tia" pce~cut-
and lay down mp ppn the soft hay L. pre-
pare for the sound nap hc had 80 loIgcd
for.
The time went on The oil house
WAS still now; the hens uttered ouiy au
occasional croall. From Tie far dis
taurc the preachers voice sne down
on the warm brrczc in a ,DfLcucd muir
mur. AlHcr was daziu-.
What was that? Ii. heard a sonnd
that walScucd him quite. and lac spran--
up 10 listen.
Nothing Eut a slight svisAing sound
nothing hut that T. WIS probably
some fox or polccat on the watch u
snatch a chicken. A4ncr' peerrd out
tl:rough crack 10 see il lac could Ci--
cover the animal for the wishing
sound seemed drawing nearer.
In the Iucc in- mouse fa~spn piadlcy
had turned las Iig hpur -la-~ Twice,
and NOW the sands o. tac third hpur
were almost spent I;eEore him rows
OF serious men. women AMI children
looked up IN rcvcreut attention, not
once removing their earnest eyes from
the minister.
The heavy door was nnn% nfcn and
Shut again with "A Ion bang that start
led every m'mb r oi The congr cation.
\ bsy. stag r,r.Br AMI scrc.lIssfu syIlh
pcrSpirIti,sl, ran up the brad Ii>lc
and fell cxhau~tcd al the foot of tac
pulpit.
livery man stretched out hl, hand TO
the uu,llct Jhat stood bel 'r ni-l. bat
no one rose. no one said "a word or ut
iclc.l an exclamation.
Wnaicccr the dan rer wa~-Gul they
knew what /, mi -ht hr-t.sis ,va~ GODS
house. and Iu it none but Gods servant
should raise a voice og vouture upon
any action unless hc permitted
The minister descended from his
place. leaned over the painting Abncr
ana c;tu.riit the icw words the bb. had
strength u whisper: ''S4vl re,-lul
five s-ore-stcalin- up-tp ta,sc n, un-
aware
The minister returned to the pulpit.
''kiudlc your matches, bacthrca,"
said hc, in "a voice uf perfect tranquil
lity.
The riur Of flint and steel sounded
ali over thc hoaSc.
Make ready your gun. continued
the nnaI>tcr. taking uP - heavr mss
llct. AMI blowing the match or fuse 10y
which II was DISCHARGED. ''NU''sctccr,.
To vour stations. " thai li.sve bat
swords or pies, st fast
The con -rc-ation ohrycl thcs, orders
a, clmly rs thcv had l.crn given.
Twenty-Five men he idcl -bv Deacon
True, silently ranged thc;nSeivcs, at the
laopholch " vaicil were pierced Ia the
door and ulon the walls. Lavh knew
Iii, position. and took il without delay
or hesitation; while th" fifteen :n2n
who had no firearms sat si.ily on the
benches with the women and chilJrcu,
most of whom had not lookcl behind
them since y hncr rushed IN.
Parson PladIey looked At the hour
glass. which ,tiH continued 10 ruu, and
quietly resumed his sermon. Abound
the sides Of the room the mu>llctccrs
stooDcd al the IoophOlcS amid the light
vapor from their S-npltl,.yi5s matches.
ON the benches the body OF listeners
kept their composed countenanocS
turned upon the preacher. Save his
voice, there was no sound bat an inirr-
qucnt metallic rattle. as some mus-
lletccr examined his gun or looscnesl his
irou-hiiicd broadsword ia tAc scaLbgrd
The words of the preacher sounded
through the house:
And oven rs aforctim the heather
did furiously rag, ana did compass the
children. of the covenant --ijh spear
and with j8vcljn round about
4 high Pitched. thrilling scrccch
filed the air without. and now rose
above the minister's voice. II was sus-
tained and proclaimed in many savage
throats. There came quick. sharp pat
terin-S on the roof and walls, like
hailStoncS-
Enoch Erctt fcu backward from his
loopholc with an arrow through the
brain. Another man rose from hIs seat,
picked up the gun which Brett had
droprcd, and took the vacant station.
a dozen Inu-lscts answered the storm
OF missiles. Thc.r fire seemed 10 check
the advance Of the Indians, inasuuch
"a, the war-cry grew faiutcr,' and the
pattrriRr If the arrows diminished.
Plrsnn Plndicy had not interrupted
his scrmon, although his voice had
/ been temporarily drowned 10y the noise
OF the assault and defense, except for
/ the instant that lac east one glance at