Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1896-04-09

OF Joist Hite. An they did so, the
report Of . gun broke the profound
stiffness. aud q bullet whizzed
through the air. laying one Of their
number low. A fervent thanks
givingwelled throngh Aaron's heart,
while the Indians, finding them
selves discovered and at disad.
vantage, dashed away, followed by
q storm af bullets which brought
not few to the ground.
Aaron alone remained motion
less, heedless OF the bullets which
flew on all sides OF him. The next
moment the settlers came swarm
ing out Of the houses, aud he was
surrounded and taken prisoner.
They bound his hands and led him
into his fathsr's house. Aaron =
helirt Ueat qdi1kly knd l5ls Iips quiv-
cred as he looked once more upon
the faces Of his parents--those dear
faces, 90 grief-worn aud aged since
he had last looked upon them.
But his heart sank, and, for the
first time, he realized his position,
as his father came close to him,
and, looking into his face with Bit
ter hatred burning in his eyes, said !:
"Friends. you intend. Of course.
to kill this Indian. | ask you that
you let my hand be the one to land
bullet in his heart"
eyes, yes." was the unanimous
answer.
But his wife came forward, aud
laid her hand on his arm.
Dear" she said, and her gen.
tie, well-remembered tones thrilled
TO Aaron's heart, shave q little
mercy! He is 80 young! Do not
stain your hands with his blood. -
The tears were trickling down
Asron's cheeks.
"Ah. my dear. dear mother. 4"
he thought, "you little think you
are pleading for the life of your own
child"
But Joist Hite was deaf to her en-
treaties.
'Mercy !" be cried fiercely.-
How can you talk about mercy
whom you think Of your murdered
children !-one lashed to n tree
with an arrow in his heart, snd the
other? Only Heaven and his fend-
ish murderers know where his body
lies"
His wife drew back with cry of
bitter pain while Hite turned TO the
men.
"Come, my friends. We will lash
him to a tree and put bullet in
his black heart 'as they put an ar
row in the heart OF my poor boy"
The others eagerly acquiesced and
they led him out, while Aaron's
eyes were fixed to the last upon the
pale, worn face of his mother, down
which the tears were slowly falling.
He was more than willing to have
sacrificed his life to save them, but
it was hard that he must die BY the
hand OF his father. A great fire
was lighted, and then Aaron was
lashed to tree. He was ready to
meet death bravely with last pray
er that his fathers life might never
be Swallowed by the knowledge Of
what he had done.
At length, oil was ready, and
Hite, pistol in hand, took up his
position in front of Aaron. His
eyes, burning with hatred, met the
pleading anguished ones Of the sup
posed Indian boy, and, for an in
slant, he paused. The rext mo-
ment he raised the pistol with
steady hand. Aaron made one last
mighty effort TO break the bonds Of
silence which had held him for three
long years, AN eifor. which seemed
almost to break his heart-strings,
and an instant later, as Hite's an
g.r touched the trigger, q cry of
Father ! father :" rang out upon
upon the air.
When Aaron recovered from the
long insensibility that followed, be
found himself lying with his head
on his mothers breast and his IA
ther sobbing over him. And he
was no longer dumb.-Romascs.
BILIOUS CoLIc.-Persons who