The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-11-06
4 STRANGE
 MARRIAGE
toridnall

of Massat husetts one Sunday morn Ing during the sixteenth century Q congregation of Puritans was assem- bled for vine worship The minister Obedlah Armstrong, a young man of twenty.elrht, had been captain In Cromwelrs army and had led his men Co battle to the music of a psalm rather than the drum, the fife or the buglc
 suddenly the door opened, and a youlc glrl rushed in among the wor- rhlpsrs with every appearance of dread excitement
 "How now. Mistress AscnethP said Inc pastor. 'Why do you thus disturb our worship with your unholy Inter ruptionT
 "Tho Indlansw gasped the girl ! "Thoy are coming"
 The men of the congregation were about to rush for their weapons, which stood against the log walls of the church, when the pastor stopped them.
 Let there be no unseemly haste in the temple of the Lord" he said. "lf what Aseneth Gwynne says is true, we may soon appear before the heoy- | enly throne. It Is not meet that we should go there after showing a cowardly haste to save our lives. Rather should we be dillgent in saving our souls. Let us sing the One Hun drcdth Psalm
 The psalm was sung, the men set- ting their jaws and believing what was really defiance to the sayages, tho women singing In trembling voices. | The eye of thc parson lighted as lt had | lighted on the eve Of M0rston Moor and while be sang he looked upon the comedy face and figure of the damsel who had brought the warning. When the last stanza had been sung, there was a movement In Che congregation, but the pastor raised his hand.
 "The doXology." be said.
 At the moment there was a blood curdllng whoop without, but the holy man did not heed lt, nor did his com gregatlon finch. The doxology rTve vent to a final defiance to the red men whose arrows were now patterng against the walls of the church Ike the first drops of a thunder shower. | When the last word had been sung, | the pastor said:
 Ut Is now meet, brethren, that ] should command you in battle as have commanded some of you who are now here. We win smite the heather savagcs with their oily skins and scalplocks as we once smote the cav alters with their essences and unholy, sensual curls. To your guns"
 Selzlng the great sword which be had yielded SO well in England and had brought with him to the wilds of | America. he went about among his men, each at his loophole, firing every one with his own zeal embodied in some text from Holy Writ
 The matchlocks Of the Puritans with | stood the Inferior weapons of the sav- ages. but the latter seeing that they could not carry the little church by assault. made preparations for burning the building. The rear stood against a low bank, between which and the cdi- Gee was a well. The savages made rush. getting sufficiently near to throw burning brush against the lat ter. It was then that the pastor ceased Co exhort and, seizing a bucket, was about to open a rear door and go out for water when Asenoth Gwynne stopped him.
 "That is certain death," she said. "lf you de, thls congregation will be butchered if it is not burned. Give me the bucket"
 'I. a captain In that war which sent e king to the block give place to a wo- manl stand asldew
 There was a savage yell without and the parson turned away. The ln' dlans were coming to rush the build Ing, doubtless to SO engage the English that they would not be able to put out tue fire. The parson threw open the door and. selzing a gun. led his men, firing as he went. Meanwhile Asencth opened the rear door, drew a bucket of water and, going through a shower Of arrows to the front. dashed it upon the burning brush that was igniting the woodwork of the church. She had no sooner done SO than she fell, pierced by an arrow. but she had saved thc building from the flames The p0rson, having exhausted his ammunition, took his piece by the muzzle and swung it about him. braining an In. dian with every blow. He was pow erful man. standing G feet Inches, aad loved to strike down on enemy as be loved to preach d0muation Co sin ners. His body bristled with arrows, uone of which pierced a vital part, and at last the Indians, seized with feur that he was a god. turned and ned Then Obadiah Armstrong staggered back to the church and, seeing Aseneth Gwynne lying with an arrow in ber breast, gently withdrew it and, raising her head, rested it upon his knees. The men, except the wounded. had gone fin pursuit of the Indians, but the women poured out of the church.
 'This damsel." said Obedlah to those who stood about, "has saved you oll from an earthly burning. Her spirit has departed and has left me desc, late" His voice, which was as soft at if had been harsh. trembled. "Mayha.r
 10