0 ODLLAR PER ANNUM, INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE.
TOWANDA:
Satnr&an Rlornmn, 11, 1855.
|}octnr.
GRACE ABOUNDING.
TRAN-I.ATED FROM TIIE GERMAN OF I-L'THER.
•• Where *in abounded, grace did much more abound."
Almighty Goil! to thee,
Ilv sbanie ami anguish shaken ;
Incline thy gracious ear to me,
And leave me not forsaken ;
For who that feels the power within
Of past remorse, and present sin,
Can stand, O Lord, before thee!
On thee alone my stay I place,
All human help rejecting,
Relying on thy sovereign grace—
Thy sovereign aid expecting ;
1 rest upon thy sacred word
That thou "It repulse him not, 0 Lord,
Who to thy mercy fleeth.
And though I travail all the night,
And travail all the morrow,
Mv trust is in Jehovah's might—
My triumph in my sorrow ;
Forgetting not that thou of old
Didst Israel, though weak, uphold—
When weakest, thou most loving !
Far though my sinfulness is great,
Redeeming grace is greater:
And though all hell should lie in wait.
Supreme is my Creator;
For he my King aud Shepherd is,
And when most helpless, most I'm his,
My strength and my Redeemer!
|tl is r c 113 uco us.
[From Irving's Life of Washington.]
THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL.
The sound of drum and trumpet, the clatter
of hoofs, the rattling of gun-carriages, and all
the other military din and bustle in the streets
of Boston, soon apprised the Americans, on
their rudely fortified height, of an impending
attack. They were ill fitted to withstand it,
being jaded with night's labor and want of
sleep: hungry, arid thirsty, having brought
but scanty supplies, and oppressed by the heat
of the weather, Prescott sent repeated mes
sages to General Ward, asking reinforce
ments and provisions. Putnam seconded the
n ijtie t in person, urging the exigencies of the
ease.
Ward hesitated. He feared to weaken his
main I ody at Cambridge, as his stores were de
-1 osited there, and it might have to sustain the
principal attack. At length, having taken the
advice of the Council of Safety, he issued or
der- to Col. Stark and Read, then at Medford,
to march to the relief of Presentt with their
New Hampshire regiments. The order reach
ed Medford about 11 o'clock. Ammunition
was distributed in ail haste—two (lints, a gill of
jowdcr, and fifteen balls to each man. The
balls had to be suited to the different calibres
of ?iie guns ; the powder to be carried in horns,
or loose in the pocket, fur there were no cart
ridges prepared. It was the rude turn out of
yeoman soldiery, destitute of regular accoutre
ments.
In the meanwhile the Americans on Breed's
Hill were sustaining the fire from the ships and
from the battery on Copp's llill, which open
ed upon them aUiut ten o'clock. They return
ed an occasional shot from one- corner of the
redoubt, without much harm to the enemy,
ami continued strengthening their position un
til about eleven o'clock, when they ceased to
work, piled up their cntrem-hing tools in the
V'-ar, and looked out anxiously and imjiatiently
for their anticipated reinforcements and sup
plies.
A1 out this time, General Putnam, who had
been to head-quarters, arrived at the redoubt
on horse-back. Some few words passed be
tween him and Prescott with regard tothccn
trwhing toils, which have been variously re
ported.
Tut; most probable version is, that he urged
to have them taken from their present place,
where they might fall into the hands of the
enemy, and carried to Bunker's Hill, to fie em
ployed in throwing up a redoubt, which was a
part of the original plan, aud which would lie
very important .-hould the troops be obliged to
f' treat lioin Breed's llill. To this Prescott
<! marred, that those employed to convey them,
and who were already jaded with toil, might
not return to his rfedoubt. A large part of
: 'e tools were ultimately carried to Bunker's
Ihii, and a breast-work commenced by order
ben. Putnam. The importance of such a
WTk was afterwards made apparent.
About noon the Americans descried twrn
'J-eieht barges crossing from Boston in para
lb lines. They contained a large detachment
i ' : _ grenadiers, rangers aud light infantry, ad
k rably equipped, and commanded by Major
b'tirral Howe. They made a splendid and
rmidable appearance, with their scarlet uni
!" riQf: , and the sun Hashing upon muskets and
;-<jonets and brass field pieces. A heavy fire
the ships and oatterics covered their ad-
Wt , lmt no attempt was made to oppose
' ! 'b nnd they landed about one o'clock,
Moulton's Point, a little north of Breed's
Hill.
here Major Geueral Howe made a pause.
I' : recotinuitering the works from this point,
" Americans appeared to be much more
r, 3glv posted than he imagined. He ob-
troo H s also hastening to their assis-
Ihese were the New Hampshire troops, led
p| '> Stark. Howe immediately sent over to
<mi. I ago for more forces, and a supply of
brought by him being found,
. I'l'-h s ome egregious oversight, too large
I *. 1 ie or, lnance. While aw aiting their arri
vj' r ;!* res hineuts were serve d out to the troops
iirr" W h y the basketfull; and tantaliz
eiaU*""ft 0* t0 hungry and thirsty provin
aa-'\ k down from their ramparts of earth
' •'-+ their invader", seated in groups upoD
THE BRADFORD REPORTER.
the grass, eating and drinking, and preparing
themselves by a hearty meal for the coining en
counter.
The only consolation was to take advantage
of the delay, while the enemy were carousing,
to strengthen their position." The breastwork
on the left of the position extended to what
was called the slough, but beyond this, the
ridge of the hill, and the slojie toward Mystic
river, were undefended, leaving a pass bv
which the enemy might turn the loft flank of
the position and seize upon Bunker's Hill.—
Putnam ordered his chosen officer, ('apt. Knowl
ton, to cover the pass with the Connecticut
troops under his command. A novel kind of
rampart savoring of device, was suggested by
the rustic General.
About six hundred feet in the rear of there
doubt, and about one hundred feet to left of
the breastwork was a post-aud-rail fence, set
in a low foot wall of stone* and extended
down to Mystic River. The posts and rails
of another fence were hastily pulled up and
set a few feet behind this, and the intermedi
ate space was filled up with new mown hay
from the adjoining meadows. The double fence,
it will be found, proved an important protec
tion to the redoubt, although there still remain
ed an unprotected interval of about seven hun
dred feet.
While Know]ton and his men were putting
the fence, Putnam proceeded with other of
his troops to throw up the work on Bunker's
Hill, despatched his son, Capt. Putnam, on
horseback, to hurry up the remainder of the
men at Cambridge. By this time his compeer
in French ami Indian warfare, the veteran
Stark, made his appearance with the New
Hampshire troops, five hundred strong. He
had grown cool and wary with age, and his
march from Medford, a distance of five or six
miles, had been in character. He led his men
at a moderate pace, to bring them into action
fresh and vigorous. In crossing the Neck, which
was enfiladed by the enemy's ships and bat
teries, Capt. Dearborn, who sat by his side,
suggested a quick step. The veteran shook
his head. " One fresh man in action is worth ten
tired ones," replied he, and marched steadily
onward.
Putnam detained some of Stark's men, to
aid in throwing up the works on Bunker's Hill,
and directed him to reinforce Knowlton with
the rest. Stark made a short speech to his men, ;
now that they were likely to have warm work. j
He then pushed on, and did good service that i
day at the rustic bulwark.
About two o'clock Warren arrived on the
heights, ready to engage in the perilous de
fence, although he had opposed the scheme of I
their occupation. He had recently been elec-'
ted a Major General, lint had not received his 1
commission—like Pomeroy, he came to serve
iu the ranks, with a musket on his shoulder.
Putnam offered him the command at the j
fence ; he declined it, and merely asked where
he could lie of most service as a volunteer.— 1
Putnam pointed to the redoubt, observing that
he would be under cover. " Don't think I
seek a place of safety," observed Warren quick-1
ly ; " where will the attack be hottest?" Put- j
nam still pointed to the redoubt. "That is I
the euemy's object ; if that can be maintained ,
the day is ours." Warren was cheered by the
troops as he entered the redoubt. Col. Pres- |
cott tendered him the command. He again
declined. " I have come to serve only as a
volunteer, and shall be happy to learn from a
soldier of your experience." Such were the
noble spirits that assembled on these perilous
heights.
The British now prepared for a general as
sault. An easy victory was anticipated ; the j
main thought was, how to make it the most ef
fectual. The left wing, commenced by Gen.'
Pigot, was to mount the hill and force the re
doubt, while Gen. Howe, with the right wing,
was to push on between the fort and Mystic
river, turn the left flank of the Americans, and
cut off their retreat.
General Pigot accordingly advanced up the
hill, under cover of a lire from field pieces,
howitzers planted on a small height near the
landing place on Moulton's Point. His troops |
commenced a discharge of musketry while yet
at a long distance from the redoubts.
The Americans within the works, obedient
to strict command, retained their fire until the
enemy were within thirty or forty paces, then 1
opened upon thein with a tremendous volley.
Being all marksmen, accustomed to take deli
berate aim, the slaughter was immense, and
especially fatal to officers. The assailants fell
back in some confusion, but, rallied on by their
officers, advanced within pistol shot. Another
volley, more effective than the first, made them
again recoil. To add to their confusion they
were galled By a Hanking fire from the handful
of Provincials posted in Charlestown. Shocked
at the carnage, and seeing the confusion of the
troojs, Gen. Pigot was urged to give the word i
for a retreat.
In the meanwhile, Gen. Howe with the left |
wing, advanced along Mystic river, toward the (
fence where Stark, Reed and Knowlton were j
stationed, thinking to carry this slight breast
work with ease, and so get in the rear of the
fortress. His artillery proved of little avail,
being stopped by a swampy piece of ground,!
while his columns suffered from two or three
field pieces with which Putnanj had fortified
the fence. Howe's men kept, up a fire of mus
ketry as they advanced, but not taking aim,
their shot passed over the lo ads of the Ameri
cans. The latter had received the same or
ders with those in the redoubt, not to fire un
til the enemy should be within thirty paces.—
Some few transgressed the command. Putnam
rode up and swore he would cut down the next
man that fired contrary to orders.
When the British arrived within the stated
distance, a sheeted fire opened upon them from
rifles,muskets and fowling pieces,all leveled with
deadly aim. The carnage, as in the other in
stance, was horrible. The British were thrown
into confusion, and fell back ; sonic even re
treated to the boats.
There was a general pause on the part of
the British. The American officers availed them
selves of it to prepare for another attack, which
must soon be made. Prescott miDgled among
his men in the redoubt, who were ail iu high
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY AT TOWANDA, BRADFORD COUNTY, PA., BY E. O'MEARA GOODRICH.
" REGARDLESS OF DENUNCIATION FROM ANY QUARTER."
spirts at the severe check they had given " the
regulars.'" He praised them for their steadfast
ness in maintaining their post, and their good
conduct in reserving their fire until the word
of command, and exhorted them to do the same
in the next attack.
Putnam rode about Bunker's Hill and its
skirts, to rally and bring on reinforcements
which had been checked or scattered, in cross
ing Charlestown Neck, by a raking fire from
the ships and batteries. Before many could be
brought to the scene of action, the British had
commenced their second attack. They again
ascended the hill to storm the redoubt; their
advance was covered as before with discharges
of artillery. Charlestown, which had annoyed
them on their first attack by a flanking tire,
was in flames by shells thrown from Copp's
Hill, and by marines from the ships. Being
built of wood, the place was soon wrapped in
a general conflagration.
The thunder of artillery from the batteries
and ships, the bursting of bombshells, thesharp
discharge of musketry, the shouts and yells of
combatants, the crash of burning buildings,
and the dense volumes of smoke which obscur
ed the summer sun, all formed a tremendous
spectacle. "Sure I am," said Burgoync, in one
of his letters—" Sure 1 am, nothing ever has
or ever can be more dreadfully trerrible than
what was to be seen and heard at this time.—
The most incessant discharge of guns that was
ever heard by mortal ears."
The American troops, though unused to war,
stood undismayed umid a scene where it was
bursting upon them in all its horrors. Reserv
ing their fire, as before, until the enemy was
close at hand, they again poured forth repeat
ed volleys with the unerring aim of shar|Kshoot
ers. The British stood the first shock, and
continued to advance ; but the incessant stream
of fire staggered them. Their officers remon
strated, threatened, and even attempted to
goad them on with their swords, but the havoc
was too deadly—whole ranks were mowed
down—many of the officers were either slain
or wounded, aud among them several of the
staff of Howe. The troops again gave way
and retreated down the hill.
All this passed under the eyes of thousands
of spectators of both sexes aud all ages, watch
ing from afar every turn of the battle, in which
the lives of those most dear to them were at
hazard. The British soldiery in Boston gazed
with astonishment and almost incredulity at
the resolute and protracted stand of raw mili
tia whom they had been taught to despise, and
at the havoc made among their own veteran
troops. Every convoy brought over to the
town increased their consternation ; and Gen
eral Clinton, who had watched the action from
Copp's Hill, embarked in a boat, hurried over
as a volunteer, taking with him reinforce
ments.
A third attack was now determined on, al
though some of Howe's officers remonstrated,
declaring it would be downright butchery. A
different plan was adopted. Instead of advanc
ing in front of the redoubts, it was to be tak
eu iu flank ou the left, where open space be
tween the breastwork and the fortified fence
presented a weak point. It having been ac
cidentally discovered that the ammunition of
the Americans was nearly expended, prepara
tions were made to carry the worksat the point
of the bayonet ; and the soldiery threw oil'
their knapsacks, and some even their coats, to
be more light for action.
Gen. Howe, with the main body, now made
a feint of attacking the fortified fence ; but
while a part of his force was thus engaged, the
rest brought some field pieces to enfilade the
breastwork on the left of the redoubt. A rak
ing fire soon drove the Americans out of this
exposed place into the enclosure. Much dam
age, too, was dune in the latter by balls which
entered the sallyport.
The troops were now led on to assail the
works—those who fliiicheu were as before goad
ed on by the swords of the officers. The Ameri
cans again reserved tlieir fire until their assail
ants were close at hand, and then made a mur
derous volley, by which several officers were
laid low, and Gen. Howe himself was wounded
in the foot.
The British soldiery this time likewise re
serving their lire, and rushed on with their
bayonets. Clinton and Pigot had reached the
southern and eastern sides of the redoubt, and
it was now assailed on three sides at once.—
Prescott ordered those who had no bayonets
to retire to the back part of the redoubt, and
to fire on the enemy as they showed themselves
on the parapet. The first who mounted ex
claimed in triumph, "the day is ours !" lie
was instantly shot down, and so were several
others who mounted about the same time. The
Americans, however, had fired the last round,
their ammunition was exhausted ; and now suc
ceeded a desperate and deadly struggle, hand
to hand, with bayonets, stones, and the stocks
of their muskets.
At length, as the British continued to pour
in, Prescott gave the order to retreat. His
men had to cut. their way through two divis
ions of the enemy, who were getting in rear
of the redoubt, aud they received a destruc
tive volley from those who had formed on the
captured works. By that volley fell the pa
triot Warren, who had distinguished himself
throughout the action. He was among the
last to leave the redoubt, and had scarcely
done so, when he received a shot, through the
head with a musket ball, aud fell dead on the
spot.
While the Americans were thus slowly dis
lodged from the redoubt, Stark, Reed and
Knowlton maintained their position at the for
tified fence, which indeed had been nobh de
fended throughout the action. Pomeroy dis
tinguished himself here by his sharp shooting,
until his musket was shattered by a ball. The
resistance at this hastily constructed work was
kept up after the troops in the redoubt had
given way, and until Col. Prescott had left the
hill, thus defeating Gen. Howe's design of cut
ting off the retreat of the main body, which
would have produced a scene of dire confusion
and slaughter. Having effected their purpose,
the brave associates of the fence abandoned
their weak outpost, retiring slowly, and dispu
ting the groand, ineb by inch, with a regulari-
Tv remarkable in troops, many of whom had
never before been in action.
The main retreat was across Bunker's Hill,
where Putnam had endeavored to throw up a
breastwork. The veteran, sword in hand, rode
to the rear of the retreating troops, regardless
of the balls whistling about him. His only
thought was to rally them at the unfinished
works. "Halt! make a stand here!" cried
he ; "we can check them yet. In God's name
form, and give tliem one shot more."
Pomeroy, wielding his shattered musket as
a truncheon, seconded him iu his efforts to stay
the torrent. It was impossible, however, to
bring the troops to a stand. They continued
on down the hill to the Neck, and across to
Cambridge, exposed to the raking fire from
the ships and batteries, and protected only bv
a single piece of ordnance. The British were
too exhausted to pursue them, they contented
themselves with taking possession of Bunker
Hill, were reinforced from Boston, and threw
up additional works through the night.
THE " KlNK." —Riding through one of our
country villages, a short time before our annu
al election, we chanced to meet a boy with
books, slate, Ac., under his arm, whom we re
cognized to be a Protestant clergyman's son
of the village—when the following dialogue en
sued :
" Well, my son, have you been to school to
day ?"
" I don't know, sir."
"\ ou don't know ! what makes von answer
thus?"
" Oil, my mother says I must follow the ex
ample of my pious father ; and that is the way
he answers when she asks him about the Know-
Nothing party, and she says he don't lie, because
there is a kink in it.
" But when 1 asked you if you had been to
school you said you did not know. Now is that
the truth ?"
" Oh, there is a kink in it; they don't call it
a school—they call it the Academy."
Truly, thought I, that is a young American,
aud no mistake.
AN UNFORTUNATE MAN.—I am fallen into
the hands of publicans and sequestrators, and
they have taken all from me. What now ?
Let me look about mo. Thcv have left me sun
and moon, fire and water, a loving wife and
many friends to pity me, and some to relieve
me; and I can still discourse ; and unless I
list, they have not taken away my merry coun
tenance, and niv cheerful spirits, and a good
conscience ; they have still left me the provi
dence of God, and all the promises of the gos
pel, and my religion and my hope of heaven,
aud my charity to them too. And still 1 sleep,
and digest, and eat and drjnk ; I read and
meditate ; I can walk in my neighbors' pleas
ant fields, and see the varieties of natural beau
ty, and delight in all that which God delights
—that is, iu virtue and wisdom, in the whole
creation, and in God himself.
THE MAGNITUDE OF THE EARTH. —According
to a recent authority, the circumference of the
globe is twenty-live thousand and twenty miles.
It is not so easy to comprehend so stupendous
a circle as to put down its extent in figures.—
It becomes more palpable perhaps, by compari
son, such as this : A railway train, travelling
incessantly night and da v. at the rate of twenty
live miles an hour, would require six weeks to
go around it. The cubical bulk of the earth
is two hundred and sixty thousand millions of
cubic miles ! Dr. Gardner says, if the materials
which form the globe were built up in the form
of a column, having a pedestal of the magnitude
of England and Wales, tiie height of the
column would be nearly four-and-a-half millions
ol miles. A tunnel through the earth, from
England to New Zealand, would be nearly
eight thousand miles long.
How TO CHOOSE A HUSBAND. —Never marry
a man until you have seen him eat. Let the
candidate for your hand pass through the or
deal of eating soft boiled eggs. If he can do
it and leave the table spread, the napkin and
his sli irt unspotted -take him. Try him next
with a spare-rib. If he accomplishes this feat
without putting out one of his own eyes, or
pitching the bones into your lap, then name
the wedding-day at once ; he will do to tie to.
B*b'" THE PEN —in a hand that knows how
to use it, is the most powerful weapon known.
A* the tongue of the absent, how cheering !
When the golden tints of virtue guide it, how
beautiful! Where self-respect gives it a new
vigor, how pleasing ! Where honor directs
it, how respected ! Where wit sharpens it,
how fatal ! When scrutiny wields it, how
contemptible! 'Tis the weapon of the soul.
A FUNNY CASE. —An old tojier, in flic last
stages of dropsy, was told by the physician that
nothing would save him but being tapped. Ilis
little son objected to this operation, by saying,
" Father, don't let him. for you know there ne
ver was anything in this house that lasted a
week, after it was tapped."
gfej?" The Emperor of Japan's bedstead is
superbly carved and gilded. By a singularly
ingenious contrivance, a current of water may
be conducted off around the tester, and at plea
sure made to fall in transparent curtains of
rain, completely encircling the royal couch, for
the double purpose of keeping off the mosqui
toes and tempering the warm air to delicious
coolness, which, in that sultry climate, is the
consummation of bliss to reposing listlcssnoss.
ft®- I beg you to take to heart one maxim,
which for myself I have ever observed, and
ever shall —it is, never to say more than is m
eessary. The unspoken word never docs harm;
what is once uttered, cannot be recalled ; arid
no man can foresee its consequences.
KaT" " Martha, have you hung up your
clothes?" "No, madam, I placed them "in a
tate of suspension—bungis vu'gar."
[From the Knickerbocker Magazine for May.]
JUDGE NOT HARSHLY.
JUDGE not harshly : kindly speak
Of thy brother, frail and weak ;
For the loving, gentle tone
Often hath the erring won ;
While the stern and angry word
But the depths of passion stirred.
Judge not harshly : dost thou know
All thy fellow-mortal's woe,
And the heart-corroding care
Every human breast doth bear ?
No! Each soul hath secret grief,
None but HEAVEN can give relief.
Judge not harshly ; for the sigh
Borne to HIM who sits on high,
And the penitential tear,
Dropped when none but God is near.
Are in heaven a richer gem,
Than earth's costliest diadem.
Judge not harshly : for, in love,
JESUS judges from above ;
And as thou His grace would see,
Have HIM kindly smile on thee.
Of thy brother, frail and weak,
Judge not harshly—kindly speak.
A Story of Colt's Revolver.
An Irishman, formerly well known a? one of
the choicest spirits iu Trinity College, Dublin
but who, owing to the dilapidated fortunes of
his ancient family, expatriated himself some
few years since, and entered the Turkish army,
wrote a letter or rather journal, addressed to"a
frieud about a year since, of which the follow
ing is an extract. It may suffice to state that
lie was engaged in the Turkish campaign in
Asia, and during a severe engagement was
wounded on the heights of Basch-Kakik-Lar.
After having described the horrors of the field
and his narrow escapes in two or three
skirmishes, he gave the details of his sufferings
for a day and two nights during which he lay
exposed among the slain and wounded on the
field of buttle. The story of the manner of
his escape from two plunderers oreamp follow
ers, by means of a revolving pistol, is so curious
that we make no apology for extracting a
somewhat lengthy passage. We commence the
narrative about the middle of the journal :
All lias been long silent, save occasionally a
groan from some poor creature wounded like
me, perhaps dying, and the howling of the
wolves from the forest skirting the field of bat
tle—a pretty sort of wake for a decent Christian
Turk, and worse by distances, I can tell you,
my dear , than Fat Houlagan's grand
mother's screeches the night we entered her
cabin on the moor after that famous day's snipe
shooting when they laid him out as they said,
"so daceut wid the plate on his chest, the
spalpeen." Well, to return from this digression.
I felt how fortunate it was that I lay so near
the middle of the plain—a sort of centre dish
you see—since otherwise I would have been
torn hy some savage or other, before any one
would have been likely to inquire into the precise
zoological nature of my decease. 1 knew very
well the next morning I would be rescued, as
I could see that the Russians were retiring,
their fires being all out this night, and 1 had
just said to myself, "Jack, it is all right, you
will be easy and comfortable with your limb
elegantly bandaged to-morrow," and I actually
tried to whistle " The Bells of Shandon," aud
" Rory O'More," and one or two other tunes
to keep up my spirits. It was rather a failure
both in execution and intention, I will own.—
And now for a description which our old friend
Charley Lever might do justice to.
On a leafless tree near me sat six or seven
huge birds of prey, gorged with their horrible
repast. I knew they were not likely to touch
me whilst I remained living—l cannot add,
lively ; but I suddenly saw a figure flitting to
and fro, like the ghost of my aunt , and
occasionally stooping as if engaged in some
office of mercy, und thereby now aud then lost
among'the broken groups of men, and horses,
Ac., heaped upon the plain, and now and then
emerging into the bright light of the moon as
it came forth from behind the dark masses of
clouds that occasionally obscured the terrible
landscape. " What is it ?" says I. Presently
1 became aware of the existence of four or
five other figures similarly employed. At one
time I thought they were women, and then
priest administering consolation and aid. I
thought of the Spanish stories poor Major
Atk—ns used to tell us. I knew there were
monks in Asia, though I could not tell where
they came from. Then all kinds of strange
thoughts of ghosts and vampires, the very
creations of the country I was in, suggested
themselves to my imagination. I gazed until
I could gaze no longer at their forms, which
seemed hardly to approach nearer, and at
length fell back, contemplating a silvery halo
round the moon, which puts nie in mind of the
Cove of Cork and Lucy M •, the darling.
1 might have continued thus about half an
hour, when a sound caused me to turnaround,
and I beheld a sight that filled me with horror.
A figure like one of the witches in Macbeth
was stooping over and grappling with the
wounded Russian General, who lay some ten
paces distant from nie. I could hear every
breath and movement of the pair as the veteran
struggled with his fiendish assailant. There
was a fearful stillness about the deed ; for the
victim uttered not a word, probably in disdain
of his fate. After a desperate effort he succeed
ed in holding off her skinny and ensanguined
arms, and while doing so uttered a few words
in Russian which I could not understand.—
Finding her task difficult, she gave a hiss like
a serpent, and presently a male eondfederate,
looking like Burke or Hare clothed for an
Adelphia melodrama, such as I have seen in
London, stole to her assistance and deliberately
passed a long knife into the bosom of the hap
less Russian. I heard the sound of it, and the
low deep groan that followed. Vainly had 1
endeavored to shout, in order to scare these
fiends from their prey ; but my tongue clove
to the roof of my mouth. I was like one nnder
a nightmare. Suddenly the moon dived
beneath a cloud. When it came out again, the
I spoilers of the field of death had finished
| plundering the Russian general, whose white
1 ha>, livid features, and itarticg eye-balls I
VOL. XVI. X 0.9.
could plainly see, and were engaged in dividing
or securing the booty.
Tlic glittering eyes of the wrinkled Zingara,
for such she was, then turned upon me. It
was evident from their expression that my turn
was at hand. A tumult of thoughts agitated
mv breast. To die thus, after escaping with
life from the events of the week ! It was
horrible. Already I felt the clutch of those
bird-like fingers at my throat. Already I
fancied that butcher-like knife, red from a
hundred murders, and warm from the old
General's side, slowly passing into my breast.
I could offer no resistance. My left arm was
broken—my ankle twisted —my strength utterly
gone. I raised myself partly tip, as with
hidious deleberation the pair cautiously ap
proached, one on each side. What would
I have given at that moment to be heading a
" forlorn hope to be struggling with the
breakers as when lately wrecked on the stormy
Caspian ; to be standing opposite the best saw
handle shot in he county Galway ; to be hob
nobbing over my father's claret, in my grand
father's house, with the blackguard attorney
who ruined us all ; to be listening to the un
mistakable refusal to marry me of the only
girl I ever loved, or to be arrested by a dirty
tailor on the eve of a steeple chase, in which
I was the favorite gentleman rider. Don't
fancy that I thought of all these things at a
time, though I never thought so much in a year
as I did in those few moments.
The ugly Jewish features of the man ap
proached me with the fascination of a serpent.
I twisted myself round to meet the still more
fiendish glance of the woman. They neared
me. The clutch of the hag is already at my
throat. The knife of the man is upraised.—-
Suddenly the chords of speech were loosened,
and I screamed—screamed like a horse in the
middle of the battle-field. I shall never forget
the sound of my own voice in that unearthly
cry. The monster drew back, but it was only
to look at each other. At that instant
I thought of something—with my right
hand I drew forth my Colt's revolver.—
1 remember distinctly, during the instant it
took to pluck it forth, all the incidents of the
two days previous—each time I had fired it,
and that there were two charges left when T
was shot down from my horse. To snatch it
forth, cock it, level it, to pull the trigger, was
the work of a second. Down went the man, a
filthy corpse upon the ground. 1 remember
seeing the shadowy forms of the obscene birds
cropful in the solitary tree near me lazily
extend their wings as the sharp report rang
out. The hag fled a half dozen paces, like a
startled glioud ; but she was burdened with
spoil, and her foot caught against the very
corpse of him whom she had assisted to murder.
Before she could rise, I had covered her with
my pistol. One! two! three! "She has it!"
I cried. But it was not fated that she should
enjoy the privilege of instant death. She fell
wounded and crippled. Her moans and
maledictions were horrible I had struck her,
I believe, in the hip joint.
At length, 1 conceived the idea of dragging
myself from that appalling vicinity ; for these
two wretches had made the accustomed sights
and sounds of the battle field familiar and en
durable by comparison with their neighborhood
either in life or death. I was not disturbed
again that night, and indeed do not remember
much more until I found myself on a litter and
among friendly faces. Looking forth, as I was
borne away, I saw only one sight in all that
ghastly field of death. 11 was the old Zingara's
corpse. Plundered in turn by my soldiers, it
lay naked, stripped of its gaudy rags, and a
monstrous vulture had selected it for his prev,
as something more corrupt than all that lay
around.
My faithful Acbmet told me that for hours
after they found me he could uot succeed in
getting me to relax ray gripe on my Colt's pistol.
If I survive these wars, and ever become a
respectable citizen in '• ould Ireland," again,
that weapon shall be a precious heirloom to
hand down to my children's children as the
instrument of my providential escape from such
a death.
THLKURAPFIIC.—When it was first reported
that Professor Morse had succeeded in convey
ing intelligence between Baltimore and Wash
ington through the wires of the Magnetic
Telegraph, old savant, who had been a school
master and a member of the Legislature, gavo
it as his opinion that the report was " a
humbug !" lu fact, from his knowledge of
"astronomy," he said the thing could not be
done ! Shortly after, O'Reilly's men were seen
setting the poles directly by the old man's
dwelling. Ouc day he joined the crowd who
were witnessing the operation of stretching the
wire. Upon being asked what he thought of
the matter then, lie hesitated a moment, assurn
ug an air of importance, and then replied
" Well, gentlemen, while in the Legislature, I
gave the subject considerable attention, and
after some investigation and reflection, I have
come to the conclusion that it may answer very
well for small packages, but will never do for
large bundles—never 1"
WIT AS IS WIT. —At a social party a few
nights since, no matter where, a lady a.ked a
lawyer, " Why is coal like a celebrated law
book ?" " I have no doubt of its being Black
stone,''replied the lawyer. "But," said the
lady, "we burn Coke also." "True," said the
lawyer, " but at most of the coal-yards you get
a very Little-tou !"
L-7U Physicians rarely t ike medicine, 1 w
--v rs seldom go to law, and ministers steer clear
of other parson's churches. Editors, however,
read all the papers they can get.
K-g- Our tempers arc like an opera glass,
which makes the objects look small or groat,
according to the end we look through.
eg- Put a spoonful of horseradish into a
yai of milk, and it will remaiu sweet for several
di.y?.
aar You may depend upon it, he is a good
man, whose intimate friends ere all good.