Part 18 (2/2)

Onin you must demand provisions; I will deny that I have any

You et into a violent passion, and swear you will have them, or set the house on fire I will then thron the keys, and you can take just what you want; for thank God, there is enough, both for you and your horses”

Such was the farce, which the whigs in those days, both ladies and gentleed to play, when they had any of their tory acquaintance about them

We now played it, and with the desired success; for the troughs in the yard were all presently filled with corn and fodder for our cavalry; while for ourselves the good-natured cook wenches soon served up a s, with nice hearth cakes and butter and milk ”God be praised,” said we; and doe sat, and s, without exercise and keen appetites, can forot coain, what should we hear but the firing of our sentinels ”To horse! to horse!

ht, ere all mounted and foroons hard after thee! was the word In aof our swords The tory girls shrieked out for their sweethearts -- ”Oh the British!+ the British!+ murder! murder! Oh!”

Then off ent, all at once, in solid column The enemy took to their heels, and we pursued Over the fence we bounded like stags

Down the hill went the British Down the hill e; helter-skelter, h the woods like the sound of distant thunder

We were all excellently mounted; but there was no horse that could hold the ith Selian; and I wondered at first what had beco up on ust Indeed, with his wide-spread nostrils, and long extended neck, and glaring eyeballs, he seeon in chase of his prey He soon had his master up with the ene of his steel was terrible, as, rising on his stirrups, with high-lifted arm, he waved it three times in fiery circles over his head, as if to call up all his strength

Then, with a voice of thunder, he poured his charging shout, dreadful as the roar of the lion when, close up to his ga on the fat buffaloes of his chase

Though their itives, for I saw that their death was at hand One of the British officers fired a pistol at him, but without effect: before he could try another, he was cut down by Macdonald After this, at a blow a piece, he sealed the eyes of three dragoons in lasting sleep

Two fell beneath the steel of the strong-handed Snipes; nor did my sword return bloodless to its scabbard In short, of the whole party, consisting of twenty-five, not a man escaped, except one officer, who, in the heat of the chase and carnage, cunningly shot off, at right angles, for a swaained, and so cleared himself

The naentleot acquainted with him after the war, at New York

Soon as the ceremony of introduction was over, he smiled, and asked if I were not in the skirain inquired, if I did not recollect how handsoave me the slip that day?

I told him I did ”Well,” continued he, ”I was that officer; and of all the frights I ever had in my life, that was the most complete

Will you believe , with ht an auburn as ever curled upon the forehead of youth; and by the tiht, they were as gray as a badger!

I ell nigh taking an oath never to forgive you, during breath, for frightening o to the devil, where it belongs So coo dine with me, and I'll show you a lovelier woman than either of those that rode in the chair that day”

I ith him, and was introduced to his wife, a lovely wolee, he related the whole history of the chase, and his own narrow escape, and then laughed very heartily But not so his gentle partner For, as he told of the shrill whizzing of our swords close behind hioons as they fell, cut down from their horses, her face turned pale, and pensive; then, looking at hih, to think how near her husband had been to death

Meriot looked with pleasure on the troubled countenance of his lovely wife, because he well knew the fond source of her troubles Then, snatching up a goblet of sangree, richly , he presented it to her ruby lips, saying, ”Co reat cordiality, he exclaimed, ”Well, colonel Horry, we have been foes, but thank God, we are good friends again

And now let me drink to you a sentiment of my heart, 'Here's friendshi+p in marble, enlishman, has often served to deepen my abhorrence of WAR, which too frequently sets those to cutting each other's throats, ere born to be brothers

But to return to our story ”Meriot,” you'll say, ”and his brother officer, brought 'their pigs to a bad market'” Yes, indeed: but not a jot worse than some of their friends ca of that day, Marion, now concealed in the swaetoas pleased to order me out on a second excursion

”Take captain Snipes,” said he, ”with thirty men, and proceed down the Sandpit road, in quest of the enemy The e with spirit, and I'll warrant your success”

As we approached the bridge, stillon very circumspectly, in the woods, we discovered at a short distance, a body of horsereat confusion, and very anxious to for spurs to our horses, dashed upon the as we rushed on

The enemy broke and fled in all directions We pursued

Then you ht have seen the woods all covered with ar; and withdown as fast as they could

Froe,with me but a lad of fourteen, named Gwinn, who carried a musket At that instant, a party of nine or ten ed as such, asking if they were not friends?

”Friends! O yes!” replied their captain, (one Lewis) ”friends to be sure; friends to king George!”