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Article THE WARNING !!! ← Page 4 of 6 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Warning !!!
prepared , and supported by our own consciences , and the knowledge and belief of the protection of our Maker , what have we to fear ?" " Nothing , my son ; I am glad to witness not only your resolution , but the feelings which have actuated you both in relying on the goodness of Providence . But much remains to be performed , and without loss of time ; it will be necessary for your mother and sister to withdraw to a place of safety , which I , from a knowledge of the turbulent tempers what htand which
of my neighbours , and from a foreboding of mig , I fear will happen , have provided;—but of this you shall see . " AVithout a moment ' s delay , Mr . AVaugh fetched his wife and daughter , who although extremely alarmed for the safety of their friends , were actuated by the feelings of obedience to do all that was required at their hands . They were conveyed , with the other females in the house , to a room , or , more properly speaking , a comfortable vault adjacent to the wine cellar , and so complete was the contrivance which had been effected by the builder , that -without some previous knowledge of the entrance , it
would escape the notice of every casual observer . This done , our first step was to prepare our means of defence ; and in this we were far from stinted . Mr . Waugh , Iris son , and myself , were each armed with a brace of pistols , and cutlasses ; the butler and Conolly , the servant , were armed with blunderbusses ; and , thus protected , we felt every degree of confidence . AVe deliberated for some time as to the expediency of our measures for repelling the attack , if made , and Mr . that would
Waugh conceiving , from motives of humanity , our appearance daunt the marauders , decided , certainly against the opinions of his son and myself , that the window in the billiard room should remain open , and that we should p lant ourselves so as to shew what he called " a good front . " It was useless to argue upon the point , as every moment was of the greatest consequence , ancl we , therefore , in obedience followed his directionsAVe remained the full watchancl with every
feel-. upon , ing of acute anxiety for at least two hours—now and then fancying that we heard the approach of the villains , and all but ready to act upon tne exigency of the moment . Mr . Waugh , however , in the most peremptory tone , declared that on no account would he allow us to offer violence until we were called upon to defend our own lives . But sure enough , as the clock struck One , we heard quite sufficient to arrest our attention ,
" The attempt , and not the deed , confound us : —Hark !"—Macbeth . —the approach of many feet and a buzzing noise made us too well acquainted with what we had to expect . Before they reached the window we perceived that their number amounted to about twenty , and that three of them bore torches for the purpose , as we feared , and which afterwards proved true , to set fire to the outbuildings , which were comclearl
posed principally of wood . AVe could also y distinguish , our faculties being sharpened by the sense of danger , that the character 1 have mentioned , Patrick AVeguelin , was their leader His face was partly concealed by a blue handkerchief tied round his head and under his chin ; he was a short brawny thickset man , with features not naturally up-ly , but rendered worse than ugly by the peculiar and hideous glare of his eyes , which conveyed an expression oi louring ferocity disgustingly blended with a sort of stupid drunken leer , tae effect oi habitual intoxication . At the time they approached the window we had our arms ready for a volley , and 1 still consider that if we had
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Warning !!!
prepared , and supported by our own consciences , and the knowledge and belief of the protection of our Maker , what have we to fear ?" " Nothing , my son ; I am glad to witness not only your resolution , but the feelings which have actuated you both in relying on the goodness of Providence . But much remains to be performed , and without loss of time ; it will be necessary for your mother and sister to withdraw to a place of safety , which I , from a knowledge of the turbulent tempers what htand which
of my neighbours , and from a foreboding of mig , I fear will happen , have provided;—but of this you shall see . " AVithout a moment ' s delay , Mr . AVaugh fetched his wife and daughter , who although extremely alarmed for the safety of their friends , were actuated by the feelings of obedience to do all that was required at their hands . They were conveyed , with the other females in the house , to a room , or , more properly speaking , a comfortable vault adjacent to the wine cellar , and so complete was the contrivance which had been effected by the builder , that -without some previous knowledge of the entrance , it
would escape the notice of every casual observer . This done , our first step was to prepare our means of defence ; and in this we were far from stinted . Mr . Waugh , Iris son , and myself , were each armed with a brace of pistols , and cutlasses ; the butler and Conolly , the servant , were armed with blunderbusses ; and , thus protected , we felt every degree of confidence . AVe deliberated for some time as to the expediency of our measures for repelling the attack , if made , and Mr . that would
Waugh conceiving , from motives of humanity , our appearance daunt the marauders , decided , certainly against the opinions of his son and myself , that the window in the billiard room should remain open , and that we should p lant ourselves so as to shew what he called " a good front . " It was useless to argue upon the point , as every moment was of the greatest consequence , ancl we , therefore , in obedience followed his directionsAVe remained the full watchancl with every
feel-. upon , ing of acute anxiety for at least two hours—now and then fancying that we heard the approach of the villains , and all but ready to act upon tne exigency of the moment . Mr . Waugh , however , in the most peremptory tone , declared that on no account would he allow us to offer violence until we were called upon to defend our own lives . But sure enough , as the clock struck One , we heard quite sufficient to arrest our attention ,
" The attempt , and not the deed , confound us : —Hark !"—Macbeth . —the approach of many feet and a buzzing noise made us too well acquainted with what we had to expect . Before they reached the window we perceived that their number amounted to about twenty , and that three of them bore torches for the purpose , as we feared , and which afterwards proved true , to set fire to the outbuildings , which were comclearl
posed principally of wood . AVe could also y distinguish , our faculties being sharpened by the sense of danger , that the character 1 have mentioned , Patrick AVeguelin , was their leader His face was partly concealed by a blue handkerchief tied round his head and under his chin ; he was a short brawny thickset man , with features not naturally up-ly , but rendered worse than ugly by the peculiar and hideous glare of his eyes , which conveyed an expression oi louring ferocity disgustingly blended with a sort of stupid drunken leer , tae effect oi habitual intoxication . At the time they approached the window we had our arms ready for a volley , and 1 still consider that if we had