..Under the crown, American history; . ady attention. Again the cries grew louder and arrow-flightsthicker. The guns replied, but this time theattack was not repulsed. A ponderous thump-ing on the door, which shook the whole build-ing, told that some kind of battering-ram wasemployed to break It down. THE PURITAN PARSON. 93 Only a pinch or two of sand remained in thehour-glass. Still it was not quite empty, andthe Puritan Parson preached on. Crash! The door was half off its hinges. Thefirearms men crowded behind It, and delivereda volley that appeared for aminute to clear the parso
..Under the crown, American history; . ady attention. Again the cries grew louder and arrow-flightsthicker. The guns replied, but this time theattack was not repulsed. A ponderous thump-ing on the door, which shook the whole build-ing, told that some kind of battering-ram wasemployed to break It down. THE PURITAN PARSON. 93 Only a pinch or two of sand remained in thehour-glass. Still it was not quite empty, andthe Puritan Parson preached on. Crash! The door was half off its hinges. Thefirearms men crowded behind It, and delivereda volley that appeared for aminute to clear the parsons lips could be seento move, althoughhis voice was notheard in the din. A renewed yelland the crashingblows once morebeat upon thedoor. No shotsanswered thistime,for the musketswere empty. An arrow whis-tled across thechurch and stuckquivering in the pulpit. Round the edges ofthe shattered door hatchets and clubs werebrandished in the faces of the defenders,who dashed them aside with the butts of theirguns. The women began to 94 THE PURITAN PARSON. The last sand ran out of the hour-glass. Par-son Pladley bowed his head and said, Amen!And all the congregation answered in tones ofsolemn reverence, *Amen! Up sprang the hitherto motionless listeners,women to the rear, men to the front; and fromthe pulpit the old minister, with sword and gun,led the way to the aid of the others, who werebeginning to give ground before the mass ofhideously painted figures who were forcing theirway through the entrance. Then came out another side of the Puritancharacter. The fierce energy, almost joy, withwhich the colonists fought was as surprising asthe stony self-control they had shown but amoment before. Ahead of them all, ParsonPladley swung his mighty sword with crieswhich betrayed the old horse-soldier of Crom-well and Harrison, for such he had been; andof those who followed him, more than one hadstood in the ranks of the pikemen who met thecharges of Prince Ruperts Cavaliers. As if h
Size: 1424px × 1754px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookidundercrownam, bookyear1909
