298 a providential Je/herante. Oct: 24* 



ed her son, and afked.him, if he would accoramoda:e a 

 veteran, who had served the republic thirty years with 

 reputation, with a part of his Ijed. The young man con- 

 sented, and the soldier was hospitably entertained, and 

 withdrew to rest. Some hours after, a loud thumping 

 was heard at the street door, which roused the soldier, 

 who stole softly down stairs, and listened in the hall. 

 The blows were repeated, and the door almost brokea 

 through by a sledge, or some heavy iastrument. By this 

 ^ime the affrighted widow and her daughters were run- 

 ning about and screaming, murder! murder! but the son 

 having joined the soldier, with a case of loaded pistols, 

 and the latter screwing on his bayonet, and frefh priming 

 his piece, which was well filled with slugs, desired the, 

 women to retire, as bloody work might be expected in a 

 few minutes. Soon after the door was burst in, and two 

 fellows entered, and -were instantly (hot by the son, who 

 discharged both his pistols at once. Two more returned 

 the favour from without, but without effect ; and the in- 

 trepid veteran, taking immediate advantage of the dis- 

 charge of their arms, rufliing on them like a lion, ran one 

 through the body with his bayonet, and whilst the other 

 was running away, lodged the contents of his piece be- 

 tween his fhoulders, and he dropped dead on the spot. 

 They then closed the door as well as they could ; reload- 

 ed their arms ; made a good fire j and watched till day- 

 light, when a number of weavers and spinners came to 

 resume their employment ; we may guefs their horror and 

 surprise on seeing four men dead on a dunghill, where 

 the soldier had dragged them before the door was fliut. 

 The burgomaster and his syndic attended, and took the 

 depositions of the family relative to thi« affair. The bo- 

 dies were buried in a crofs road, and a stone erected over 

 the grave, with this Inscription : " here lie the wretched 

 carcases of four unknown ruffians, who deservedly lost 

 their lives, in an attempt to rob and murder a worthy wo- 



