Beadle's Dime Novels No. 115: The Sons of Liberty — page 67: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

‘THE BATTERING-RAM. 3 69 appointed a sturdy Whig in his place. But, backed by Sir John Jobuson, he had continued to exercise the furictions of the office:*contrary to justice and the law. Hearing his name, Edgar dragged himself to the little bar- red wind»w of his prison and looked down into the street. About fifty men had collected, armed with muskets, for what purpose he could not tell. At their head strode the sturdy Whig known as Sampson Sammons. He advanced to the door of the jai! and knocked heavily. No answer came from within. “Hold up the toreRes, men,” said Sampson, “and let me take a peep through the bars. mr. His eldest son advanced with a torch and held it high * above his head. Sampson drew himself up to the hight of the window-sill and looked into the hall of the jail. A lamp was burning on a rough table, but no one was there. Samp- son applied his mouth to the key-hole and shouted the name of Alec Black, the sheriff. No voice replied as the old jail rung with the sturdy voice of the patriot. “Will you come to the door?” again shouted Sampson. “Ye had better, Alec: We will do ye no harm, but the cap- tain we will have, and that’s the end of it.” . “Tf he was here,” said one of the Fonda family, “he has _ gone out of the back window. Let’s burst the door.” * Axes here,” said Sampson. A long-armed fellow, with an ax in his hand, kaveenced to the door of the jail, and struck his blade into it, leaving it standing in the wood while he spat upon his hands and took a deep breath. Then it gleamed above his head again and he splinters began to fly. But it was a stout, oak door and j resisted bravely for a time, and he stood aside for another ax- ~ ~ man. In the mean time, others of the men had cut down a small tree and lopped off the branches about a foot from the body, so as to. give a good hold for the hands. Ten men placed themselves upon each side of this convenient ram and marched up to the door. . “Stand aside, John,” said Sampson. “ Let them try it with the sapling. Now. Take hold of her! ‘Swing her once! Swing her twice! !: Swing her three times, and into her!!!” ~ What mere carpenter work could stand against such a blow. ‘ 115 3 f _ comicbooks.conn