384 THE YOUTH’S CABINET.

the widow and her daughters were much
A Providential Guest. alarmed by this violent attack, and ran
wipow at Dort, in Holland, who | almost frantic through different parts of

b\ was very industrious, was left by | the house, exclaiming “ Murder! murder !”

her husband, an eminent carpen- The son, having joined the soldier, with a

ter, with a comfortable house, | case of loaded pistols, and the latter,
some land, and two boats for carrying | screwing on his bayonet, and fresh prim-
merchandise and passengers On the canals. | ing his piece, which was charged with
She was also supposed to be worth ten | slugs, requested the women to keep them-
thousand guilders in ready money, which | selves in a back room out of the way of
she employed in a sail-cloth manufactory | danger. Soon after the door was burst
in, two ruffians entered, and were instantly
shot by the son. Two other associates of
the dead men ‘mmediately returned the
fire, but without effect; when the veteran
stranger, taking ‘immediate advantage of
the discharge of their arms, rushed on
them like a lion, ran one through the
body with his bayonet, and while the
other was running away, lodged the con-
tents of his piece between his shoulders,
and he dropped dead on the spot. The
son and the stranger then closed the door
as well as they could, reloaded their arms,
made a good fire, and watched till day-
light. When the weavers and spinners
of the manufactory came to Tesum® their
employment, they were struck with hor-
ror and surprise, at seeing four men dead
near the house, where the soldier had
dragged them, before he closed the door
leading to the street.

The burgomaster attended, and took
the depositions of the family relative to
this affair. The bodies of the ruffians
were buried in a cross road, and a stone
erected over the grave, with a suitable in-
scription.

The widow presented the soldier, who
was seventy years old, with one hundred
guineas, and the city settled a handsome
pension on him for the rest of his life—
Selected.

for the purpose of increasing her fortune,
and instructing her children, @ son and
two daughters, in useful branches of busi-
ness. |

One night, about nine o'clock, in the
year 1785, a person dressed in uniform,
with a musket and broad-sword, came to
her house, and requested lodging. “I let
no lodgings, friend,” said the widow;
“ and besides I have no spare bed, unless
you sleep with my son, which I think
very improper, on account of your being
a perfect stranger to us all’ The soldier
then showed a discharge from Diesbach’s
regiment, signéd by the major, who gave
- him an excellent character, and a passport
from the governor of Breda. The widow,
believing the stranger to be an honest
man, called her son, and asked him if he
would accommodate a veteran, who had
served the republic thirty years with rep-
utation, with part of his bed. The young
man consented; the soldier was accord-
ingly hospitably entertained, and at a
seasonable hour withdrew to rest.

Some hours afterwards, a loud knock
was heard at the street door, which rous-
ed the soldier, who moved softly down
stairs, and listened at the hall-door, when
the blows were repeated, and the door
almost broken through by 4 sledge, or
some heavy instrument. By this time