The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1874-07-16

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"Oh, looki lookl The sloop's aflre!"
Come, can't stay and see 1t any
more, The cowardly Britishers, to burn
the boatsi Why don't they 60 up to the
town and fight like" ag.a 2 e
"Come, let's get the drum. Itll do NO
harm: and perhaps-"
"Well, let's. There's the fife, too; We
might take that with us"
| Yves; and we'll" so
No time for further talk. Duwn the
steep stairs of the tower rushed these
two young patriots, bent on doing what
they could for their country. They burst
into the kitchen like a wkirlwind. with
rosy cheeks and flying hair. Mrs. Bstes
sat sorrowfully gazing out of the win
dow at the scene of destruction going
on in the harbor and praying for her
country and that the dreadful war might
soon be over. She could not help. Son
and husband were shouldering their poor
Old guns in the town, and there was
nothing to do but to watch and wait and
pray. "f
Not so the two girls. They meant to
do something, and in fever Of excite
ACAt sucy kOt ING uEuM AuU tOOk t0c
cracked fife from the bureau drawer
Mrs. Bates, intent on the scene outside,
did not heed them, and they slipped out
by the back door unnOticed. VI,
They must be careful or the soldiers
would see them. They went round back
of the house to the north and toward the
outside beach, and then turned and
plowed through the deep sand just above
high.water mark. They must keep out
OF sight of the boats, and of the ship,
also. Luckily, she was anchored to the
south of the light; and as the beach
curved to the west they soon left her out
of sight. Then they took to the water
side, and with the drum between them
ran as fast rs they could toward the
main land. Presently they reached the
low heaps of sand that showed where
the spit Joined the fields and woods.
Painting and excited, they frightened
up the drum and tried the fife softly.
-" You take the fife and I'll drum"
All right; but we mustn't stand still.
We must march along the shore toward
the light" >l
"Wont they see u.s."
mo; we'll walk next the water on
the outside beach,"
"Oh, yes; and they'll think it's SOL
0leES gong OOWn 10 the fOlnt TO mead
'em off" - ' =,
"Just 50. Come, beginl One, two
one, twO!' g,
/. Drum! drum!! drum!!!
"For' ard-march!'
7 "Ha! har ,- .r
The fife stopped. a.,
Don't laugh. You'll spoil everything,
and l can't quicker my lips"
. Drum! drum!! drum!!!
Squeak! squeak!! squeak!M >...
The men in the town heard it and
were amazed beyond measure. Had the
it mean? Who we're coming?
Louder and louder on the breeze came
the roll of o sturdy drum and the sound
of brave fife. The soldiers in the
boats heard the noise and paused in their
work of destruction. The officers or
dered everybody into the boats in the
greatest haste. The people were rising!
They were coming down the Point with
cannOns to head them off They would
all he captured and perhaps hung by
the dreadful Americans!
How the drum rolled! The fife
changed its tune. 1t played Yankee
Doodle"-that horrid tune! Hark! The
men were cheering in the town; there
were thousands Of them in the woods
along the shore!
In grim silence marched the two girls,
Flooding over the sharp stones, splash
ing through the puddles-Rebecca beat
ing the old drum with might and main,
Sarah blowing the fife with shrill de-
termination. ..r.5
How the Britishers scrambled into
their boats! One of the brave officers
was nearly left behind ON the burning
slOop. Another fell overheard and wet
his good clothes, in his haste to escape
from the American army marching down
the beach q thousand strong! How the
sailors pulled! No fancy rowing now,
but desperate haste to get out of the
place and escape to the ship.
How the people yelled and cheered
on the shore! Fifty men or more jumped
into boats to prepare for the chase.
Ringing shots began to crack over the
water.
Louder and louder rolled the terrible
drum. Sharp and clear rang out the
cruel fife.
Nearly exhausted, half dead with ia
tigue, the girls toiled on-tearful, laugh
ing, ready to drop OF the wet sand, and
still beating and blowing with fiery
courage. va :,
The boat swept swiftly out of the har-
Dor on the outgoing tide. The fishermen
came up with the burning boats. Part
stopped to put out the fires and the rest
pursued the flying enemy with such shots
as they could get ut them. In the midst
of it all the sun went down.
The red-coats did not return shot.
They expected every moment to see
thousand men open ON them at short
range from the beach and they reserved
their powder. r.
Out of the harbor they went in confu-
sion and dismay. The ship weighed an
Choir and ran out her big guns, but did
not fire shot. Darkness fell down on
the scene Us the boat reached the ship.
Then she sent q round shot toward the
light. 1t fell short, and threw a great
fountain of white water into the air.
The girls saw it, and, dropping their
drum and fife, sat down on the beach and
laughed till they cried. That night the
ship sailed away. The great American
army of two had arrived, and she thought
it wise to retreat in time!
Rebecca is still living, old and feeble
in body, but brave in spirit and strong in
patriotism. She told this story herself
to the writer, and it is true.-St. Niobo-
las for July.
A Railroad Scene. "
"BuRLEIaH" writes from Washington