The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1874-09-16

Noh.
"See how still it is in town. There's
not man to be seen."
"Oh, they are hiding till the soldiers
get nearer. Then we will hear the
shots and the drum"
"The drum How can they? It's
here. Father brought it home to mend
It last night"
"Did he? Oh, then let's"
"See the first boat has reached the
sloop, OIL ohI They are going to
burn hcr."
"Isn't it mean2'
cts zoo bad too"
"Whete's that drum"
"It's inlthe kitchen"
'1've a great mind to go down and
beat it,"
"What gpod would that do ?"
"Scare '9m."
They'd Zee it was only two girls,
and they wtuld laugh and go on burn
ing just the same"
"No. wv could hide behind the
sand hills and the bushes. Come
let's -"
"Oh, look look The sloop's afire !"
"Come, | can't stay and see it any
more. The vowardly Britishers, to
burn the boatA Why don't they go
up to the town and fight like"
Come, let's get the drum. It'll do
no BARN; and perhaps"
"Well, let's. There's the fife, too,
we might take that with u.s."
eyes and WE'LL"
No time for further talk. Down
the steep stairs of the tower rushed
these two young patriots, bent on do
ing what they could for their country.
They burst into the kitchen like a
whilwind, with rosy cheeks and flying
hair. Mrs. Bates sat sorrowfully gaz-
ing out of the window 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 wait and pray.
Not so the two girls. They meant
to do something, and in fever of ex-
element they got the drum and took
the fife from the bureau drawer. Mrs.
Bates, intent on the scene outside, did
not heed thems and they slipped out by
the back door unnoticed.
They must be careful or the soldiers
would see them. They went round
back of the house to the north and to-
ward the outside beach, and then turn
ed 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 as
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 tightened
up the drum and tried the fife softly.
"You take the fife and I'll drum"
GAIL right; but we mustn't stand
still. We must march along the shore
toward the light"
"Won't they see us ?"
"No; we'll walk next the water on
the outside beach,"
"Oh, yes; and they'll think it's sol
diers going down to the'Point to head
'em off"
"Just so. Come, begin! One, two
one, two"
Druml Drum Drum!!l
"For'ard march !"
cha! Haw
The fife stopped.
Don't laugh. You'll spoil every
thing, and can't pucker my lips"
Drum Drum Drum !!
Squeak T! Squeak !! Squeak y!
The men in town heard it and were
amazed beyond measure. Had the
soldiers arrived from Boston? What
did it mean? Who were coming?
Louder and louder on the breeze
came the roll of sturdy drum and
the sound of brave fife. The sol
diers in the boats heard the noise and
paused in their work of destruction.
The officers ordered everybody into
the boats in the greatest of haste. The
people were rising They were coming
down the point with cannons to head
them off! They would all be captured
and perhaps hung by the dreadful
Americans
How the drum rolled! The fife
changed its tune. 1t played "Yankee
Doodle"-that h0rrid tune Hark !
the men were cheering in the town
there were thousands Of them in the
woods alonO the shore