The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-04-10
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| tide beach, and then turned and Moved
through the deep sand just above high wo.
ter mark. They must keep out of sigbt of
the boats, and of the ship, also. Luckily.
she was 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 towards the mainland.
Presently they reached the low heaps of
sand that showed where the spit Joined
field and woods.
Painting and excited, they frightened up
the drum and tried the fife softly.
"You take the fife, Sarah, and I'll
drum"
"All right but we mustn't stand still
we must march along the shore towards
the light"
"Won't they see us?"
"No well walk next the water on the
outside beach,"
''Oh, yes and they'll think it's soldiers
going down to the Point to head them off"
".Iust so. Come, begin. One, two
one two,"
Drum drum drum
Squeak sbueak squeak I!
"For'ard-march :"
"Ha hal"
The fife stopped.
Don't laugh. You'll spoil everything,
and can't pucker my lips"
Drum drum drum :,
Squeak squeak squeak ! !
The men in the 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 soldiers in the boots heard
the noise, and paused in their work of de-
structon. The officers ordered 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 be captured, and
perhaps hung by the dreadful Americans,
How the drum rolled The fife changed
its tune. 1t played yankee Doodle
that horrid tune Hank The men were
cheering in the town; there were thousands
of them in the woods along the shore.
In geim silence marched the two girls
Flooding over the sharp stones, splashing
through the puddles-Rebecca beating the
old drum with might and MAN, Sarah blow
ing the fife with shrill determination.
How the Brtishers scrambled into their
boats One of the brave officers was near
ly left behind on the burning sloop. Anoth-
er fell overheard and wet his good clothes,
| in his haste to escape from the American
army marching down the beach--a thou
sand 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 10 prepare for the chase. Ringing
| shouts 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 fatigue,
the girls toiled on-tearful, laughing, ready
to drop on the wet sand, and still beating
and blowing with fiery courage.
The boats 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 at them. In the midst of
| it all the sun went down.
The red coats did not return SHOT They
expected every minute to see thousand
men open on them at short range from the
beach, and they reserved their powder.
Out of the harbor they went in confusion
and dsmay. The ship weighed anchor
and ran out her big guns, but did not fire
a shot. Darkness fell down on the scene
as the boats reached the ship. Then she
sent round shot towards the light. 1t
fell short, and threw 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 pa
triotism. She told this story herself to the
| writer, and it is true.