The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-07-09

llGln HOW tO ulspOSe the forces, anu mao
named the points of interest, Yorktown
being the grass-plat, and now nothing re-
NAMED but to choose sides, which proved
very difficult, as no one would personate
CORVALLIS.
Rupert, You must"
Indeed / will not" replied Rupert,
his patriotic blood in flame.
"Ill tell you what we'll do" said
Hal. "There are five of us. and wei
ask Will Saunders and let him play if
he'll be CORVALLIS, that will make lis
win."
Wills patriotism yielded to the pleas
ures of battle, and he soon came.
a" I'm going to be Lafayette" asserted
Alfred.
"No, let Hal, because he's Oldest"
"There's nothing fair about that, he
only happened to be So" returned AL
fred.
"No," said Hal, "we'll draw lots"
The decision fell to Rupert, and Alfred
deserted to the British forces, which Hal
joined, rs no one else seemed willing.
"Now Eda will come with us, and be
safe in the fort"
"No," replied Eda, who had been
watching the proceedings in silence, Z"
would rather be unsafe and remain with
the Americans.
"Well chosen, little heroine" cried
Mr. Lee, from the piazza.
"Then we will have Rover on our
side" said Alfred.
But you must not set him on" said
Alfred.
No." cried Mr.. Lee, "that would be
letting loose the dogs of war, indeed. D"
"Eda, you must keep behind the in
trenchments to be out of the firing" said
Rupert, "and when we charge, stand
over there, and we will show you how it's
done"
Father will be Washington and
CORVALLIS must surrender to him, " said
Hal, and each party retiring to its out
posts, the fight began. Torpedos were
the harmless balls which We're allowed to
play against the forts, but on each other
they could use nothing but strawberries.
1t interfered with the reality of the scene
for either party to step out and light
their guns, or crackers, from the outside,
and retire while they exploded, but they
made just rs much noise, and wrought as
much excitement in the opposing forces
as if the thing had been more regular.
At first the British kept closely within
their fort, and the American party, with
their French leader, crouched behind
their works, but when the ammunition be-
gan to run low, Lafayette proposed a
charge.
You know we storm the redOubt,
they fly and we pursue"
But suppose they don't fly" urged
Eda, whose cheeks began to flush.
Put them to the sword" promptly
responded Lafayette.
The charge was made in gallant style,
the wooden and tin swords of the brave
leaders making terrible clashing. The
firing was vigorous, and breach was
soon made on the enemy's wall, and the
British seemed fairly routed, when an
unexpected incident reversed the for
tunes of the day. Rover aud Eda had
stayed where they were placed until the
former saw his party fly. In dismay he
looked from one to the other, and being
determined the loss of the battle should
not be his fault, attacked Charley, the
infantry Of the Americans, and routed
him completely, rolling him over and
over in the grass. At that moment Al
fred on the British side, and Albert for
the American, became much in earnest
in hand-to- hand combat, the latter in
sisting that the former must Yield. Eda' s
eyes had been growing brighter, and her
chest heaving rapidly, when at the sight
of the misfortune, she exclaimed.
"They shall not be beaten ;" and
rushed into the fray without her hat, her
black hair streaming behind her.
Rover instantly yielded to her author
itative "down, SIR" and Alfred fled in
dismay before the resolute, fiery mite
that swept down on him. CORVALLIS
hastily conferred with Hal and offered to
surrender his arms to the proper officer.
Lafayette rode off, full speed, to get him,
while Eda stood waving the stars and
stripes, and still looking scorn on the foe.
After the surrender had taken place in
due form, and the flag foated over the
British ramparts, the two armies went in
to dress for dinner. They were in a
sorry plight, 50 hot and soiled, but Eda
was too much excited to talk of anything
but the combat.
"Did they really fight so, Uncle p
she asked, leaning on his knee and look
ing up into his face. 81 hate Corn
wallis.
Poor Will Saunders, who stayed the
rest of the day, could not gain her favor,
and Rover was in utter disgrace. The
delicious ice-cream and strawberries ii
the evening, and the fireworks, Roman
candles, wheels, rockets, and bombs
with their clusters of colored stars, were
a delight to Eda, but when at last good
nights were said, she whispered to Hal
with her arms about his neck:
"Don't ever be British again, please
for then 1 can't like you."
"Well, Eda, how do you like thu
Fourth of Julyl" asked her uncle.
80, I like it, sir, she replied, "and i
| had been alive then 1 would have gon,
as soldier too" which reply brought
round of applause and kisses from tn
boys.