The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-08-18
|fT5f,5,t.t.EI;'. ~ ~.lIE,t n

So Polly said she could be the spy; and
they sent the little girl up the ladder by
the lofts as high as she dared to go, anc
there she was told to wait for orders.
"Where's your fortl" said HE sam,
little boy with the big flag, and who
really seemed to be much more of his
torian than the manager herself.
"Fortl" said Polly. WAS Bunker
Hill fortg" TO-
"I telp you she was; and they didn't
fire until they saw the whites of the
eyes, either"
Whites of what eggsG" said Polly
who had some cotton in one ear, for the
ear ache.
81 didn't say eggs" said the small
boy. 81 said eyes,"
Then they began to build the fort.
Tho British troops worked with the
Americans in the most remarkably ami
able manner, the only point of differ
ence having arisen after British GeN-
eral stepped ON the heel of an American
pop-gun private, who was carrying a
small bag of oats for the breastworks.
1t looked like war then for a time but
the General promised to give the pop
gun private some cold plum pudding for
only two doughnuts when lunch time
came, and the affair blew over.
1t was considerable work to make
that fort, and they were long time about
it. OF course, they had to build it 80
high that the Americans heads wouldn t
show, and, after all the meal-bags and
boxes they could find were piled on, the
American army was still exposed above
the waist.
Then and then only it was that Miss
Polly Naples, manager, arose to the
emergency of the position. She ordered
all the rakes and hoes, and everything,
in fact, which had handle, to be brought
and then she stripped off their aprons
what might be called the flower of both
armies, and made screen which, If it
did look a little like washing day,
proved to he one of the most brilliant
ideas of the campaign, for when the ar
my was put behind it there WASH a nose
that showed.
Now the time came when the British
were to form and hurl themselves upon
the enemy and just here Polly WAS met
with startling experience of military
life which threw the dilemmas Of previ-
Gus strategists far into the shade. Not
one of the British army would consent
to be placed in the front rank. Anarmy
without front rank was a thing Miss
Polly couldn't get over, and so the
Americans came out for consultation.
This latter army was, seemingly, COM
posed of the bravest men you possibly
could imagine; but when frightened
British Admiral suggested that his men
60 behind the fort, and the others stay
out and attack, the American army grew
pale and fell back on history. loi
Finally it was decided that the British
army should be all front rank; that they
would have no rear rank at all, but just
take hold Of hands and run down the
fort. There being no rear rank, the
temptation to be III it was removed, al
though the British lost two officers by
the decision, as they became alarmed
and went home.
The attacking army, drawn up in sin
gle line, extending way across the barn,
was all imposing sight; and Polly, to
learn the effect upon the enemy, called
to the spy UP the ladder and asked her
what she could see.
"I can see Jimmy Briggs kissing Ma
bel Foster behind flag"
If a thunderbolt had fallen there
could have been no greater astonish-
ment in both armies; and it really was
perfectly dreadful. L don't suppose
any soldier on the eve of battle ever
did such q thing before and, as Mabel
had particular friend in the British
army. it was bad thing for the Ameri-
cans all around, for the foe, led by the
manly heart which loved Mabel Foster
as no one over 10 years of age can love,
plunged upon the breastworks, and, in
spite of the beating of drums, the
shouts, the waving of flags, and an oc-
casional stray shot from a pop-gun min
gled with an almost unanimous shout
of "I'm not playing!" tore down the
fort at the very first charge and drove
the entire American army out of the
back door, while Jimmy Briggs locked
himself in the hen house, and wouldn' I
come out until the British army prom
ised to forgive him. Then they all
went up into the hay-loft and had q
splendid lunch, and Polly Naples was
just beginning to lay out the programme
for Part III, when the officers who had
run away came rushing back, to say that
the balloon was just going up from the
common. And in two minutes the
swallows and the chickens had the barn
all to themselves, and seemed so very
happy over it that think thew are per.
fectly delighted that such a Fourth oil
July can come only once in a hundred
xaaro - The TDdo,,oD6on{