Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-08-14
The Little Hero,

do! said tall rough looking fellow,
who had ridden up moment before, and
throwing himself from his horse come nm
the walk to where Jake Rennan sat clean
ing shotgun. Jake looked up lazily.
Wa'al, what is it nowP"
The coloners got positive news that
that burned courier'll pass this way some
time tonight. It's most likely he'll come
by Rocky Run; but he may come mother
way. SO you're 10 watch and stop him. ef
you kin afore he gets to the Forks. Take
couple of men with you, more eff You
kin, and make it sure this time. Ef he
carries the news the colonel thinks he
does, it'll be worth money to you to take
him.
All right! Eff he comes my way he's
booked for the colonel's quarters, YOU NAV
be sure o'that."
A bright looking boy of some ten years
was sitting near by. ,cking bit of pine
with rusty j ,ck knife. The new conner
looked ut him curiously. That's not
your boy, Jake?'
Jake laughed 81 reckon not, l hain't
Yankee my self"
And the boy is. kin see that stckin
out palmer n he nose on yer face"
Yes. and he's got more gril'n most of
EN-. Ef he hadn't he'd never been here.
He belonged to one O. them felers we
surprised down at the Run. His father
was took prisoner and sent off 10 Rich
mond, and some of us goin' next day by
where the campin' ground had been, we
found this yer boy pretty bad wounded
too; but he would git well, and so we let
him, and yere he is on our hands, as das.
perit II Yankee us you Il find. kind O
like him though
Gritty, emp" said the man, stepping
toward the boy. " See yere, bubhy, jest
you say. hurrah for jeff Davis, or IN put
this through ye quicker'n lightnin'!''
flashing his sword in the boys face.
The little fellow WAS standing up by this
time, and his cheeks were flushing. He
looked at the man an instant, perhaps he
saw that he was only trying to fright,n
him. Taking of his ragged hat, he swung
it over his head.
" Hurrah for the stars and stripes! " he
said in low voice, but hrmy.
The mans face darkened. lie looked as
though he Were going to strike him, but
Rennan interposed.
Don't bother the boy run away, WILL"
The other man laughed. IL wasn't
goin' to touch him." he said, and went
down the walk, Jake following him anu
standing some moments TO talk with him
hey ond the boys hearing.
But viii had heard enough. Some poor
fellow was TO be wayaid That night and
shot for his dispatches. The boy. young
;ts he was, had had already experience in
life beyond his years. His father had been
living south 1T the time when the war
broke out, and of IL family Of six his ia
ther and he had alone escaped alive from
the prosecutions which ragged round every
Union man. Three brothers lie had seen
slain, and his mother had died of grief
lie had refused to leave his father, and
now here he was. He knew what these
men meant when they talked about way
laying courier. Z" If wasn't such lit
tie boy" he thought, sadly, could do
something wonder if couldn't anyway
Fhe man said some time tonight, and
know where the Forks are. They would
kill me though if they caught me at it,
He wandered about, thinking it over, anx-
ious and unhappy all day.
When night came he complained of
headache, and made IN excuse to 90 to
bed early. Once in the little room where
he slept he raised the window softly, and
clambering out over Il roof below, he
started off us fast us he could go in the d.
rection OF the Forks.
They were all too busy getting Jake
ready to miss him but he feared lest they
should discover his absence, and suspect
where he had gone. His heart beat fast
It's he flew along the road, and he imagined
in every sound that he heard Jake upon
his track.
He reached the Forks, however, safely.
Beyond this point the road-rough and
scarcely more than bridle-path before
dwindled aud diverged into various nearly
uudislngushable ways.
1t would not answer for him to remain
here, but where TO wait beyond? BY
which OF these scarcely perceptible ways
would the expected courier come?
Fortunately, about halt II mile on the
woods were more open and the growth
low. There was II high, bright moon,
" If only Jake will Stay at the Forks ana
watch, thought the boy, rs he ran again
toward tile more open ground. THAI
reached, he climbed II Tree, and began his
watch, listening at the same Time ior Jake
and his men.
Not II very easy watch you may imag-
inc lhat-evely young sense on the alert,
and 50 many shadows among the scatter
ing trees to delude hi, eye.
Suddenly he heard The tramp of horse,
and almost instantly saw hint must be
he, he thought-a man alone on horse
back, and riding ut that pace.
Almost in the same moment he imagin-
ed he heard some one approaching in the
opposite direction. The courier, If it were
he, was riding unsusplclously on, trusting
perhaps to The speed ol the animal lie rode
20 take him past any danger that lurked.
viii WAS coming down from his perch
rs quickly rs possible He was quite sure
that Jake anu his men were waItIng not
lar away; the courier was riding ON un
conscious Of it-passing directly under the
lree in which the boy was, when, calcu.
latlng the distance with an accuracy born
of the emergency, VIII swung himsell
lightly down, anu-strange and provldeI-
tial happening-landed upon the very back
of the animal the courier rode. The horse
plunged II little; the man, too accustomed
10 danger of all kiuds--for these uliers
IRE very brave and tried set of men-to
lose his presence of mind made no sound
Turn back quickly whispered the
boy there's danger ahead!
The man did not hesitate a single in
stant. With an instinct sharpened by long
experience he recognized the warning rs
worthy of notice, strangely us il had come,
and wheeling his horse suddenly TO the
right, he rode at top-speed To IA thicker
portion of the wood, aud, skirting along it.
soon disLanced Jake and his men, though
they followed him. Upon discovering his
change of route several Shots were fired
after him. but Intellectually, and he event.
ualIy reached his destination, bearing the
boy with him.
Will became the hero of the hour.
News came soon after of the death of
his father in prison, and the boy was left
the sole survivor of his family.