The Republican journal., 1880-10-21


seized his gun and the Squire seemed to
awaken to the business before them.
"And you,' said Sally Wages, going up
to young Lathrop; will you stand there
like Tom Perkins's lad at school with a
ounces cap on? What will you do Will
you go with us or will You hide under a
pettiCoat?
Young Lathrop lesitated not Il minute.
''ln truth Sally Wages, you are a young
woman of spirit. You'll not find me
wanting"
Just then old Tim Waggs, faint with
running and terror came in, and spite Of
his anxiety, his first thought was of his
stomach, and he begged for mug Of flip,
or cold, if they hadn't hot water ready
SO they gave him mighty mug of
liquor that he made short ado with, and
then told them that a handful of British
had given the Continental coasters the
slip, and were marching up from the
coast, shooting, burning, and robbng,
and sad work of it they We're making, too,
he added. For their coming was So sud
den, and 50 many af the young men were
away with the continentals, that the few
lads who tried to stop them on Ridgetield
al IL al
of wind
"And they've heard of your cattle and
rum, Squire Scribner, andt'll not he two
hours later before they are here
"How many are there, Tim, to the best
of your knowledge ?" asked the Squire.
"Not more than two dozen, or less than
a score, Squire.
"But we are no match. There are
only four men, including you, Tim, who
are more likely to run than light said
the Squire.
"Not more than four I'll venture Ill
give the red coats cause to think that
there are more than four or twice four"
said Sally Wages.
"And what would You do, Sally
"This is what | would do and will do.
Perceive the darkness coming that will
help us or | mistake. Now father, 90 to
the great barn, and take the three Ian
terms and light them. Mr.. Lathrop, YOU
light the two You will find on the beam
back OF the kitchen oven, and Squire
Scrbner, if you have your heart in it, pre-
pare powder and shot and suffer grand
father to load the guns the while, and put
no rabbit shot in the muzzlcs, either. |
will be back myself in the space ot five
minutes or thcreabouts."
Squire Scribner said long after that it
surprised him, as he thought it all over,
that he did not conjecture that this stupid
girl was out of her head, instead of i'm
plicitly following the commands she gave
them.
In five minutes, more or less the form
of man appeared in the dining room
with a gun in his hand, and so much 0t a
stranger that the bewildered women
We're in IA great state Of CONSERVATION,
and it was not until the man spoke, and
spoke with the voice Of sally Wages, that
confidence was restored.
Indeed, the form seemed that Of Il
man. because Miss Sally had upon her
head the cooked hat and on her body the
regimental coat that Grandfather Serb
ner had Worn in the French War. twenty
years back, and as for the short clothes
and stockings. the mystery OF the az
rangement by which Miss Sally made
herself appear from the knees down like
heavy-lImbed young fellow was never
4 explained.
Give men of US" she said, and with no
such thought of the picturesque, perhaps,
comical picture she made, rs fitted
/ through the quick brain Of young Lathrop.
I She led them out to the hill that tanks
the highway by which the British must
come, matter OF hundrad yards from
the house. Then she commanded her
/ father to tasten the five lanterns to a long
/ pole and attach each end of that to a tree
/ and the moment She gave command he
/ was, by such violent swinging of the pole.
| to make, by the confusion of lights. the
| five lanterns seem as nearly like fifty rs
1 the alcohol in his nerves would permit.
| Without one word Of remonstrance,
Squire Scribner obeyed her, and got be-
! hind a tree, and grandfather ScrIbner
knelt the better to steady his muscles,
by a rock, while Capt sally and young
Lathrop stood exposed.
By and by the British came along.
They were merry with liquor and Capt.
Sally's army could hear their boasts OF
what would happen in the 'Squire's house
within an hour.
Young Lathrop was for shooting when
away out of range, and Capt. Sally found
it necessary to give him a tap on the hip
with the butt of her musket that made
nm W lllAC btIOiC ttllilC lllo Ipllllt.
At last they got half a dozen Of them
well abreast of the army in ambush on
| the hillside.
"Now," whispered Capt. Sally, "when
give the military command, father, see
to it that the lanterns quiyer like tirebugs,
and we'll give them a reception from the
'Squire's farm that some of their mothers
and sweethearts will lament"
Then she stepped ont into full view,
with young Lathrop by her side. She
waved her gun with as nearly like the en-
couragng motion which a commander
| gives his sword On entering actions as
the weapon would permit, and then gave
this astounding order:
"llalt the whole universe, by flank into
| kingdoms fire :"
The military command astonished the
British, but that was nothing to the sur
prise that followed the volley. Two or
three went down, and one staggered and
made his way to the roadside, and when
the others looking up, saw the muiltudin-
Gus display of tlickering lanterns, they
took no second thought as to whether
they had better stay and fight, or 60 the
other way. They went with all speed,
not stopping to see who were left behind.
Now, of all the nursing and care that
wounded soldiers had in all that struggle
Of the Revolution, none had better than
the three men whose bodies had been the
targets of Capt. Sally's army, for Miss
Sally Wages nursed them herself
BY the next day the Continental mill
tia were IN hand and had driven these
marauders back.
From that time on, Miss Sally Waggs
went on a new road. 1t seemed as if she
had awakened that night from sleep
that had lasted since her birth. Her ad :
vice was wisdom, her courage inspiriting,
and her ambition great, 50 great in
fact, that some years afterward she mar
ried young Lathrop, and his ships and
other possessions, and more than one Of
her descendants have been in high places
since.
Notwithstanding the increase in the
numberof mining enterprises, the produc-