New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1881-02-09

Thereports of musketry were distinct,
and the light that came from over the hills
showed the track of the invaders. Then
it was that Grandfather Scribner seized
his gun and the Squire seemed to
awaken to the business before them.
"And you," said Sally Wages, going
up to young Lathrop; twill you stand
there like Tom Perkins lad at school
with a ounces cap on? What will you
do? Will you 60 with us or will you
hide unde: a petticoat?''
Young Lathrop hesitated not a min
ute.
sin truth, Sally Wages, you are a
young woman of spirit. You'll not find
me wanting
Just then old Tim Wages, faint with
running and terror, came in, and, spite
of his anxiety, his first thought was of
his stomach, and he begged for a mug
OF flip. or cold, ifthey hadn't hot water
ready. So they gave him mighty mug
of liquor that he made short ado with.
and told them that handful of British
had given the Continental coasters the
slip, and were marching up from the
coast, shooting, burning and robbing,
and sad work they were making, too,
he added. For their coming was so
sudden, and so many of the young men
were away with the Continentals, that
the few lads who tried to stop them on
Ridgefield Hill were of no more avail
than a breath of wind.
And they've heard of your cattle
and rum, Squire Scribner, and it IL not
be two hours later before they are
here"
SHOW many are there, Tim, to the
best of your knowledge?' asked the
Squire.
"Not more than two dozen nor 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 fght,' said
the Squire.
"Not more than four. I'll venture
I'll give the red coats cause to think
that there are more than four, or twice
FOUR" said Sally Wages.
"And what would you do, Sall?''
"This is what l would do and will
do. Perceive the darkness coming;
that will help us or mistake. Now,
father, go to the great barn and take
the three lanterns and light them. Mr..
Lathrop, you light the two you will find
on the beam back of the kitchen oven,
and Squire Scribner, if you have your
heart in it, prepare powder and shot,
and suffer grandfather to load the guns
the while, and put no rabbit shot in
| the muzzles either. will be back my
self in the space of five minutes or
Whereabouts.
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, in
stead OF implicitly following the CON-
mands she gave them.
In five minutes, more or less, the
form of a man appeared in the dining
room with gun in his hand, and so
much of a stranger that the bewildered
women were in great state of con-
sternation, and it was not until the man
spoke, and spoke with the voice of
Sally Wages, that confidence was re-
stored.
Indeed, the form seemed that of a
man, because Miss Sally had upon her
head the cooked hat and on her body
the regimental coat that Grandfather
Scribner had worn in the French war,
twenty years back, and as for the short
clothes and stockings, the mystery of the
arrangement by Which Miss Sally made
herself appear from the knees down
like heavy-limbed young fellow was
never explain ed.
Give men of u.s." she sad, and with
no such thought of the picturesque,
perhaps comical picture she made as
fitted through the quick brain of young
Lathrop.
She led them out to the hill that hanks
the highway by which the British must
! come, matter of a hundred rods from
the house. Then she commanded her
father to fasten the five lanterns to a
long pole, and attach each end of that
to 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 as the alcohol
in his nerves would permit.
Without one word of remonstrance
Squire Scribner obeyed her. and got
behind a tree, and Grandfather Scribner
knelt, the better TO steady his muscles.
by a rock, while Captain Sally and
young Lathrop stood exposed.
By and by the British came along.
They were merry with liquor, and CAB
tain Sally's army could here the boasts
of what would happen in the 'Squire's
house within an hour.
Young Lathrop was for shooting
when away out of range, and Captain
Sally found it necessary to give him a
tap on the hip with the butt of her
musket that made him winch before he
came into discipline
At last they got, half dozen of them,
well abreast Of the army in ambush on
the hillside.
Now" whispered Captain Sally,
''when I give the military command,
father, see to it that the lanterns culver
like firebugs, and we'll give them a
reception from the 'Squire's farm that
some of their mothers and sweethearts
will lament
Then she stepped out into full view,
with young Lathrop by her SIDE She
waved her gun with as nearly like the
encouraging motion which a commander
gives his sword on entering actions as
the weapon would permit, and then
gave this astonishing order:
''Halt the whole universe, by flank
into kingdoms-firer'
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
multitudinous display of Pickering Ian
terms. 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
warn loft 1,oh;nI