Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1883-06-23
THE STRANGE GUEST.

AhS Va AAsnHsNS NSASA
In the latter part of 1778, little
Massachusetts girl sat in the fore
room of the -ceillinged, thick
walled house called the darkness
place." playing with and scolding her
family Of dolls.
Submit Hardness was country
girl, had never seen or heard of a
blonde haired, blue-eyed French dol
lie, but she loved and "mothered' her
queer babies as tenderly as if they
had been beauties; a contented and
happy little girl was Submit.
Two or three yellow crook-necked
squashes with mothers big apron
tied around them, eight large green
and white gourds wrapped in flannel,
and a half dozen rag babies, were
grouped about their "mammy." as
she called herself, whilo a rudely
carved figure of wood, was cuddled in
her arms. This was the favorite, and
reioiced in the name of Amanda,
Araminta, Arethusa Hardness. Sub
NIT was 10 years old, and thought by
admiring friends to be "an uncommon
peart child"
MIR. and Mrs. Hardness were &c
knowledged Tories, and loyal subjects
of "merrie" England. They believed
the Americans to be wicked and an
ungrateful people. They gave their
two SONS to the Briton's cause, and
had not the father been too old, he
also, would have joined the army.
Mr.. Hardness had gone to Boston
to lay in his household supplies, his
wife was called to help "set' neigh
boris broken arm, and Submit was
alone with a "long play spell" before
her.
This house had long been suspected
Of being hiding place for British
scouts and spies, and was closely
watched by the rebels, but if such
had been the case, Mr.. and Mrs.
Hardness guarded their secret well,
as no traces of the spy scout had
been seen by the rebels.
"Malvina Arabella, amt you
ashamed to be cryin' SO? Ii you
keep on You shall be sent to bed with
out supper" and Submit gave one of
the gourd babies vigorous shaking,
''snd come to nanny, you dear sick
lamb, you have the small-p mca-
sells and mumps, let me give you some
gruel,' and the little mother took
into her lap sick squash.
''Cicely Alice, If You make so much
noise something bad will come of it,
maybe Gen. Washington will get you,
then you'll never sec your many
again"
Jnst then there came knock at
the door. Submit opened it to admit
kindly-faced gentleman in civilians
clothes.
''Good afternoon, my little GIRL"
said the stranger, and she made her
manners with courtesy of the olden
time style.
II have business with your father:
is he at homer
mo, sir, and he will not be for
some days."
"Are you not afraid to stay alone
in these timesi"
Eyes, sir, q little, when / think of
that cruel Gen. Washington and his
men. Do you think he would kill a
poor little girl if he found her alone,
because she prayed every night, God
bless old England, and was Toryi"
'God forbid that he should ever do
such things" earnestly replied the
stranger, "but what makes you think
Gen. Washington is such a bad man 7
I believe he likes all little girls, even
Tory ones, and do not think he would
harm anyone"
"Oh, yes, sir, he is misguided
man, and ought to be ashamed Of
himself for taking up arms against
England; mother says 80, and she is
always right"
The stranger talked with Submit
about her dollies, and she told him
how very i'll the squash, or rather
Nelindy Malviny had been, that
Lucindy was growing vain and giddy.
An hour slipped by and yet the
stranger tarried.
"Would you mind showing me over
the house, my child" said the gentle
man.
Submit was only too eager to show
him anything he wanted to sec, and
hand in hand they visited every room,
even peering into the attic and cellar,
the little girl chattering to him OF
"brother Phillip who was with Gin
ton, and Reggie" whose bravery was
a source of pride to the little sister.
"Oh, yes, Reginald is a nice name,
and do You SEQ him often, Submit!''
s'Oh, no; he is in the British army,
and can not come home. He looks
grand in his red coat, even the King
has heard of his bravery"
Submit spread lunch of ginger.
bread, cheese and cider, then waited
on her guest with the dignity OF a
matron, all the time talking OF hel
"brother Reggie !.
Sunset came, the stranger tool
leave of Submit. As he went down
the gravel walk he said softly, II fell
as il I we've the guilty spy. nm al
most glad my errand was a bootless
| one; vet, 1 have every reason to be-
lieve that in the Hardness house fou
plots against our cause have beer
planned. Some one hereab0uts gives
valuable information to our foes