Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-04-17

.'Do you think there will be fight? p
Il don't know. Uncle and father are
in the village, and they will do all they
can"
'See how still it is in the town. There's
not man to be SEEN"
"Oh, they are hiding till the soldiers
get nearer. Then we'll hear the shots
and the drum"
1.-THE drum How can they! It's here.
Father brought it home to mend last
night"
ibid he? Oh then let's"-
''The first boat has reached the sloop,
Oh! They are going to burn her."
"It's too bad! too
"Where is the drlm?'
sIt's in the kitchen"
"Pve great mind to go down and
beat it p
"What good would that do?"
''Scare 'em."
they'll see it was only two girls, and
they would laugh and go on burning
Just the same"
'.No. We would hide behind the sand
hills and the bushes. Come, let's
ooh, oh, look The sloop's on fire"
"Come, can't stay and see it any
more. The cowardly British, to burn
the boats. Why don't they go up to
the town and fight like
"Come, let us get the drum. It'll do
no harm; and perhaps
"WelI, let's. There's the fife, too; we
might take that with u.s.
Yes; and we'll'-
No time for further talk. Down to
the steps of the tower rushed the two
patriots, bent on doing what they could
for the country. They burst into the
kitchen like a whirlwind, with rosy
cheeks and flying hair. Mrs. Bates sat
sorrowfully gazing out of the window at
the scene of destruction going on in the
harbor, and praying for her country, and
that the dreadful war might soon be
over. She could not help. Sons and
husbands were shouldering their old
guns In the town, and their was nothing
for her to do but watch and wait and
pray. Nothing go the two girls. They
meant to do something, and, in the fever
of the excitement, they got the drum,
and took the cracked fife from the bu-
reau drawer. Mrs. Bates, intent on the
scene outside, did not heed them, and
they slipped out by the door, unnoticed.
They must be careful, or the soldiers
would see them. They went round back
of the house to the north and toward the
outside beach, then returned and plowed
through the deep sand just above the
high-water mark. They must keep out
of sight of the boats, and of the ship al
so. Luckily she was anchored to the
south of the light, and as the beach
curved to the west they soon left her out
of sight. They then took to the water
side, and, with the drum between them,
ran as fast as they could toward the
mainland. Presently they reached the
low heaps of sand that showed where the
spit joined the fields and woods.
Painting and exercised they frightened
the drum and tried the fife softly.
"You take the fife, Rebecca, and I'll
drum. We must march along the shore
toward the light"
"Won't they see us?"
'sNo; we'll walk next to the water on
the outside beach,"
"Oh, yes; and they'll think it's soldiers
going down to the point to kill 'em off. i"
"Just SO. Come, begin! One, two
threep'
Drum! drum! drum!
Squeak! squeak! squeak!
forward march,
"Ha! hap
The fife stopped.
"Don't laugh. You'll spoil every
thing; and I can't quicker my lips
Drum! drum! drum! drum!
Squeak! squeak! squeak!
The men in town heard it, and were
amazed beyond measure. Had the SOL
diers arrived from Boston? What did it
mean? Who we're coming?
Louder and louder on the breeze came
the roll of the sturdy drum and the sound
of the brave fife. The soldiers in the
boat heard the noise and paused in their
work of destruction. The officers or
dered every everybody into the boats in
the greatest haste. The people are rising!
They are coming down the point with
cannon to head them off. They would
be all captured and perhaps hung by the
dreaded Americans.
How the drum rolled! The fife changed
it's tune. 1t played yankee Doodle
the horrid tune! Hark! The men were
cheering in town. There were thousands
of them in the woods along the shore!
In grim silence marched the two girls
Flooding over the sharp stones, splash
ing through the puddles-Abigail beat
ing the old drum with might and main
-Rebecca blowing the fife with shrill
How the British scram-
bled into their boats!
One of the brave officers was nearly
left behind on the burning sloop. An
other fell overheard and wet his clothes
in his haste to escape from the American
army marching down the beach, thous-
and strong! How the soldiers pulled!
No fancy rowing now, but desperate
haste to get out Of the place and escape
to their ship.
How the people yelled and cheered on
Gore! Fifty men or more jumped into
boats to prepare for the chase. Ringing
shots began to crack over the water.
Loud and louder rolled the terrible
drum. Sharp and clear rang out the
cruel fife.
Nearly exhausted, half dead with
fatigue, the girls toiled on-tearful,
ready to drop on the wet sand,