The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-12-22

what an exceedingly curious
cream cup" exclaimed the younger
man, taking the curious piece d
workmanship up and examining it,
with the air. Of connoisseut. That
was the last drop id Mis-.
tress Dorothy's cup Of bitter;
ness. which was already over;
flowing. She had let them enter
her house, given them their breakfast,
and now, after allowing them all these
liberties, always under protest, that
they would now begin to confscate
property was tod tiideh; she snatched
the cream cup out of the astohished
mans hands, and began excitedly:
you'd better 60 now, you'd better
GO, you've had your breakfast and d
little rest, and at this time O. day
visitors amt wanted round The
farm"
"But my dear madam" the young
man broke in, 81 assure you l meant
no harm, and really my friend and /
need a rest sd badly that we are
afraid we must trespass On your hos;
pitality;" here d faint smile crossed
the young mans face, "a little long:
er; give us but a. bed to rest our
weary limbs d little while and then we
will depart"
Dame Dorothy looked at the young
man sternly: '1n my days, young
man, when folks told us we want
wanted we got out"
"But, madam, the older man inter-
posed, circumstances alter cases, re-
member that these are strange days,
and strange things happen in them;
but by the way; madam, are you a
Tory or d rebel?"
"Tain't none ofyour business" was
the uncompromising reply:
''Well, will you allow us bed?" he
asked.
81 think it's time you was q
startin'," was the laconic answer.
"Then since it becomee a necessity
l demand it in the name Of" Here
something seemed to choke him, for
he seemed unable to go on.
"Well, If must / suppose I must,
but if ever l wished a feather bed was
filled with pine needles, l wish that
thar one was" and with that she
opened d door disclosing d comfort
able bedroom. They silently entered
the room, and she, with a bang ofthe
door, fed to the kitchen. "There,
I've gone and done it" she said, in
high wrath. GIVE harbored two Brit
ish soldiers under my roof and ifany
body ought to be taken before Gem
eral Washington and convicted as d
spy l feel like that one. Joel Ashley"
she said, suddenly, turning to the
boy who was the sole occupant of the
room and who was gazing at her in
bewilderment, Owe got an errand for
you" "Yes'm," he said, meekly
enough. Joel was always meek when
the madam was in such a wrath.
"You know where the Continentals
are stationed about ten miles from
here, eh?" Joel nodded. well, you
just stir yourself and go over there
and tell their commander there are
two redcoats in this house andifthey
want them to come tor them right
away, right away, mind you; now
hurry" And Joel did hurry.
Madam sat rocking herself violent
ly to and fro. ''There, you've gone
and done another mean thing" she
said to herself, angrily, "Doin'
mean thing is jist like tellin' a lie, you
do one and you'll surely do another:
/ guess I'll just peek in the room and
see if they've set it afire yet" She
tiptoed across the hall and looked
through crack in the door, then her
conscience smote her worse thanever,
carelessly lying on the bed, his fair.
handsome face looking so worn and
thin even in sleep, he reminded her al.
so of her soldier boy. The older man
was YEARLY writing at a table, rest
ing every once in the while, but soon
resuming his task.
"I'm mean old woman" she solil-
oquized. "But-they're Britishers.
That settled the question, and she re-
turned to her work.
Morning entered into afternoon,
and afternoon slowly melted into
early evening. the shadows were gent
ly creeping over the land, the birds
were twittering a good night, and
still the soldiers slept. Softly, eau
tiously, a band of fifteen men were
vending their way towards the Whit
combe farm house; nearer and near
er they got, until you could see that
they wore the. Continental uniform.
They reached he house and were met
by it's mistress; she pointed to the
room where the soldiers were, then
sat herself rigidly down in her rock
ing-chair to have an argument with
her conscience.
Suddenly-what is that she hears?
A hearty laugh re-echoed throughout
the house. She hurried to the door
where the soldiers were. And what
did she see? Her two red-coats shak-
ing hands heartily with the Contin-
entails. And what does she hear?
Captain" one ofthe men says, 'we
had given you and the Colonel up
for lost, and the camp was in sore
distress about you"
And he, the admirer of the cream
Jug, answers in full, rich voice: "The
Colonel and l were surrounded by the
Britishers every side; we just escaped
capture, stole these uniforms from
two dead Tories and Travelled, weak
and weary, through boys and swamps
to join you, but, overcome by fatigue,
stopped here for a few hours rest.
But how did you come here?"
"We came to capture two British
soldiers, but instead have found our
Colonel and our Captain. Three
cheers, men. three cheers!"
And they did cheer strong and
hearty.
And Mistress Dorothy? She crept
back to the kitchen, rocked herself
back and forth, and said: Dorothy
Whitcombe, what a fool you've been!"
Bertha Loomer, in N. Y. Mail and
Express.
Not Such Fun as He Thought.