Nevada County picayune., 1888-06-13
@JAMES OTIS.
The Story of One of the Boy He-
 roes in '76.

| II was the year of our Lord l77G. All England was ringing with reports ot her rcbclIious colonial offspring :: the lncipient republic was in state ot tcrment and preparation for war.
 The first American gunboats had just been launched and proudly sailed about the New England coast :. which British cruisers kept in con stant alarm.
 On the deck of one of these cruis- CTS. as leaving Newport it moved through the blue ocean waters tow ard New London, a crowd had gath cred about burly, middled-aged man in captains uniform and q slight young fellow of perhaps twen- ty.
 "Wcll, well. my little man, So we have caught yon again said the Captain. clapping him on the shoul- der. As you've run away twice be- fore. perhaps you think to give Us the slip third time; but" with a volley of oaths. you never were more mistaken. Swear to show ale glance to your rightful sovereign or die for a traitor"
 The eyes which looked back at him were as unflinching as the Captains own. For generations the Otis cour age had held it's name even Tn dead Iy peril and this relative and name sake of James Otis, the eloquent pleadcr for independence. could meet hi> end as beloved one of his race.
 Il am an independent citizen of Connecticut. and owe no allegegi- ance to tyrant. " he said proudly.
 The Captain burst into a laugh, in which his men joined.
 This scion of liberty crows loud
 small good will bc such Haunting though, for in six months all these independent citizens will be creep ing back to old Mother England's knees like so many whipped chil- dren.
 The scornful laugh had brought a flush to the youth face. and now he said with heat:
 More probably Mother England will discover that her children have come of age beyond dispute, and will go home with the whipping re- verrcd.
 'Comc, come, enough of barley. You shall swing from wonder var darm in fifteen minutes. my young braggprt, if you will not fight under our colors. Will you fight with us: Yes or no
 There was no rclcntinG in the captain voice, no touch of pity on all those staring faces. Death or life: An. small wonder if in such stress brave hearts shrink, and yicld- ing to the fear of doom are branded by those who have never met like trials as coward, an | traitors
 Speak" the captain comman- dcd
 And the prisoner answered firmly; No.
 The captains face grew dark with wrath that this >tripling should stand before him and defy his fate, and the thought that much might he cone if such pluck was but en- listed for royalty only ronghcned his tone n, it rang over the deck.
 In the name of the king l con demn you as q rebel, Up with the rope, men"
 And as the men went off with alacrity he began q measured stride up and down the deck, watching as they executed his bidding.
 James Gus folded his arms and eazcd over the sparkling white-creSt- eel swclls to where New London s shores lay fair in the distance. On- k few more moments sight of world which seemed doubly beautiful now that he should so soon leave II forever. Death, And such an lg- nominious one, To fall fighting Tor his country ah, that would he mo- blc, but to hang at a Yard-arm like any criminal. The purposes of his young manhood rose up before him like mockine ghosts of what might have bccn He thought of the farm on Connecticut hillside where his childhood had been spent, the old red house with it's two guarding but ton-wood trees. Perhaps even now his mother was thinking that her son ,nioht soon be home, or his father