The Great Falls leader. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1888-1900, 1889-07-03

which was already overtlOwing. She
had let them enter her house, giving
them their breakfast, and now. after al
lowing them all these liberties. always
under protest, that they would now begin
to contiscate her property was too much;
she snatcl,ed the cream cup out of the
astonished mans hands. and began ex-
citedly: "You'd better go now, you'd
better go: you've had your breakfast and
little rest. and at this time o day visi-
tors amt wanted round the farm"
But, my dear madam" the young
man broke in, Il assure you meant no
harm, and really my friend and need
rest SO badly. that we are afraid we must
trespass on your hospitality" here Il
faint smile crossed the young mans face,
"a little longer; give us but bed to rest
our weary limbs a little while, and then
we will depart.
Dame Dorothy looked at the young
man sternly. In my days, young man,
| when folks told lis 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 Tory or a
rebel?"
""rain't none of your business" was
the uncompromising reply.
"Well, will you allow us Il bed?" he
asked
Il think it's time you was a-startin',"
was the laconic answer.
''Then, since it becomes necessity,
demand it in the name Of Here
something seemed to choke him, for he
seemed unable to so OH.
"Wel!, If must suppose must, but
if ever wished a feather bed was filled
with pine needles, wish that thar one
was" and will, that she opened door
disclosing comfortable bedroom They
silently entered tho room, and she, with
a bang of the door, fled to the kitchen.
"Thcre, I've gone and done it" she said
in high wrath. 1--WE harborcd two
British soldiers under my roof, and if
anybody ought to be taken before Gen.
Washington and convicted as aspy feel
like that one. Joel Ashley she said sud-
denly, turning to the boy who was the
sole occupant of the room and who was
gazing at her i'll bewilderment, "I've got
an errand for you" "Yes'm." he said
meekly enough. Joel was always meek
when the madam was in such wrath.
"You know where the continentals are
stationed about ten miles from here, eh:'
Joel nodded. "Well, you just stir your
self and go over there and tell their COM
nander there are two redcoats j.. this
house, and if they want them to come for
them right away; right away, mind you,
now hurry" And Joel did hurry.
Madam sat rocking herself violently to
and fro. ",rhere 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 SEQ if they've set it atire yet. :"
She tiptoed across the hall and looked
through q crack in the door, then her
conscience smote her worse than ever;
carelessly lying on the bed, his fair,
handsome face looking so worn and thin
even asleep, he reminded her also of her
soldier boy. The older man was wearily
writing at Il table, resting every once in
the while, but soon resuming his task.
"Im u mean old woman sho solilo-
quized. ''But-they' re Britislers." That
settled the question, and she returned TO
her work
Morning entered into afternoon, and
afternoon slowly melted into early even
ing, the shadows were gently creeping
over the land, the birds were twittering
u good night and still the soldiers slept.
Softly, cautiously, u band of fifteen men
were vending their way towards the
Whitcombe farm house, nearer and
nearer they got, until you could see that
they wore the Continental uniform. They
reached the house and were met by its
mistress; she pointed to the room where
the soldiers were, then sat herself rigid
ly down in her rocking chair to have IN
argument with her conscience.
Suddenly-what is that she hears? A
hearty laugh re-echocd throughout the
house. She hurried to the door where
the soldiers were. And what did she
see? Her two redcoats shaking hands
heartily with tho Continentals. And
what does slo hear?
"Captain," one of the men says, 1--WE
had given you and tho colonel up for
lost, and the camp was in sore distress
about you"
And he, the admirer of the cream Jug,
answers in u full, rich voice: 1.-The col
onel and were surrounded by the Brit
ish OH every side; we just escaped cap
ture, stole these uniforms from two
dead Tories, end Travelled, weak and
weary, through bogs and swamps to join
you, but, overcome by fatigue, stopped
here for Il few hours rest. Thinking the
people We're loya!ists, we kept up the
disguise. But how slid you come hcre?"
eve came to capture two British
soldiers, but instead have found our
colonel and our captain. Three cheers
men, three checrs!''
And they did cheer strong and hearty.
And Mistress Dorothy? She crept back
to the kitchen, rocked herself back and
forth, and said, dorothy Whitco,pbe,
what a fool you've beel! Bertha Loo
mcr in New York Mail and Express
Kin: Gcursc's View of 1t.
In thus admitting their separation from
the crown Of these kingdoms have sac