The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-08-08

had let them enter k"r 's'als". @iEuiS
them their i,reakfa:st. and now. alter IL
lowing them all thee i:i,r.t::':;. always
under protest. that t;:': Fs'!i 90 ''ssf::i
to confisc;,te her .,s.:t; rt' w: 80 i:tt:cia
she snatcl:pd tie c:t.:i:l ct:F' 'i.i at tie
astonished mans !:a:is!s,. "i:': :a::sal eS-
citedly: You'd :satter =" L"5V. t"u Il
better go: You've Ii:;si your ireaEtsis. and
little rest. and al this time o day visi-
tors amt wanted round tie farm.
But, my dear madam, the young
man broke in, Il assure you meant no
harm, and really my friend and need a
I rest so badly. that we are afraid we must
trcspass on your hospitality. here Il
faint smile crossed the young iiiali 5 face:
"a little longer; give Us but bed 10 rest
our weary limbs little while, and then
we will depart
Dame Dorothy looked at the young
+ man sternly in 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, ilttdiIll, dic YOU Il ioi vi u
! rebel:''
"'Tain't none of your business" was
the uncompromising reply.
"Well, will you allow us bed:" he
asked.
Il think it's time you was a-sta,tin',"
/ was the laconic answer.
"Then, since it becomes q necessity,
demand it in the name Of Here
something seemed to choke him. for he
seemed unable to go on.
"Well, if l must suppose must but
if ever wished feather bed was filled
| with pine needles. wish that thar one
was,' and with that she opened a door
| disclosing a comfortable bedroom. They
silently entered the room, and she, with
a bang of the door, fled to the kitchen.
There, I've gone and done it" she said
| in high wrath 1--WE harbored two
British soldiers under my roof, and if
anybody ought to be taken before Gen.
Washington and convicted asaspy 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 in bewilderment, "Tve got
an GRAND for you" "Yesm," lie 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, ch:'
Joel nodded. "Wen, you just stir your
self and go over there and tell their COM
mander there are two redccats in 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. There you've gone and done
another mean thing" she said to herself
angrly. "Doin' mean thing is jist like
tcllin' 4 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 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 q table, resting every once in
the while, but soon resuminG his task.
''l'm a mean old woman she solilo-
quized. "But-tley'rc Britishers" 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
4 good night and still the soldiers slept.
Softly, cautiously, q band of fifteen mer
were vending their way towards th>
| Whitcombe farm house, nearer and
nearer they got, until you could see that
| they wore the Continental uniform. They
! reached the house and were net by its
mistress; she pointed to the room where
the soldiers were, then sat herself rigid
| ly down in her rocking chair to have an
argument with her conscience
Suddrnly-wi,at is that she hears? A
hearty laugh rc-echoed throughout the
house She hurried to The. door where
the soldiers were. And what did she
sec? Her two redcoata shaking hands
heartily with the Continen;aIs And
what does she hear:
"Capt;,in." enc Of The men saws. I'VE
had given YOU ;lrl the coloHp! up for
lost, and Tie camp ',:>> in %u.2 distress
about YOU.
And he. the admrc:' G.: the cream iur.
answers iii Il full, rich voice: The col
oncl and | were surrounded ty the Brit
!sh on every side; We just c:;,.uss.H cap
turp. stole these uniforms from two
dead Tories. cHl tlH>cicA weak and
weary, through i'o@.s ;t:;,i SWAMP, 10 Join
you, Lu;, overcome t'y fatigue. :.tu,:red
here for :. few hours 1r.: I!:;..:>:n. the
people were loyaiist.-. we ..>;.; UP tho
disguise But low 'iii yo.l ,'::::lr hyrc::"
We came 70 capture $50 Ii itisi,
soldiers, bet instead have tounh 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 "Doruthy Whtcombe,
what Il fool you've bcyn!"-Bertha Loo,
mer in New York Mail and Express.