Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-10-30

this Arcadian peacefuIness is the nurse
OF poetic thought, the cradle of philos-
ophy."
Thou art not lacking in the soldier
blood of thy race, boy, else l would not
be here tonight" replied the baronet,
dropping into familiar and confden-
tial tone, land that which have to say
imports thee much"
"You are right, uncle, but If lay my
books aside must have something to
recompense me for the sacrifice"
Hard blows, lad, hard blows. Turn
thine ambition in another channel
King George is not a niggard of his
fayors to those who deserve them. The
laurel on the hero's brow is nobler than
the bay leaf Of the poet or the toga of
the sage"
The young man was not as much inn
pressed by this rhetorical speech as his
kinsman supposed. He was not al
together book-worm, having served
under Sir William in the gallant affair
at Lake George, where the French and
Indians under Baron Dieskau were de-
feated by the provincial troops. Per-
haps the youth knew, better than the
English home government, how small
share Sir William earned Of that days
laurels.
"Are the French stirring again?" he
asked after pause.
''The news from the North is impor-
tant. The French are led by General
Montcalm, a man of tireless energy.
He is preparing flotilla at Fort From
tenac and the favoring breeze which
watts him across Lake Ontario, will
place Oswego in great peril"
Mercer and his New Englanders hold
that fort" said the youth in tone Of
confidence.
"And if they can not?"
As the full import of this suggestion
flashed across his mental vision. Selwyn
arose with the air of one who shakes of
drowsy feeling of security.
What then?" he asked.
"Why, then in about week your
peaceful Arcadia will be full of Cana
dian savages and Frenchmen."
THE British troops?"
"Are comfortably quartered in Bos-
ton, New York or Philadelphia"
"Reinforcements for Mercer?"
81 have no authority to raise troops"
replied the knight.
But l could get Volunteers hum
dred riflemen-my friends and neigh
bors," said the youth, impetuously.
"How soon?"
'Ready to march in two weeks"
"A drop in the bucket, nephew; and
yet as the nucleus of larger force, it
might be effective. Try what thou
canst do, and in the meantime will
to Albany with speed and try my infiu-
ence with the authorities to lend thee
aid, failing which thou wilt of course
abandon the attempt"
"When my hand is on the pillow l will
not turn back Sir William"
"Boyl Boy!" exclaimed the baronet,
impatiently, ambition finds its way by
devious means, the chief of which is
prudent calculation. AS have already
told thee, my visit here tonight had the
object of arousing thee from these book
ish dreams; yet counsel not rashness.
We will help each other, Charles. Thy
prompt action in raising troops will re-
dound to the family credit whether
succeed in Albany or not. But to march
to Oswego with hundred men were
sheer folly"
MARS Charles" interrupted a negro
servant, putting his gray, woolly head
into the room, dem ar dogs is mighty
Uneasy. Dey is rattlin' dar chains an
barl1in' as ifdey smelt somefn 'spicious."
"They scent wild animal lurking
around the barnyard, perhaps" replied
Selwyn. taking rifle from the wall.
"Injuns, mebbe, suggested Peter.
Selwyn shook his head.
''The Mohawks are our friends" said
he, land would come boldly if at all"
So saying, he unbolted the hall door
and was about to step forth upon the
moonlit lawn, but almost stumbled over
an object seated on the threshold, which
arose and stood before him silent and
motionless. Selwyn was too we'll used
to Indian habits to be surprised at this
apparition, the sex and features of
which were concealed by a blanket
thrown over the head and almost touch
ing the ground.
''Whom do you seek?" asked the
young man, in the Mohawk dialect.
Slowly the blanket dropped from
head and shoulders, revealing hand
some boyish face, whose features were
rather French than aboriginal, and
pair of large sparkling black eyes were
..'.I.,.s:, viz, k