St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-09-13
THE COUNTERFEITERS.

4 few miles from the Connecticut river
boundary line between lower New Hamp-
shire and Vermont, may still be seen the
scattered remains of a tiny colonial settle
ment. There is legend which tells of q
school master, who, reaching the little
hamlet, foot worn and weary after an una
vailing search for q place in which to open
his school, exclaimed, Eureka l have
found itp' as he saw before him brick
school house, newly built and teach erless.
Since then the small settlement, which had
school house before it had a name, has
been known as Eureky, and bricks from
the original school house, in proof of this
christening, are carefully preserved.
One June day in Revolutionary times q
middle-aged man plodded along the Crown
Point road, which ran through Eureky on
its stony way across the Green Mountains
to Bennington, the chief road from the
New England coast to the State of New
York. He was short and sturdy and car
ried under one arm an iron box. secured by
paddock. AS a numbering ox-team or
whistling wood -chopper passed him on
their way home from long days work he
pulled his hat we'll down about his face,
better to hide his beetling brow and deep
set eyes. Coming at length to narrow
by-path he struck off to the left of the
Crown Point road, and reaching broad
faced. well built house, he looked sharply
about, and finding that he was unobserved
tapped at the window pane.
Halo McAndrew, is that you 7" called
a subdued voice from within.
"Black River" answered McAndrew
giving private countersign, and the door
was opened.
Although rumble of thunder was in the
air, huge fire blaZed in the mammoth fire.
place of the room which McAndrew entered
and it was evident from the appearance of
the two unkempt men present that they
were engaged in some nefarlous occupation.
Their voices were lowered, and they moved
noiselessly in their stocking feet from the
fireplace to the table, filling coin molds
with slnelted metal.
"How much of 1t did you use at Charles
town 7" asked one of the men, lifting Nc
Andrews box and shaking it gently.
ga little is left" answered McAndrew.
"Bnt to. morrow will be our day, for Stark
goes through here on his way to Benning-
ton, and we will treat his soldiers to their
fill with our illegal tender"
For few hours all three worked like
bees, smelling, molding and stamping their
bogus coin. Then they dropped it, still
warm, into McAndrew's box, and placed it
for safe keeping In cave dug in the bank
Just back of the house.
This accomplished to their satisfaction,
they returned TO the house, threw wide the
outside door in order to cool the rooms be-
low. while they went up stairs to examine
the treasure hidden there. Pushing back q
secret panel in the wall, they stepped into
q small, closely boarded room, and OPEN
ing a wooden box looked in.
"Those pes ky rats have been at work
again" exclaimed one of the men, taking
out handful of nibbled money.
"Let me see it," said MeAndrew, and
cleaning among the bits, lie collected
quantity of counterfeit script, which he
distributed equally among them.
Remember, lads" he said, emo paper
goes for less than three York shillings /;
there's deal of work making this" and
he gathered up, and fondly looked at his
share.
This paper currency was shorter and
narrower than the '.greepback" of to day,
and had upon its face picture OF an Indian
guiding his frail canoe down reckless
stream, illustrating the motto, "Pass me
along printed below it.
Many of the good people OF Eureky were
not as ignorant as they seemed OF the
counterfeiters' "plant" in their midst, but
In those troublous times 1t was deemed
the better part Of valor to leave them I'M
disturbed.
Patty Lockwood, the hardy daughter of
q pioneer race in which the women were as
fearless as the men, had been watching
opg past midnight with sick neighbor
lneighbors were then far apart) and regard
less of flashing clouds and heavy thunder,
had already gone half mile on her return
home when the storm broke into frenzy
of wind and rain. Before her was the
counterfeiters' house. The door was still
open, throwing an alluring stream of light
far into the storm-beaten pathway, and
Patty stepped inside for shelter without
any hesitation.
The counterfeiters, still up stairs, had
grown merry over the contents OF brown
lug, also kept in the panel room, and had
become so unguarded in the fancied secur-
ty of the late hour, that Patty's quick ear
caught the words, Here's to our good
uck." Another voice sang jovially
Our money bright
Buys rum at night
For the weary soldier boy
For what cares he,
Or what care we,
Fit is all alloy.
And the others joined the chorus
From daylight till dark
Well cheat old stark,
Yankee Doodle Do
ssHark r. cried McAndrew, as Patty ran
ont into the night. slamming the door
after her, what was thats'
"Only the wind shutting the door,
answered the soloist, 'syOu needn't turn
pale
"Ha-sh-sh r said the third, as they
went down stairs on tip-toe.
The jingle rang so persistentlY In Patty
mind that it disturbed the three hours for
rest still left to her upon reaching home.
She was glad of the first rays OF morning
light, showing that it was time to dress
and drive home the cows for their early
milking.
From daylight till dark
Wen cheat old Stark.
she hummed, alternately with Zoo moody,
COO moody" as she climbed the hills to the
waiting COWS and let down the bars to their
pasture.
s.Coo moody, COO moody" she called
again but they did not seem willing TO
come, and, following the direction of their
raised heads, she saw large troop OF
soldiers coming along the Crown Point
road under the leadership OF General