The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-10-28

as her father strained her TO his breast.
That's q soldiers daughter, Maggie,
and good girl. If you do this General
Houston himself shall thank you"
Then his eyes filed with tears.
my little daughter" he continued.
@God knows [ would not send you into
danger could help it, but an officer is:to
be sent to the other side Of the river at
night, and If no flame is seen our men
are to cross, for the signal means that the
way is not clear"
The mother, true pioneers wife as she
was, flung her arms shout her child.
at seems cruel to send child on such
an errand, husband. The Mexicans
spare none"
Nay, now, Susie, the danger is not so
great as you fancy. They camp fully a
mile swsy, and long ere they can reach
the burning heap Maggie will have run
home again"
But he kissed bis little daughter very
sadly as he rode away, and her mother
with difficulty choked down her tears as
she parted from her.
Mother will be back as soon as old
Hector can carry her. Be brave, little
darling, and remember God is with you.
Fire the brush quickly and run home and
bar the door to everyone I'LL you hear
my voice"
When they were gone Msggie's heart
again failed her, and only the thought of
the brave men, who perhaps had little
daughters Of their own, made her take
courage again. She sat watching the
hands Of the big clock that talked to her
of the home they had left in Pennsylva-
mia, until they had cravled nearly to the
midnight mark. Then, kissing the sleep
ing children, she raked the glowing Goals
into her pail, and unbarring the door,
started on her errznd
She was cold with fright, and half in
clined to turn back, but the stars that
looked down on her like bright celestial
eyes reminded her of her mothers words
that God was with her. 1t was not far
she had to 90, but the way through the
dark woods seemed longer than il ever
had before, and on owls slow hoot sent
the blood from her heart, though she
knew the instant afterwards what it
Was.
Once a panther's scream from dis
tanee rang in her ears, and she ran a
little, wildly and terroi-stricken, but the
clearing in which the brush heap lay
was close at hand, and she found herself
stumbling over it With her heart beat
ing ike mad she knelt and poured the
Goals over it They smouldered for few
minutes, and then a tiny flame sprung
up which caught at the dry leaves and
twigs, till the whole heap blazed.
With her terror nearly gone in her JOY
at her mission achieved, she rose and
looked out over the dark river, rolling
few yards away, and strained her eyes
in the vain fancy that she could see the
officer watching on the other side.
~He'll 90 back and tell them not to
come" she thought; "and they won't get
killed"
She clasped her hands the next mo-
ment with q shrek; for there was the
report of gun singing the air about
her, and bullet sung past her ear. There
came another and still another, and the
brave girl dropped beside the blazing
brush.
The flames cracked merrily, lesping
towards the river as If it knew the mes
sage it was IN bear, and was glad to be
about it, and the mounted officer on the
other side saw If and rode away.
The night breeze lifted the soft hair of
Of the little head that lay pillowed on
the dark bosom of the earth and touched
with loving fingers the round cheeks,
with their pretty color all gone. From
the woods came ranning dozen Mexi-
can soldiers, who, in rowing that way,
had spied the signal fire as it lesped up,
and were boasting as they ran that their
bullets must have found the person that
had set the heap ablaze.
@He stood just over the FIRE; ] saw
him." cried one.
aYes, l noticed him as he dropped"
said another.
But they paused dismayed beside the
little figure that lay close to the still far
ing brush.
santa Maria 1t i. childF' exclaim-
ed the captain, bending down.
a child :" the others murmured, and
the black eyes were filed with tears that
took nothing from their manhood. The
captain raised the childish form in his
strong arms, and directing his men to
make bed Of leaves, be laid it on the
mound, then bent and reverently kissed
the pure brow, while MS heart turned TO
thoughts Of little dark-eyed Mexican
lass, scarcely older, who watched for him
far away.
Her friends viii come for her by and
by" he said, as ne turned away. Mig
uel, stand you yonder in the woods and
watch till they come, but do not discover
yourself The rest 90 with me, bat mind,
no word to anyone of wha; has been
done. The signal has done its work and
this deed that We have wrought has evil
enough in it 50 no more blood tonight,
at leest"
Miguel watched an hour. Then came
an anxious father an mother to seek their
child, and finding her, to carry home the
little heroine with many tears and with
broken hearts. Captain Hunter had
found q Trustworthy messenger to per-
form his errand and bad hastened back,
hoping to arrive before Maggie should
have started for the river.
Loving hands laid her to rest close to
the spot made glorious by her deed, and
the great Houston himself pronounced
her eulogy:
= lis such as she that make rs know
the divine 10 still among Us"
a Graat Battle