Evening journal., 1892-08-16


No finer figure of rebel walked the
Continental soil unhung. On his nut
brown face his blond mustache lay low
ingly curling.
Something is going to happen today"
thought the major. Il bubble. | shall
boil over and rake a fool of myself be-
fore night ! am in that ridiculous
mood when a man loves his neighbor as
himself. believes in success, wants to tilt
at windmills. Oh, Octoberl you have in
toxicated met | challenge the world.
Hold me, somebody, or shall jump over
the Highlands and take Sir Henry Gin
ton by the hair, then up to Saratoga and
pick up Jack Burgoyne, knock their
pates together and fling them over the
Atlantic"
a mans legs gallop when his blood
and spirits are boiling after such fash
ion. 1t did not take the major any con-
siderable portion Of eternity to measure
off the furlongs Of cultivated plain be-
tween Fishkill village and Putnam's
headquarters. In fact he had need to
dispatch. He had slept late after his
journey The council would be assem-
bled and already muddling their brains
over the situation.
The Van Wyck farmhouse stood and
still stands with its back to the road and
its front to the Highlands
mot much clank and pomp and pa
| geantry in this army of Israel Putnam
thought Skerrett. "No tentsl Men are
barracked in barns. suppose, or sleep
under cornstalks. with pumpkins for
pillows. No sentinelsl But probably
every man keeps his eyes peeled and his
ears pricked up for the tramp of British
brogans or Hessian boots on the soil"
There was, however, a sentry standing
at the unhinged gate in the decimated
paling Of the farmyard.
He turned his back and paced to the
end of his beat as Major SSerrett ap,
preached.
"Ahar thought the latter, "Jiercls
Dewitt is as quick sighted as ever. He
wants to dodge me. Poor fellowl Bot
tie has got him again, 1 fear. Why
can't man be satisfied with atmosphere
and cut alcohol
Skerrett entered the gate and hailed.
"Jierckr'
The sentinel turned and saluted.
A clear case of bottle. The colony of
Jamaica was a more important ally to
Great Britain in the Revolution than is
generally known. Ali if people would
only take their rum latent in its mo.
lasses and pour out their undistilled
toddies on their buczwheat cakesl
"Jierck," said the major kindly, "you
promised me you would not touch il"
$50 did, says the man, inficting on
himself the capital punishment of hang
ing his heads land l KEEP stiff as the
lord chancellor till got back home tc
Peekskill below here. There found my
wife had gone wrong"
The poor fellow choked A bad wife
is black dose.
1--WE grew up together, sir, on the
Brothertoft manor lands. She was Z
Bilsby, one of the old families-as brisl
and bright a gal as ever stepped. w,
were married and travelled just right
she alongside of me and / alongside oil
her, pullin well and keepin everything
DRAWN. Well, when shouldered arms
Lady Brothertoft-that's the Patroonl
widow-got my wife to go down to Yorl
and be her maid. It was lettin down
for Squire Dewitts sons wife to eat il
anybody's kitchen. But that's nothing
The harm is that Lady Brothertoftl
house is unluclzy. Women don't go int,
it and stay straight. There's too mucl
red in the parlors-too many redcoat
round. They say that's why the Patrool
cleared out and got himself killed, if h,
is killed. That's what spoilt my wife.
Skerrett's supernatural spirits sank
little at this. There was an undevel
oped true lover in the young man, devel
oped enough to show him what miserl
may come from such a wrong as,J ierck' s
"That's why took to rum" continue'
the man dismally. when my compan,
was ordered to join Old Put at Peekskill
and saw all the old places where m,
wife and used to do our courtin, an,
saw my sister Kate smilin at her sweet
heart and maxim comforters for him,
couldn't stand it. They all told me Il
keep away from the woman. But
didn't quite believe it, you know. So
went down to the manor house and say
, her. She didn't dare to look me in tn
b | lace 4Adt huu 10 Ne OlOWuOGu hOlut
, how. drownded it in rum can
get drunk like beast--that isn't int
me-but haven't been sober one hon
, since until we came up here 10 Fish
kill"
"stop it now, JierclS, and try to foi
/ get"
whats the uses"
1.-THE use is this. We were all prou
of you as a crack man. We canno
spare you. You know as well as l d
what we are fighting for. The caus
cannot spare you. Stand TO your gun
q now like a man against King Georg
and Old jamaica"
e The sentinel was manned by thes
!. hearty words and tones.
a "rll try" said he, "to please yoI
d Major Skerrett."
e Up went his head and his courage.
5 That's right" says the major; ian