The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-05-28

Mrs. Beman smiled with pleased van
ity. 'Well, keep good hens and feed
them well, and l always sell my eggs
fresh" she said.
"Yes, mother, said her husband, land
you make more money from your poul-
try than do from my farm. However,
we've always worked together. But,
Nathan, you are sober, what are you
thinking about?"
''0h, was thinking how easy old tt
could be taken" answered Nathan.
Capture old Til" exclaimed his fa-
ther, "why, lad, the things impossible,
Abercrombie lost two thousand men
there in '5S, and young Lord Howe was
killed. wasn't ten feet from him when
he fell. The forts impregnable. But
what in the world put the thought in
your head? Who is there to take it?"
81 don't know, father, but ever since
we heard of the battle of Lexington be-
tween the redcoats and our farmers, l
have been thinking how old III might
be taken. You don't know how care
less they are. There were no sentinels
on duty this afternoon, and the soldiers
were drinking and gambling"
That may be, but Ticonderoga isn't
gal to be taken by the first wooer.
'Twould be great stroke for liberty,
but no, no, there's nobody to do it."
And Farmer Beman, who was a thor
oughly patriotic American, shook his
head firmly.
But as the farmer and Nathan were
milking the cows that night, tramp,
tramp, tramp, came the sound of many
feet, and, rising with their filed pals
to see what the matter might be, they
saw the road filed with more than three
hundred armed men.
"They are not redcoats, but who can
they be, Nathan, and what can their
errand be?" asked the elder Beman
with honest surprise.
He was answered by the appearance
of two officers of rank-one large,
tall man of Herculean cast, dressed in
high heavy boots, buff breeches and
waistcoat, and a high-c ollared white
shagcoat: the other slighter man,
but well made and of noble bearing,
whose garments were richer and more
fashionable in their cut. Both were on
| horseback and wore swords, epaulettes
and other insignia of rank.
Gas I'm alive, it's Col. Ethan Allenr'
exclaimed Farmer Beman, addressing
the colossal figure.
And are you Ebenezer Beman," cried
the famous Green mountain hero.
This is Col. Arnold, and we are on our
way to take old III"
"You must be mad Col. Allen" cried
the farmer. aghast. Gen. Abercrom-
bic had fifteen thousand men and
failed"
"But l am not Gen. Abercrombie, nor
does insanity run in my family" an
swered Allen, sturdily. "Yonder fort
will be in the hands of free men to-
morrow morning, or Ethan Allen will
be no more among the living"
Young Nathan Beman stood looking
with all his eyes upon the stalwart
figure of the Green mountain hero, who
to him was the personifcation of every
thing great and glorious in the world.
The looks of Arnold he did not like as
well. He had areckless air and proud
contemptuous expression of counten-
ance, but those flashing eyes and sinis-
ter lips did not then foretell the ill
fame that was to come to this brave
and gifted man.
ii suppose you have made provision
for boats to transport your troops
across the lake, Col Allen" said the
farmer.
81 have sent a party to secure what
boats they could above here, and an
other party has gone to Skenesboro,
but trusted to find certain craft at this
place answered Allen. Gould l have
been misinformed?"
''There is an excellent scow a half
mile above here, and tnere are dozen
sliiffs down yonder that you are well
come to-"
"And now, Mr.. Beman," said Allen,
bentiing upon him the steady gaze OF
his stern blue eyes, do you know OF
anyone that we can depend on as a
guide, some one that knows all about
the fort and its approaches? | wish to
avoid if possible any danger from the
salute of a charge of grape shot or can.
lister from the wide-mouthed war dogs
of old Ii"
Il don't know of any one who knows
old III better than my son Nathan
here; he goes over there as often as once
a week"
And can you, my young man, con
duct us to the fort and show us the way
to the commanders quarters? Are you
sure you can do it?" Col. Aliens
voice was stern and decisive, for it was
t,r1- 4
ana the person that served him must
not fail him.
II know the fort as well as | know
our house yonder," declared Nathan
boldly, I've been all over it by day
light, sir, and ! think 1 could find my
way over it by night"
And do You know where the com
mandant's quarters are?" inquired
Arnold.
I've been there dozen times, sir
and should know the place blindfold
ed answered the lad.
"Then you are the boy for u.s." re
turned the other. "Col Allen, if we
get the boats, the morning sun will see
the red rag of England pulled down
from yonder ramparts."
aye, and we will hope that it viii
never float there again, responded Al,
len, solen,nly,
During the next few hours the sol
diers were bIsy gathering the boats OF
the neighborhood, and it was u little
after midnight that Allen and Arnold
and about eighty of the troops crossed
to the western shore of the lake The