The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-10-22

bility had flashed across the girls mind.
She unfolded it rapidly to John, and that
youth, timorous and faint hearted though
he was, succeeded in mastering small
degree of enthusiasm concerning it. He
finally agreed to do his part, and was
let out of the house, as he had come. by
Patty.
AS the tall clock in the hall struck 1
Patty crept back in bed again and lay
shlvering nervously, with sleep far from
her eyelids. Her thoughts were with
John as he trod the drenched road upon
the mission on which she had sent him.
Would he prove equal to it. or would
he be found wanting as before? She
heard the clock strike Q, then 3.
She waited long time, listening for
1t to strike 4, when again shower of
gravel ratified against the window panes.
Her heart beat wildly as she hurried to
the window
The same figure, looking more drenched
if possible, she saw dimly below.
"All right" she whispered, and in an
other minute was talking eagerly with
John i'll the kitchen.
He was quite different youth from
the one she had admitted but a few
hours before, and who had confessed to
such pitiable cowardice.
All trace of the respondent cringe
with which he had stood, so full of
shame, before Patty had disappeared,
and he seemed now like a man who could
be trusted in any crisis.
Everything is all right" he said.
And then he secured from her the names
Of the villagers upon whom the Tory
soldiers had quartered themselves.
With the British company's protracted
stay i'll the village, the girl knew almost
to n man whose the different houses
were which sheltered part of the kings
army.
After this information was secured
John again disappeared, and Patty, for
the third time that night, sought her
couch, but not to sleep, however.
Meanwhile the Continental company,
which had been brought by John from
their nearby camp, rapidly and noise
lessly surrounded each dwelling where
prize was to be secured in the shape of
British soldier. When the work was
complete, the trumpeter stood in the CEN
ter of the village and blew stentorian
blast.
For moment there was no sound in
reply. Then windows were thrown open,
and at every one appeared one or more
heads, the owners thereof rubbing their
eyes and sleepily trying to discover the
cause of such unseemly disturbance of
their peaceful slulnbers.
The British soldiers, too, stumbled out
of their comfortable beds, surprised and
uncomprehending. When they looked
into the street, however, and saw at
every door the Continental blue and yell
low, they rapidly arrived at correct
conclusion.
Ere long every red coated soldier in
Bridgetown was in the custody of the
Continentals, who promptly conveyed
them as soon as possible to the New
England headquarters, where honors
were showered thickly upon the heads
of the entire company.
John went with them and received his
full share as the supposed author of the
capture. What the commanding officers
always supposed was merely hare
Drained midnight visit to his sweetheart
was pardoned in the light of it's unex-
pected and happy result
John served all through the long war
after that with bravery and distinction,
his part in the sharing of the British SOL
diers apparently having cured him of the
slightest suspicion of cowardice. And
Patty kept her husbands secret we'll.
The little old Friends meeting house,
with its bullet SCARED wooden pillar, still
stands as mute monument to the Reyo-
lutionary maiden's bravery and to the
authenticity of my story. Ask any mem
Der of the Quaker clan which of the many
objects that the town holds is chief, and
hewill take you without moment's.hesi-
tation to the old house of worship which
sheltered the spot where the British bull
let found resting place over century
ago.-Philadelphia Press.