Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-07-12
TIE FLAG OF PLOVER PIERRE

a story of the st. Adams Raid of 1861.
On the northwestern shore of Lake
Champlain is a long, sandy beach. Inland
from this stretches the dreary eXpanse of
a tamarack swamp. One afternoon early
in October the only living things in plain
sight along this beach were several small
sandpipers that daintily tiptoed over the
sand, and a tall blue heron wadng in the
shallow water. But when one looked close
" las did Plover Pierre)One noticed a bunch
of bushes stuck in the sand so as to form
what hunters term a "blind." The blue
heron, keeping a wary eye on the misplaced
bushes, may have thought it thus called
because only sightless creatures would think
place so uspicious-lOoking devoid of
harm.
AS Ployer Pierre scanned the beach he
discovered a man lying behind the bushes
of the blind. This man was a stalwart
bronzed fellow, perhaps 30 years old; he
had on the blue uniform of the United
States army, and wore long leather boots,
and as he lay stretched on his side a shot
gun rested in the hollow of his arm. Just
now the lieutenant was yawning. The
scene was a stupidity peaceful one ;all things
were quiet and sleepy-too much so to
please the young officer He lOnged for a
flock of plover to tlutter by and relieve the
monotony.
"If something doesn't turn up pretty
soon," he thought, "Ill stalk my friend
the blue heron though | believe the old
fellow keeps an eye on me, for all his
marching along in such an unconscious
and dignified manner He's the only bird
bigger than my thumb that I've seen for an
hour Why, so far as sport goes, | might
better be at the barracks drilling recruits.
But, hello. there's a queer Bird
He had seen Plover Pierre. Pierre
emerged from the shadow of the evergreens
and stood upon the sand. The boy did not
see many strangers, so he moved along the
beach to investigate this one. AS he passed
by, the little sand-pipers tip-uped as if max
ing low cOurtesies to friend, and the blue
heron looked at him with less haughtiness
than it usually assumed perhaps the bird
believed that Pierre came to destroy the
absurd structure called blind.
But for once the heron was mistaken.
Pierre did not disturb the blind, but crawled
behind it to chat with the soldier. At first
the boy was half afraid of this long fellow
in blue clothes and brass buttons, though
his face was kind and friendly. Pierre
had once been in law court at Quebec,
hhNlt lllt lll6h bIllNldl was dNhltooCu da
mOnseigneur. The boy decided to use this
title in the present instance.
"Monseigneur, are you Yankee"
The soldier nodded, and Pierre resumed
$50 am |. We have moved, and now we
live one mile south of the line between
Canada and Vermont. You see, am a
Yankee by a whole mile"
$50 you are" replied the other; "and
in your case no one can say mile's not bet
ter than miss. You wouldn't like to miss
being a Yankee would you?"
"No, indeed, mOnseigneur. | am proud
to be a Yankee. The French and the
Yankees were always friends, and il is good
to belong to the United States. Since We
are both Yankees, we should be friends
Is it not sop
"Of course it is" The soldier laughed
got up, and made more room for Pierre
"Come, what'l you have? Here's somC
ale, and here's a cigar"
Plover Pierre shook his head. "Jule'
says liquor is only good to put out cigar
want neither
"Why, this Jules must be perfect stole.
sob no; Jules is my friend, and he lives
quite near us. He, too, has moved to Yer
mont"
"And l imagine you're great playfel
lows" suggested the lieutenant.
"Well,no quite that, monseigneur Ht
teaches me and knows many stories. YoU
see, he is old. He was my fathers clerk
and he has white hair standing up all owe
his head. My father" said Pierre, proudly
twas a notary, and knew all things. julie!
says my father was quite old when he mar
ried the mother. Then he died, and sh,
married Jean Bourdo. He is strong, anC
can work on the farm, but likes better t
be idle The boy was rafting on, wheI
he remembered that Jules said people
should not talk too much of their own af
fairs A dusky red crept into his swarth.
face. "But it tires you to hear all this
Do you come from the barracks across tn
lake, where they teach new soldiers"
His new acquaintance smiled assent
F"Jules says it is a shame for Unitet
States people to fight each other; but Ilik
wars. should go if it were not for that.