St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1896-08-08

Lne cause 6f liDeTLy. ~ HINES Tue hdI-
ley would fall into the hands of the
British and tories, and the boys of the
Mohawk were not pei mitted to make
known their sentiments. The allies
were both cruel and watchfull, and woe
to the American household that gave
aid and encouragement to the patriots.
Not far from the Mason home stood
the house of one of the bitterest of all
the Mohawk tories.
The man was Jason Sargent, and
whenever his people held the valley he
would signify his approval of their
atrocious deeds by raising British flag
upon a staff near his dwelling.
The flag waving in the breeze became
an eyesore to the patriots, but they
dared not molest it for fear of tory ven
geance. They could or!y hope that the
fortunes of war would turn against
the enemy, and that another standard,
fairer in their eyes, would greet the
light of day from the :op of the tory's
pole.
No one hated the fqg more than
young Obed.
q He could see it from the window of
the attic where he slept, and it was the
first thing that greeted his eyes in the
morning after night &C. sleep.
He watched it for months, and then
the return of the patriot army seemed
as far off as ever.
"Jason Sargent win lose his flag one
of these nights" said The little rebel
of the Mohawk, one afternoon, to his
mother. Some, one will spirit it away,
and then the tory Of Sargent house viii
have to coax another from Sir John
Johnston"
Jason guards it well, my son." was
the answer. "He will take good care of
his prize, and fear it will float on he
breezes till our people come back and
take possession of the valley again." !" I
But the boy had formed plan for the
capture of the obnoxious banner. and
that night he retired to his little attic
with a good deal of excitement.
4 The last thing he saw, as he put out
the candle, was the flag waving against
the starry sky over Jason Sargent's
yard, but he did not throw himself
upon his bed. II 4y
Obed's father was in the army with
Cen. Schuyler, the famous patriot, and
be thought that if he could capture the
flag waving so deiantly from sJason's
staff, he would be doing the cause of
liberty an excellent service. =
When the little household below
stairs became quiet, the patriot boy
slipped down the ladder which led from
the attic and thence from the house.
The night was quite dark, for but
few stars were seen in the sky, and
these at times were lost to view be-.
hind banks of clouds that drifted from
the west.
It did not t9a1c Obed long to reach
the premises OK npied by the tory, and
lie stopped near the flagstaff and looked
mp at the emblem Which defied the
.'rebels" of the Mohawk.
The flag itself was little higher than
the roof of the Sargent house and fioated
fromkfhe end of axstrongs pole. which
would bear The weight Of a person STOUT
err than SObed. ff gkf5 h
He listened as he waited in the darls
shadows of the house, for the tory was
in the large room, making merry with
Il number of neighbors of his own faith,
and Obed's keen ears caught the sound
Of laughter mingled with the .clinls of
rieir glasses as they drank confusion
and. defeat to Washington and his
brave men. - go gta
Above ali arose the harsh voice of the
big tory, as he told how his flag had
waved defiance in the very faces of the
patriots, and how he intended 10 keep