The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-30
"well?" returned the major bridling.

"Well?" returned the major bridling.
.Well, what's che got?" said old
Peter.
"'Got? Got rebel over in tn
woods" roared the major.
At this sentence, the women and boys,
who had gathered eagerly about him,
gave vent to startled cries. The women
had come from adjacent houses. but the
little boys represented the entire VIII
lage. They had miraculously heard
the first whisper Of rumor. and they
performed wonders In getting to the
spot. They clustered around the i'm
portant figure Of the major and gazed
in silent awe. The women, however.
burst forth. At the word rebel"
which represented to them all terrible
things, they deluged the mayor with
questions which We're obviously unan-
swerable.
He shook them off, with violent i'm
patience. Meanwhile. Peter Witheby
was trying to force exasperating inter-
rogations through the tumult to the
majors ears. "What2 No! Yes!
How d know" the maddened veteran
snarled as he struggled with his friends.
mo! Yes! What? How in thunder
d know" Upon the steps Of the tav-
ern the landlady sat. weeping forlonly.
At last the major burst through the
crowd and went to the roadway. There,
as they all streamed after him, he
turned and faced them. "Now, look a
here, / don't know any more about this
than you do" he told them forcibly.
"All that know Is that there's a rebel
over in Smiths woods, an all l know
Is that I'm a-goin' after i'm"
But hor on minnet," said old
nAx 4. ,as1
II know he is," cried the major.
Don't yeh think I know what a rebel
is?"
Then, with a gesture Of disdain at the
babbling crowd. he marched deter
minedly away, his rifle held in the hol-
low of his arm. At this heroic moment
| q new clamor arose. half admiration,
half dismay. Old Peter hobbled after
the major, continually repeating: "Hol
| on a minnet."
The little boy who had given the
alarm was the center of throng OF
| lads who gazed with envy and awe
discovering in him q new quality. The
| women stared after the figure of the
| major and old Peter. his pursuer
Jerozel Bronson, half-witted lad who
| comprehended nothing save an occa-
sional genial word. leaned against the
fence and grinned like q skull. The
| major and the oursuer passed out OF
view around the turn in the road, where
the great naples lazily shook at the
dust that lay on their leaves.
| For a moment the little group OF
women listened intently as If they ex-
pected to hear a sudden shot and cries
from the distance They looked at each
other. their lips little ways apart
The trees sighed softly in the heat OF
the summer sun. The insects in the
meadow continued their monotonous
humming. and. somewhere. hen had
been stricken with fear and was cack.
ling loudly.
Finally Mrs. Goodwin said: "Well
I'm goin' up to tn turn a tn road, any.
how" Mrs. Willets and Mrs. Joe Peter.
son, her particular friend. cried out al
this temerity but she said: well, I'm
going anyhow"
She called Bronson. "Come on. Jero.
eel You're q man an If he should
chase US, why, you mus pitch inteh i'm
Hey?"
Bronson always obeyed everybody
He grinned an assent and went with
her down the road.
| A little boy attempted to follow them
but sllr;ll scream from his mother
made him halt.
The remaining women stood motion
less. their eyes fixed upon Mrs. Good