River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-08-12
By HEvRY (. HAYDOCk.

She had stepped out of the old ram
bling farm house behind her for few
minutes rest, leaving her young broth
er to watch by the bedside of her little
sister, who was very i'll. Everyone was
away. Her father and elder brother
were in the continental army. Her
uncle, an old man. who had stayed at
home since the war began, had gone TO
the mill that afternoon.
It was dark hour for the American
cause; battle after battle had been
fought, and the troops, weary and for
the time discouraged, We're slowly re
treating.
Barbara was thinking of this. and
wished that she were man. 10 go into
the thickest of the fight, or even a boy,
TO take a drum and lead on the troops.
She sighed as she glanced at her skirts,
then, resting her chin upon her hand,
again looked out TO sea. To be sure, her
life had not been devoid of excitement,
for even now there were munitions of
war buried under the woodpile in the
extension of the house, but they had
never been touched since they had been
placed there. together with the family
valuables. It was, indeed. good place
10 hide the muskets. for the house WAS
IN !, retired situation. and it was very
seldom anyone came near it.
As Barbara thought of this she turned
her head. then started TO her feet, for
there in the ofiing was a frigate slowly
working its way in shore. Her back
having been partially turned in that
direction. she had not noticed il until
now, and was very much surprised to
see how near il was. She rose at once
and started toward the house to get the
spyglass.
As she ran she remembered all the
instances she had heard of English
ships landing men who ransacked farm
houses. sometimes leaving them in
/ flames when they returned TO their
/ boats,
4 She wouldn't worry, at any rate, for
the frigate might only be passing along
/ the coast, or il might be an Ameri-
can man-of-war She was soon out on
the beach again. The ship was much
nearer. As she looked at it through the
glass she saw flying from the mas head
the English flag.
rs she watched and listened she
heard the shrill sound of the boat
swain's whistle. The frigate came
about, and she saw they were preparing
to lower a boat.
Her worst fears were now realized.
What should she do? The first thought
was to take the children and run. leav-
ing the house to its fate. Then she no
ticed how cold and chilly The air was
as it swept in from the sea. and she
realized that ii would never do to take
her sick sister from her room into the
open air. for it would probably mean
death 20 her.
She reentered the house hastily. went
to the room and beckoned her brother.
"You must run over to the village and
tell the people the British are about to
land | will stay here until you can get
uncle and return"
The boys eyes grew black with ex-
citement.
You stay here alone and face them!"
he said
"Yes." she answered; "there is no
other way"
For a minute her brother regarded
her admiringly. A girl not over H. trim
and slight, to face alone the boats
company of a man-of-war. 4 must stay
with youl'' he exclaimed.
No. she answered, you can do the
most good by going to the village. l
am not afraid of them; they will not
harm a girl
Nor did she look afraid, as she stood
there with an air of dauntless bravery
about her.
You're fine.'' her brother ex-
claimed. Then he rushed through the
door with parting shout: Il won't
be gone long"
Now that she was left entirely alone,
Baroara's courage for the moment gave
way, but only for a moment, and then
she was thinking how to act. She was
moi SO sure she could protect the place,
because she was a girl, and if they
found the buried muskets they would
surely burn the house, and then her
sister would have to be taken out into
the chill sea air.
There was one way to prevent this
sion Her sisters room was in the ex-
tension, and underneath the room were
the buried muskets. She must do this
by strategy if possible. She descended
the stairs as she thought, and went
through the long passageway which
connected the extension and the main
portion of the house.
As she entered the main room her
eyes fell upon a huge fireplace, in
which there had not been a fire for
some time. The fireplace was directly
beside the door leading into the pas
sage, the door that she must guard.
How should she guard it? As she
thought she noticed the brick oven In
the fireplace, the door of which was
aiar, then an expression Of triumph
came over her face.
She acted at once upon the thought.
went to the back of the house, and re-
turned with a small keg of powder
1t was a very small kcg, but il held
enough for the purpose for which she
wished to use it. 1t took her only a
minute to open the oven door and put
il inside. She closed the door almost
tight, then stopped. and in the oppo-
site corner of the fireplace arrange.
some fagots and kindling wood. Tn
derneath this she fixed a huge pair Of
bellows. The bellows were black /
smiths bellows, her uncle having been !
blacksmith. He had rugged them up
by the fireplace, and laughingly said
they reminded him of old times.
Lighting the fire would in no way
endanger exploding the powder, the
fireplace being too large and the fire too
small; but should she pull down on the
lever of the bellows, line of fire would
shoot up alongside the oven, and. en-
tering the crack left by the patty
opened door. would ignite the powder.