The Portland daily press., 1898-09-08
COLUMBIA'S PLUCK.

Columbia was her name-Columbia
Alpin. 81 know it's queer, " she used to
explain, "for strangers, when they re IN
troduced. always stare at me as II L Wers
some sort of foreigner, when I'm not,
thank goodness! But it's the name I've
got, and I'm going to try to live up to 1t.
So Columbia was nothing if not pa
triotic aud her name, however odd, dldn E
seem inappropriate She had little need
tn declx herself with the national colors
which she so persistently Haunted, for ma
ture had printed the red, white and blue
in dawn tints on her glowing face, and
bright stars shone there, too, right out OF
the blue. to make all absolutely perfect.
She was herself our conntrys falresG,
truest emblem.
But patriotism was at discount IN
Rustival, or Rustyville, as it was insult
ingly nicknamed by its hustling neigh
bors In Newburg, just across the lake,
for Rustival was q sour, belated little
country town which had aspired to become
the local metropolis and hadn't realized
its ambition. I remember that when 1
went there to start tannery IN 1866, tne
year of the preliminary survey for the H.,
V. and ". railroad, it was impossible TO
get rod of ground for love or money, so
extravaganza were the expectations OF the
villagers. But they had seen the railroad
and the county seat and all the other good
things which they had accounted their
own one by one slip from their grasp and
tumble into the lap Of their upstart rival.
Thus Rustival, dwindling and dingy, con-
tinually losing the more alert Of its youth
hal
rust5p conceit found scant encouragement
elsewhere, had become the abode Of pee
wish and carping discomfort, ripe for dis
LOYALTY. The whole country was going to
the dogs; that was evident. A glance at
their neglected street, weedy yards and
the white paint scaling from struggling
line of houses was proof enough to this
widowed community.
Naturally when the war with Spain
broke out there was no enthusiasm. To
be sure Joel Slocum, the local politician,
made off to Washington to try for an ap-
potnt1nent, but he soon came back and re-
married. q general state of rottenness.
"Them Spaniards," he declared, "are
Roin to lick us out of our boots, an I'm
hopin it may do US good. Everythings all
at sizes an sevens, an there can't no.
body git any show exceptin ruck of rich
mems sons"
"Why don't you enlist in the ranks and
serve your country that way?" demanded
Columbia, with characteristic aggressive
ness. sid call that better business for &
big, strong man like you than loafne
about and grumbling here"
She had just entered the postoffice
where Joel was haranguing, and stood lik'
an animated edition of the ''Star Span
gled Banner on the edge of the crowd.
.'Ketch me servin under them pincom
poops!'' roared Joel. "Better run home
little gal, an stick on a few more of then
red, white an blue posies you've sot out il
your pas front yard That's the way vol
gals fight fer your country, Clumb.
Alpin."
an just show you some day - she criet
defantly as she turned away with lettel
postmarked Newburg.
Even the news of the brilliant victory a
Manila fell fat in Rustival.
''.Jest happened So" commented Joel
'Likely the Spanish want lookin fer M
seoh fool doins way off t'other side of no
where an what's the good on it? Should
say we he'd Switches enough on our ham
already, specially with that gal ravir
round in her war paint, maxim a waikiki
barber pole of herself. Wouldn't mint
givin her few feathers, though, to hell
out She's corruptin all the gals in the
village"
For Columbia had indeed succeeded il
firing the maidens of Rustival with some
thing Of her own spirit. The war appeal
ed to them. The element of romance had
been sadly lacking in their lives. They
organized Soldiers Aid society, held pa
triotic meetings and sent flowers and
dainties to the boys in blue in the volun'
teers' camp near Newburg. They also es-
tablished a boycott against the disloyal
youth of their own town, though the
young men strenuously insisted that it
was Just the other way, and the boycott
was on the girls. Anyhow there was a
great dearth OF "parties, - and Hsparking''
was at stapdstill.
Then, as an Offset to the hated yolun-
teers at Newburg, these brave lads formed
q company of "home guards.
Fer right here's where you re goin to be
needed, boys, asseverated Joel, IAN purity
soon too. Fancy them crazy gals'll haul
IN some of their striped toggery when
once they see the Spaniards marchin into
town"
But when this devoted troop of defend
ers parRded the streets the girls scoffed at
them openly, and from day to day the Bit
terness grew. Finally, as the Fourth of
July drew near, the men unanimously
voted that they would have no celebration.
It'd jest be farce an humiliation at
SIGH a season as this" Joel assured them,
San you better keep your eyes peeled, boys,
fer it's lnore'n likely thsm striped petit
soats'H be out fer mischief
And in very truth this blue eyed daugh-
ter of Revolutionary rebels and Scotch
Coyenanters was not the sort of girl to
bear an insult tamely, least of all an in
suit to her flag. And now a personal
grievance was added, for some of these
chivalrous pumpkins had deemed it a
clever joke to break into her garden at
night uprooting the flowers and tram
ping down the beds, "exactiy what q
drove of hogs would have done" she
cried, with angry tears, when she saw it.
And this utterance didn't tend to increase
hon