Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-06-22
Betty S Prisoner,

|
to do something for your country.
wish n British soldier would come here
I'd show him what American girls can
do" And Betty Nutting's dark eyes
looked very black as she caught from
the wall her grandfather's old sword
and waved IL about her head.
They had heard distant guns, but the
only other sounds had been the warm
wind sweeping through the pines and
the monotonous song OF the frogs in
the marsh
After grandmother had fallen asleep
Betty ran for the twentieth time that
day down the long lane which led from
the Nutting farmhouse to the Concord
road. The falling cherry blossoms
lighted on the girls glossy black hair
and white gown sprlnkled with tiny
purple pansies and the frogs song
sounded very loud as she came to the
clear, brown brook at the foot of the
lane. But what was that CLEAN of red
under the willows? Blue and white
violets grew there, but IL was not the
time for cardinal flowers. Oh, ii was a
red uniform, and a soldier lay under
the trees!
Here was Betty's chance to show
what American girls could do, but
somehow not a thought of her grand
fathers sword was in her mind as she
looked at this man. His eyes were
closed his face was wan under the
CRIME OF smoke. and another red than
the uniforms stiffened and stained his
right sleeve.
What did this American girl do? She
brought brook water and bathed the
grimy brow till two honest, clear, blue
English eyes opened and looked at her
wonderingy. and then she said II
think you'd be safer at the house If
you could get there Our men might
come along, and, you see, you're the
enemy"
"But your father. perhaps" asked
the young man.
MY father" said Betty, proudly,
would never harm one under his pro-
lection and in his house"
81 was hurt this morning" said the
soldier land left beside the road. My
friends promised to bring me a horse
when they had whipped the rebels and
come back. but it's long time. | think
they must have gone back some other
way
"One other way, l am sure" said
Betty Indignantly. Whipped them
selves instead of having whipped the
rebels. rs YOU call us"
n1tf ,.lp ~ in no
soldiers face as he tried to stand, the
woman was stronger than the patriot
and Betty sprang to offer her sturdy
shoulder as a support, and so the sol
der slowly went up the lane and to
the settee in the kitchen. Betty brought
rich milk for him to drink and fresh
water and soft linen for the wounds.
When the late sunlight was trickling
through the cherry blossoms, Betty
father and Reuben coming grimy and
weary from the Concord fight.
IT'S been an awful day" said 81
mon Nutting. There's many good
man cold and stiff tonight who was
well this morning but we've taught
the British n lesson, and they've start
ed back home"
"Oh, father" cried Betty, I'm so sor
ny and SO glad. But I've got one OF
them and he is so handsome and 81
good and so dreadfully wounded, you'll
be kind to him, won't you, father
Here he isr' and she led her father In
to the kitchen.
The young man on the settee triet
to rise and said, IL am Philip Ather
ton. an Englishman, and | am you
prisoner, sir"
mo, father" said Betty, but GU
guest. isn't he and wounded besides !?
Simon Nutting did not belle Betty
promise of his Kindness but I'm tn,
weeks while the soldier lay suffering
and helpless in his house, tended b.
Betty and her grandmother, the farm
er had many puzzling thoughts abou
his duty i'm the final disposition of hi
prisoner guest. but the question set
tied itself. One day, when Philip Ath
erton stood strong again, he said to tn
farmer: IL have learned many thing
In these months from you, your fami
ly and your neighbors, and l under
stand now WHAT you AnerlcdnS meal
and are going to have. If I'D know
before, | should never have marches
out to Lexington, but now | believ
in your country and want to be adopt
ed into It. Will you take me and trus
me? And into your family. tooY turn
ing toward Betty.
Betty" said her father slowly
you're especially responsible for thi
young man. DO you think we can TAX
him and trust himf" And Betty, wit
shining eyes. laid her hands In AtheI
toms stretched out TO her and said soft
ly. IL think so, father"
Philip Atherton proved loyal an
useful citizen Of his adopted land, and
though he never himself again Dor
arms. he trained his children in sue
way that his son obeyed his cour
try's marching orders In 1872, hi
grandson helped TO save his fatherlan
I'm 1861. and his great-grandson al
swered the call TO arms In 1898.
Thus Betty showed what an Amer
can girl could do" to her foe, and, afte