The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1900-02-23

He shuffled off. BY l o'clock he
had not returned. To their other wor-
ries they now had added the wonder
whether anything could have befallen
him. Then at half past 1 the sound
of drums beating a British march was
borne to them family. 1t was too
much for Miss Trent's eager ears. Her
high spirit chatting intolerably under
the suspense. she vehemently declar-
ed her inability to endure longer the
cruel suspense and declared that she
must sally out and learn what was
happening. Dinah was with her quer-
ulous aunt. and. despite protests, she
left them and made her way along the
river side. Scaling the slightly ele-
waited ground on which the struggling
village lay, she finally came to n stand
a little aloof from the long street
which was the artery OF the settle
ment. At the other end of the village
the rank and file Of defeated British
ers were marching out their colors
cased and their drums beating with
despairing venom the crushed pride
their sullen faces still more revealed
As If under a charm. the girl follow
ed at a distance the dropping lines of
scarlet-follOwed them until she beheld
the wrathful Britons ground their arms
in field half mile from the village.
Some of the soldiers hurled their weap-
ons to the earth with a savage violence
which broke them, and one officer hit
his sword in impotent fury at surrcn-
dering it to a victorious colonial rebel.
She remarked with some wonder the
absence of Lord CORVALLIS.
Finding how little attention she cx-
cited. Miss Trent decided to push on
and see what effect, if any, the fierce
storm of shot and shell which the colo
uists had let loose on the Yorktown
| Notifications had had on the home of
her aunt
| She had begun to move slowly along
when a small group of colonials discov-
cred her. A tall, commanding figure in
not too smart uniform, who seemed
to dominate the group, sent an officer
to her. She halted, her head erect and
her eyes fixed steadily on him, though
her heart beat violently.
"His eXcellency General Washington
has ordered me to inquire If he can be
of any service TO you, MISS" he said,
doffing his hat.
"Tell General Washington that he is
proffering his aid to Miss Mildred
Trent, woman who has not forsworn
her allegiance to the ruler of these colo
mics. Mr.. Washington of Mount Yer
non has partaken of the hospitality of
my fathers house, as he also has of
that Of our good neighbour Mr.. Guy
! Yorke whose son, for all / know, may
have been sacrificed, like his father, in
this revolt Thank him for n courtesy
which still breathes of Virginia and
tell him | hope l may go without mo-
lestation to see If his shells have left
to my aunt and myself enough Of on,
humble dwelling for us to find shell,
ter in"
'If you will remain here, will deliv.
err your message" replied the officer a
half smile on his lips at the fiery gran
diloquence of the fair Tory.
1t was not long before he was bach
with a request from General Washing,
ton that Miss Trent would do him the
honor TO come to him.
Her cheeks famed. Was this a con
queror's pleasantly to a woman foei
She spoke rapidly, without as much
heed Of her words as of her pride and
wounded feeling. you may tell Gen
eral Washington that he can, as a vie
tor, command my presence, but II he
has not forgotten the teachings of Vir.
ginia mothers to their sons ne will re-
call that a gentleman does not bid a
lady whom he would see come to him
but comes to herr
The officer hesitated slightly. then