The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1900-09-27
PURSUED BY BRITISH

Il NtfAh ni NAlbt WIN VI Rfu
pie Whose names have never bern heard Of
| By the present generation, but whose dsrius
acts did much 90 foster the cause Of liberty
/ The ililsrds were wsll-knewH family E
/ the vicinity OF Philadelphia. and while theJ
/ had never bcen discovered ia direct com
municAtion with the continental army Il
| was fairly uRdcrstood among the British
troops that they were using their influence
| TO AID the colonista.
IL should like nothing better" an Ems
| iish officer was saying, than to capture one
I Of that family. march him 10 headquarters
aud make him give an account Of himself -
Perhaps" fellow officer returned, you
would not enjoy the capture Of the young
daughter Of the household. who, Il IL said,
e AFRAID "i nothing This sd. II the s.a
II is said that she is one Of the most expert
h0rsCWomeu IN the colonies. aud IL out
scouting the country At daybrsak aud does
not return till dark"
Jane HiIlard, q beautiful girl Of rs. was
standing az her horses side, pattirg Is
glossy neck, while her mother was saying
Il like not the thought Of your going 20
far from home when the country round IL 10
Tested with British sodierS.'
why. mother" laughed the girl. a. she
yprans into the saddle. Il know every inch
81 the grouud. az well as ! know our own
douryard. And what cat happen 10 mes
There Is no horse 40 fleet a. mine. and
promise 10 take good care Of myGrlf" And
giving the mare a touch with her whip. shc
went flying down the driveway toward the
public road
Jauc rode along the smooth highway,
every nov and then looking over her shoul.
der 10 nee whether any had noticed hsr dur
Ing her suif, trip, And at last, when she
came 10 a large eump Of elder bushes, she
reigned In the mare, raised herself in the
saddle and Eaxsd IN al directions. Seeing
no one. she gave three short whistles. which
we're At once answered She thea started
the horse, and IN a moment had reached
thick underbrush few rods on the public
road A young man came forward. raised
his cap respectfully aud mid:
Good day. Mistress iIillard. You srg
prompt IN keeping an appointment
Good day, ~" she answered quickly.
u am glad have no, kept you waiting"
Il am trusting you with a most important
messsge, which must be in the hands Of Gen.
Washington within Il houra. II it il dis.
covered, Il means death To me and con.
fusion to our troops You are IN great dan,
ger carrying it,
Jane placed the precious message within
Ter riding CAP, and had gone bot a short
distance when, on looking over her Shoul-
der, ercy' was her CONSERVATION TO dis.
cover 90 the distance 4 party Of English
rn-c,rs
Jane iliilard was a brave girl. hut her
heart sank az she thought II the important
letter lu,rusiSd 90 her al that it meant
10 the continental army " Il were discov.
'red. and what would b. her probable fate
ID she wore mad prisoner n war She put
the spurs 90 her horse, and then began ride
y hiuh was a. important one for the cause
a. liberty. On they went, the grl urging
the marc over the uneven road, wei. know
ing that uur mIsstcp meant certain capture
and probable DEATH while the rrdcoatr FOL
lowed WIKI wonderful rpscd
We afr griuiHg" cried one "I'll wager
that At the next turn Of N. road We shall |
catch her
The men fairly flew over the road to the |
point beyond the bend where they expected |
90 capture Mistress illlsTd. sad great was
ih,r surprise 10 discover that she WAS be |
, ard thrir rrach. hat thai .hc bsd complete .
~ 5,apprarrd' The men who had regarded
he race as simply a Joke to brighten the
girl now vowed to find her and take her be
fore tho .mmBudaut.
wei ride right TO her fathers door, and
he ono who find. her and hriuGs her before
Doe officer of the lay shall receive liberal
reward
jgur Hl.Hrd spoke truly when slc said
'hg Eurw tho country around, and when she
.av the British wctc IN pursui, Of her she
decided upon a desperate move. A, point
hidden from the highway she vhultcd her
iorss over The hedge. turned down the edge
" 8 creek. and BY the time her disappear
.uCc was Discovered she was carefully skirt
~ ber way through her fathers orchard.
In few moments she wss rallopiug over
he rrass At the edge Of the driveway, and
Don arrived at the ilIlIsrd homestead
No one wa. IN sight. and the girl hastily
pranE from her saddle. opened the door,
nd. leading her horse into the kitchen, o..
ure'y fastened a great bar across the en-.
rance. With great caution she led the
mare through the Living room, down the
lall and the length Of the state parlor into
Itic bedroom She closed every door be,
lind her, and shs took the horse into the
leepIuE room she quite filled the space be.
ween the enormous bed aud the old fash.
onsd dressing table
THERE" she whispered, christening the
add.e gr,h. 'The redcoats won't get Us
his time, my girl"
IN the meantime the officers rode M the
Inc 10 Hillard mansion, carefully looking
lr tracks IN the dust. and one man knocked
{ the kitchen door 80 loudly with his riding
Thlp that Mrs. Hillard hastily answered
be summons, coming out Of the cellar.
where she had been assisting the mAids IN
<imming the cream.
we are looking" said the man, for a
alden who rides about the country on a
ly mare. She Is, | believe. your daughter,
adam"
My daughter" stammered Mrs. Hi
.rd. What can you possibly want Of
cry
I'VE believe" went on the officer, that
he Is carrying reasonable messages to the
army"
Why, sirs,' cried the mother, "you are
realty mistaken. Jane is but child, and
ie knows no more Of the ways Of war than
onder lamb"
well, madam" said the first speaker.
Il you will assure me that she is doing nc
tathhfAf aAAA IANhitHf AHAk hnt NOUS nc |
with the continentaIs, we
al bid you good afternoon"
There was great CONSERVATION ih the
,usehoId when Jane led her horse out Of
&c best bedroom and told the story Of her
ght and her manner Of escape.
Late that night, when all the household
a. asleep, little figure stols out. and IN
few seconds placed in the hands of the
aiting messenger. packet, which was In
e possession OF Gen. Washington before
awn. And that day the continental army
lncd great victory.
Several months afierward Gen. Washing
D took dinner with the Hillard family,
sking tbs journey out OF Philadelphia 10
.rsonally thank the young girl who had
aked 50 much for the cause 90 dear 10 her
art, her astonishsd family then hearing
il for the first time. The commander In
ief Of the army also wrote Jane Hillard
tier, which he signed, Your faithful
lend, q Washington."-Troy Northern
adgst.
ne wanted SEINE.
Customer--Ilow'd do? Have vouanv