The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-09-14

didn't. 81 guess you had better take me
with you. provided Prudence and General
Wayne agree" he said.
Prudence nodded sorrowful assent.
at is your duty, Rowland"
| The Fighting Parson" vouched for
Mad Anthony" He grasped Rowland
by the hand. Il was afraid you were a
bloody Tory, my hoy. If | hadn't been
so blamed hungry. I'd have asked first"
Rowland rode away with the chaplain
that afternoon. his wife's fearful blessing
upon him. ..-t
ut is your duty" she said again.
In week came the news that Mad
Anthony" was advancing westward with
flying brigade of more than 1000 men
to harass the rear guard of the British.
One day Rowland. looking more hand
some than ever in n suit of borrowed
regimentals. rode up with his commander
and the chaplain. Behind came the little
army of hardy. i'll clad patriots. >
The brave general, who had. been a
friend of Prudence's father bestowed a
kiss upon her forehead without dismount-
ing. ..H 80
"NIy soldier!" exclaimed Prudence ten
DERBY as she once more babe Rowland
farewell. 81 am so proud of you"'
Thus the young husband rode away
with Mad Anthony" and the Fighting
Parson." If courage could be given to a
coward, 'twould seem they were the ones
to give it. Love had made Rowland Bur-
CESS a coward.
The three rode on at the head of the
brigade-rode on into the very jaws of
death ere they knew it. That night at
Paoli they were hemmed in on every side.
1t seemed as if all must die or be cap
tured.
Before n hundred bullets had sped a
horse dashed down the hill, the rider dig
ging his spurs into him. 1t was he whom
love had made a coward.
Mad Anthony" wasted but one word on
hinI-a word that was expressive. The
Fighting ParSon' said more. but noword
quite as strong. AS for the men, they
said nothing-they simply fought the
harder.
And so the battle went on-the mas
sacre. it is called in history. Three hun
dred We're left dead or wounded upon the
field: half as many more were taken pris-
oners: the rest under Mad Anthony" beat
an honorable retreat.
or course. there were other towards,
but none so noticeable as the one who
uo" u lllt
Not before he was nearly home did
Rowland Burgess realize what he had
done. what he had branded himself He
was a dcserter. traitor: he would be
shot or maybe hanged. To return to the
brave little woman whom he loved. who
had unconsciously made him a coward,
would be worse than folly.
He rode on and on and on. wondering
al Al.
Reaching Philadelphia. he exchanged his
dishonored uniform for n coarse sailor
suit and shipped before the mast upon
vessel bound he knew not where-nor
cared.
The war had been ended three years
when there came down the road leading
to St Davd's man who seemed to
have gained sudden strength from his
surroundings.
As he reached stately house upon the
hill and saw it deserted, as if left a prey
to the elements, he looked disheartened.
but went OH.
a service was being held in the little
church in the Extraordinarily a wedding
His eyes first fell upon the mniSter--the
Fighting Parson." clad in his regimen
tails
Speak now or forever after hold his
peace" the chaplain was saying.
The wandcrer beheld the bride, radiant.
beautiful. rs in the years that were gone
1t was she for whom he had become
coward. Beside here was her rejected
lover, Gerald Harper, in the uniform of
n colonel. Mad Anthony" also in regi-
mentals. was there to give the bride
away.
In vain did the fugitive try to speak.
The word choked him. He turned away
nom the window, sick at heart.
Fool. to think that could come back
forgotten to begin life over again." He
walked away, back over the road he had
come, back to Philadelphia. Once more
he became an exile.
Those who knew him in these later
years felt he was a man with a history,
whose heart was dead. But was it?
Another war had been fought with the
British when small package came by
post to the rector Of st. David's. Inside
was the inscription. "The dust of trail
tor who died bravely," and this re-
quest, "When Prudence Harper lies in
the churchyard. spread this upon the
grave, and say naught of r. B., who
welded her and then saw her welded"
1t was near score of years ere the
rector could fulfill his trust. Then it
became matter of wonder that the grass
and flowers upon the grave of Prudence
Harper were so much richer. so much
more beautiful than upon that Of her hus-
band.-Philadelphi Press.