Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1900-11-09
t SOLDIER And MAIDEN I
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the householder"

III Two men in the dress OF
farmers, each one carrying flint-lock
musket on his shoulder, had stopped
in front of the Paulding farmhouse,
near Tarytown, on the Hudson. In
response to the call man OF 30 ap-
peared at the door. His face was
scarlet from having kneit before the
fire for the last half-hour, and in one
hand he held pair of bullet molds
and in the other dozen newly-cast
bullets.
Ready in a minute!" he shouted,
as he .retreated into the house, and
the men at the gate lighted their
pipes and sat down on the grass.
Three ordinary men-Paulding, Van
Vert and Williams-uneducated, hard
working, and unknown beyond the
neighborhood, but ON that Septem-
Der day of 1880 they were going to
save the life of a nation and make
history for the world to read.
"Who Is it?" asked the wife of
Paulding, who had been busy clearing
away the breakfast things as he
nodded his bullets.
"Van Vert and williams"
sand what are you going to doP"
"Have pop at some of the Brit
fish foragers, IL the chance comes.
Van Vert heard last night that they
took about everything Jim Hender-
son had yesterday afternoon. We're
goin'to do leetle scoutin' on our own
hook, and I'm hopin' some of these
bullets will find mark"
"But be careful, James-be care
full" cautioned the wife.
'I'll be careful huff. Say, now, lis
ten to me. You know that big tree
and the thicket over on the cross
roads? It's only mile from here
cross-lots. If you see any suspicious
persons hangin' about, or II the for
ayers come this way, send Minnie to
tell us. We shall hang out there all
day, unless driven off, and may not
be back before supper time"
With that the man passed out and
Joined his companions, and the three
disappeared in the woods. At almost
the same moment Minnie Paulding, q
girl of 16, who had passed the pre-
vious night at the house of girl friend
two miles away up the river started
TO return home. She had hardly passed
the Smith homestead when a stranger
who had come out of the house, has
tened his steps and overlook her.
"a fair good morning to fair little
maid" he said, as she turned at SOUND
Of his footsteps.
In the four years Of war she had en-
countered hundreds Of strangers pass
ing to and fro over the highways, bu'
she instantly OWNED that the man be-
fore her was different from any o.
them. While his clothing was rougf
and coarse, she detected the figure O
a gentleman beneath the garb. Hi
step and bearing told her that he wal
soldier, and his speech was not thai
of countryman. His voice was sof
and gentle, and he made her obeisanc'
as he saluted.
"And good morning to you," she re
piled in return, as she resumed he
walk.
"And / may suppose that you liv'
not far away?" queried the stranger
as he kept step with her, and strucl
at the wayside bushes with tn
switch in his hand.
"rwo miles below, SIR"
"And thy father-is he king
MANI"
Indeed, no, else Washington woul'
NOT have dined with us month age
This is no road for the kings men t.
travel"
"I fear me, little maid" he said
after a light laugh, "that / shoul'
And thee a little rebel, If ! knew the
better"
"T am one, sir, as is everyone abou
here. except the Smiths 'Tis a sham
that tories should be allowed to liv
on among u.s."
"But these are the kings posses
,;or. and those who remain loya' t
their king should not be objects 0
contempt and malice, though were
L;no's man ! might forgive thee o
account of thy sex. 1t is not for won
en--much less for young maidenS-
to talk politics and var"
"But / thought You might be
kings man" she said, as she locke
him squarely in the eyes
He laughed and flushed, and 1t wa
Leave war for men, little maid.
should guess thine age to be aDou
II, and"
sixteen, sir"
at stand corrected, but let me I'll
IL Chestnut hair, hazel eyes. a Gr'
elan nose. perfect teeth q trim fgur