Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1901-03-14

] news."
"They will. father" she replied,
"and now I must help them still fur
Their"
"You-you-what can you do?"
William has surely found Luke.
God will help him to make it plain.
Luke will send word to Col. Stark, and
then fell trees to obstruct the road.
l will use the az, father. / will GO
up the hill and cut dow trees. We
mustn't leave the way open for the
enemy to return"
And l am wounded and can't help
you." he walled after her as she ran
from the house with an ak in her
hand.
A quarter of a mile up the BenniEg-
ton road the highway passed through
the virgin forest, and there was a deep
cut through the hills. The girl
glanced up at the trees to see how
they leaTed. d then selected one and
applied the AK. In Il quarter of an
hour il came crashing down and the
roadway was blocked. Then another
and another. and her work was done.
The last tree was down and the girl
stood painting, when the sounds of
musketry reached her ears. Dropping
the ak, she ran with ali haste TO the
house.
Aye! l hear them-the fight las
begun" shouted the father as she en-
tered.
Il am going up to the barricale.
father, and / viii take both muskets
along. If the enemy seeks to return
l must fire upon him must hold
him"
And II cannot GO with you!" he
! moaned. as he held out his hands and
sobbed in his helplessness.
With a musket in either hand the
girl ran back up the road. her foot
steps fastened by the volleys of
musketry, kneeling at the barricade,
she loaded n weapon with trembling
hands. ard was about to creep for
ward among the felled trees. when the
idiot Ieaped down beside her and g!ee-
fully shouted:
Il did it. Bessie-I told Capt. Luke!
He cut down trees, and sem word to
the big general. and they are fighting
distinguishing, Don't you hear
it? They can't get out, and we shall
kill EN- all"
God bless you, William!" she hah
sObbed as h rose up. "Oh, if we
only had a hundred men here-ffty-
a score-a dOzen,"
But amt | here, Bessie? I can
shoot a musket, even if the noise does
make me jump. See how tall I am!
See what long steps l can takei Right
face. Left face! Shoulder arms!
Order arms, Parade rest, Don't you
be afraid when | am here"
William. she said. as she laid a
hand on either shoulder, ~listen to me
n help me, and may God give you a
mind as bright as day for your re-
ward, We have got to fight. We have
got to kill men. We have got to hold
this road. Keep your eyes on mine
and try TO understand every word l
say. You do understand, don't you?"
"Yes-yes-I understand. We have
got to fight and kill men, Yes, l
know
Heaven is sending him light"
whispered the girl as she followed
him. He understands and viii help
me!-
1t had been quick work with the
patriots. They had looked for the
enemy by the other road, and had
easily held at bay the small force sent
to deceive. The idiot had hastened as
never before. He had told his story
almost word for word IS he had been
commanded to. and within a quarter
of an hour trees We're falling across
the highway and a courier was riding
TO Col. Stark. Then the patriot force
gathered with the swiftness of death.
They svarmed out of Bennington
down from the hillS-Out of the green
forests. They gathered behind the
felled trees INC the great powders
and opened fire. The naughty and
headstTOng foe scarcely halted az
first, but as fresh forces came up they
were made 10 realize they had entered
a trap and must fight for their lives.
They fought well, but fought in vain.
There was no chance for disciplined
soldiery in that narrow way, with
rifles hurting death from behind every
tree and bush. They melted away
they were seized with panic-thev
sought to retreat to the open fields
about the mill. where they could de-
ploy and but as they fell
back they found their retreat OBJ
structed. And as they cried out to
each other and the officers shouted
orders, fire was opened and men be
gan to fall.
1--WE are hemmed in-we are LOST"
was the cry, and it was answered from
the barrier with:
1--WE are fgbting-Bessie-we arc
fighting and killing and whipping the
enemy! Load! Aim, Fire. Isn't 4
grand?"
Down, William. down." cautioned
the girl. I'VE are holding them-we
are confusing them. Oh! if we had a
dozen mora dozen more"
"Hurrah! hurrah. hurrah," cheered
a score of men who burst through a
thicEet on the hillside and came
tumbling and rolling to the roadway.
Into the barricade, men. and hold it
to the last"
It was Capt. Greenwood and n few
of his scouts. and they had scarcely
fired three volleys before the fate of
the battle was decided. There was no
advalce-no retreat-no breaking out
of the bl~ood-sodden highway TO right
or left. There was nothing left but
surrender, and of the thousand men
who had marched out of Fort Edward
less thar GOO fugitives returned.
"You-you here Bessie:" cried Capt.