The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-03-03
Condensed Historical Novel

you gets took - surprise They tr-ei
10 keep me from seeing the king. but /
have seen him; he has promised 10 start
thirty SHIPS OF the line Tor America to
morrow Our fight Is as good as won p
The reader has doubtless recognized the
speaker IS our old friend, Benjamin
FRANKLIN, now al the court Of Lou :
NIII-or was ii Louis XIV or Louis
XN?-But. no matter.
Even As he finished speaking a beau
tiful girl, with streaming hair and 3
flowing mother-hubbard, rushed into the
philosophers apartment, and, throwing
herself at MS feet, cried out:
Save me. Save me! lam Priscilla
/ Winthrop. betrothed to Colonel Wardenl
Rise UP, sweet child, said the am
Dassador from the struggling young re-
public my life IS at thy service
Though I have no weapon here but my
( gooGly cane, ! VOW that"
Before he could finish, three big
strong men broke through the door, and
brandishing swords, advanced toward
/ Franklin and the beautiful maiden.
Without a moments hesitation the phil
l0sopher statesman swung MS cane on
high, and, rushing forward. engaged the
three runians in deadly ombat For fve
minutes or more the battle was fast and
furious. At length FrankHns ane came
down with terrible force upon the skull
of the largest of his assailants, who fel
with his head in the coal scuttie and re-
NAMED motionless.
AFTER that it was easy for the smiling
! American 70 break the sword arm Of IL 81
( one and then the other Of his opponents,
and send them bowling from the place.
Turning 10 the maiden after the fight
I was over. Franklin noticed Tor the drst
/ time how beautiful she was
odds me life" he whispered 10 him
self, she is the most lovely creature 1
have ever seen. What mouth she has
what form she has; what wonderful
little woman she is ali Overt"
Priscilla he said aloud-"may call
you Priscila?"
Dear, dear old Ben she replied. you
can never know how sweet the name
sounds TO me as il is uttered by thee.
Fair Priscilla-lovely Priscilla" he
went on. we must leave this place.
Come. The king is sending thirty ships
of the line to America today. Let Us
embark on one Of them. We have not
a moment TO lose"
On their way to the dock he noticed
again how beautiful she was, and when
they reached the waters edge 10 find
that the last OF the ships was TAR out at
sea, she looked up wistfully into his face
and asked:
Alas What shah we do?"
Before he could reply a dozen Hessians.
fully armed, jumped out from behind a
pile of lumber and rushed forward.
With Franklin TO think was TO act
He picked Up piece OF scanthng some
twenty feet long and gave battle. One
after another the murderOus hiTelings
were either killed or disabled, until only
two remained. They had, While the fight
with their comrades was in progress. /
equipped themselves with pieces of tin-
Der like that which the American han
died so effectively, and now rushed at
him, fearless and determined.
Franklin, as calm as if he had been /
endeavoring 10 pick a butterfly from a
rosebud, swung his scanuing once I.
around his head, and then lowering 1t
to the proper level whir.ed it with all /
his might, so that ii struck his approach /
ing foes upon the legs just above their
knees. The force Of the blow was 50
great that all four legs were torn on. (
Then, leaving the wretches there TO bleed I
to death, the smiling philosopher led the 1
maiden away.
Come" he said, 'Iet US see if we can't /
hire boat somewhere and row across. (
An, Priscilla, why did you ever come in Z
to my hfe?"
She stopped and pouting in a manner
that was beautiful to see replied:
rs it so tiresome for yea then TO act
as my protector? Leave me. Go on.
VIII remain and meet whatever fate il
pleaseth heaven TO send me. But, in
deed, 1 had thought you to be a gentle
man"
He caught one of her little hands, and,
aneeling before her. pressed It 10 his lips.
Nay ne cried, you must take back
those words. 1t Is not that l am weary
II lighting for you. Oh, Priscilla, have
you not seen that -
At that moment a regiment Of British
soldiers charged upon them from behind
! cow-shed. They were less than forty
PAGES away, but Franklin, with as muca
soolness as ne could have displayed at a
,hurch sociable. Dut the maiden IN the
ear Of q stump and then rushing for
ward, with no weapon save his hands,
lightly leaDed across the row OF bayo-
lets pointed at him, and grasping one /,
# the soldiers by the heels began knock
ng others down with him.
In a moment all was confusion. The
8ritons dared not shoot for fear Of kill
ng one another Here and there men
wearing red coats were flying through :
he air and muskets seemed 10 be fairly ,
aiming upon the heads OF those VINO .
we're not picked up bodily and hurled in
o the next township The American was !,
vet with perspiration and bleeding from Z,
many wounds that be could nat avoid :
ecelving IN the melee. and a length b.
.r
i'm. He realized that he was in Gang
f fainung. His heart quaked II was
ten that he realized for the first time i
ow he loved the beautiful maiden who 4
ad got him into ali this trouble. =
He did not fear to die for her. Tha- =
-ould be glorious. But If be died, then 90
hat would happen 10 Priscilla As 90
lese thoughts were passing through his
lind and he felt MS knees gitis as
eneath him. he saw two giant S1fous .,
Ishing toward him with fire IN their
yes Giving himself a farce shake. be s.,
rasped them by the threats knocked -
3eir heads together. and az de flung
lem away in opposite directions, lost
lnsciouszGee "a
When he opened his eyes again = was -
Ioak into those ~ an angel His al -
as living in Prisci1a's lap. and she ives
,ftly passing her hand along his cheek
is first though. was one of sorrow that ~
had not shaved Shst morning
he closed his eyes once more and az g.
= long time unwilling u break The 81
lppy spell that was uagn hlm. A. lass -
hen be looked up again BE saw tnat -
= maiden face WAS full u lcy-
'.yE hat IS H. dear sweet Gtle PrlE- =.
la2 re asked -
Z have received message ccucfruiaz
,lonel Warden. she answered.
An lcy hard seemed 10 clufch ~ KS
art He rolled over on one SIDE and
csned dismally
An" he managed r. say ~ lass "fhe -
lrref has secured his Back pa ana
~s-~ ~ claim you as h's wlfe
Nc see replied. Terv slowly and very ~
.eetv "ha O. dead
rnen sire Bent over Hir1. ard t1sir lips
.rf The rest - rct kl-sr-T-S. = K.sar
Caicage TlussEer