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

the soldiers will halt here for an hour.
Do you know where Capt. Greenwood
is? You can find Walnut hill. II is
over there-over there. You must
know the place-you have been
there?"
Yes, l know" he replied, evidently
trying his best to follow her.
Luke is there-at Walnut hill
with his scouts. Look at me, William
you must go at once, and run as
fast as you cant"
"Yes-yes: 1 can run like a deer.
I'll find Luke, I will. Here. you take
my gun and shoot the British and I'll
60"
Tell Luke there are 1000 soldiers"
"Yes-yes; there are 1000. OOO, 900
but we can lick 'em ALL"
Poor boy-poor boy, Oh. l pray
TO God to give him his wits for an
hour. if no longer Remember. Will
liam-Walnut hiIl-a thousand men
run! rum"
"Yes-Walnut hin-thousand men
Boom! Bang. Rum"
As the idiot few up the road, to be
lost to sight within three minutes. the
80 NH17AAA So - SIAN AAt"Na VI III
marching column to the south. There
was a brave show of ripping flags
and marching men. They were the
hired soldiers Of the king-the Hes
sisus-vhO were hated to the death
by patriots of every colony.
They are almost here. father"
said the girl. as she stepped within
the door; they will stop here for the
MONDAY halt. / have sent William to
tell Capt. Luke. and the captain will
send word TO Col. Stark. Oh. if Will
liam can only remember-if our sol
diers will only get word in time"
You should have gone" said the
father in hopeless tones. Il am
wounded. but the Hessians have bayo-
Melted wounded men on every field.
The mill is u~ndefended. but the men
who urn farmhouses and churches
will not spare a mill. Kiss me. Bes-
sic. and God keep u.s."
The girl went back to the door and
looked out upon the relocated sol
diers as the head of the column forded
the creek and came to a halt on the
great open field opposite the mill. 1t
"dS hdIuIh hNt minutes DcIOTh ITtS
were being lighted and coffee made.
but it was half an hour before the
last of the column arrived. \ few sol
diers, accompanied by an officer.
looked through the mill. They found
not even a half-ration of four or meal
for a hungry soldier. The search was
followed by mutterings and curses.
and a voice cried out that the mill
should be burned. Then a score of
the first arrivals, whose hunger had
been satisfied, crowded up to the door
of the miller's house, and a sergeant
leered at the girl and said:
"Out of the way, my pretty; there
may be a o of your gallant COON
hunters hiding under the beds, and
we would make acquaintance"
"Only my father is here" she re-
piled, as she barred his way with her
arm; 'only my old father. and he is
badly wounded"
Wounded, Ell? One of the rebel
bushwhackers who fought us at Fort
Edward and got a kings bullet into
him. That's better yet. We must
have him out and put him on his
knees to take the oath to good King
George. Stand aside, girl"
NO one shall enter here!" she
resolutely replied.
"Ah! little rebel" chuckled the SOL
der, as he looked around upon his
comrades with smiles and winks, "but
you're fishing for a kiss, l see. You
shall have one. and it shall be such a
smack that all may hear. I take you
thus
One of the muskets leaned against
the wall within reach of the girls
band. AS the soldier reached out to
grasp her she stepped back and next
instant the muzzle of the frearm was
pointed at his breast and she was say
ing to him in a low, stern voice and
blazing eyes:
Lay n hand on me or try to force
this door, and 1 will kill you!"
"Oh-ho! Oh-ho!" he sneered, as he
started back in fear and anger. $50
the hare has claws! 1 would have
kissed you and not been too hard on
the wounded man, but you go too far.
No she rebel shall menace me thus"
Burn the mill, Burn 'em Quit"
cried a score of voices in chorus, as
the owners pressed forward.
The sergeant seemed about to give
the order when a British captain
forced his way through the crowd to
the door. For a moment he looked at
the girl and her leveled musket-at
the sergeant-up at the walls of the
mill. Then he asked:
eWhat is this? What are you men
about to do?"
"We wanted to search the house,
captain" humbly replied the sergeant,
but she threatened to shoot. Give
the word, and we'll burn 'em out"
Away with ou-out of thisi"
shouted the officer. "Did we march
mere to menace a girl? Would you
light a beacon fire to tell the rebels
at Bennington hat we are coming?
Back to your companies!"
"Only my father is here" said Bes-
sic, as she lowered her musket, "and
he is wounded"
ga rebel, of course" said the cap
tain, half to himself, as he entered the
house. 'but he shall have protection,
for all that. The dogs of Hessians
would even kill a blind babe. Tell
me, girl. is there a rebel force at Ben
nington?"
"There are patriots there" she re-
piled.
"Ah yes. That is another name for
them. And in what force?"