The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-05-17

I lecting tho commonest precautions. Hav'
ing determined to attack, the merest novice
of a general would have moved his force
to the nearest point; would have had M
scouts search out for the ford beforehand
' and, above all, would never have delays
the blow beyond the earliest moment o
the enemy's unwatchfulness. T.
So now, when all was lost, ] fell I
kneading out this sodden dough of after
wit with Ephraim Yeates: but when
sought to carry off the blame as mine b.
right, the old borderer would not give m
leave.
Fair and easy. Cap'n John; fair ant
easy" he protested. Lets give that OLE
sarpent. which is the devil and Satan. hi
dues. Ez l allow. there vas the whole en-
/ during passed. Of us to ricollect all then
things. To be sure. we had our warnings
mistrusting all along that this here dad
! blame hoss-captain had his finger in thu
| pie. But, lawzee! we had ne'er a man o
! God 'mongst us to rise up and prophes
what was a-going to happen II we didn'
get up and scratch gravel immetltly. II not
sooner: though I won't deny that Capr
Dick did try his hand hathaway"
'"True: and 1 would now we had listened
to him. said /. gloomily enough. we
have lost our chance, and God knows II we
shall ever lave another. Falconnet must
have half a hundred men, red and white.
in the powder train; and by this time he
has learned from the Indian who recon
noitered US on the mountain that We are
within striking distance. With the enemy
forewarned, as he Is, we might as well try
to cut the women out OF my Lord Corn
wallis's headquarters"
The old man chuckled his dry little
laugh, though what food for merriment he
could md in the hopeless prospect was
more than I could understand.
"Ho! no! Cap'n John; I reckon e1 how
ye're attacking that word from yonder
down-hearted boy of our'n. Wait a spell
till ye're CT old ez I be; then you'll never
sty die till we're plumb dead"
Now, truly, though I was dismally dis
heartened, l could reassure hin on the
point of perseverance. It's an 1reton fail
ing to lose heart and hope when the skies
are dark; but this is counterba.ancod in
some of US by a certain quality Of I'M
running long after the race is we'll
lost. My father had this stubborn virtue to
the full; and so had that old 1ronAde Ireton
from whom we are descended.
THAT'S the kind O. talk!'' was the old
mans comment. Now. we'll set to work in
sure-enough arrest. Ez l said a spell back.
my stummick Is crying cupboard till I can't
make out to hear my brain a-sizzling.
Maybe YOU took notice o. me a-praying
down wonder that the good Lord'd vouch-
safe to give us ecalps and provender. For
our opfaithfulness he's seed fit to with
hold the one; but maybe well find a raven
r two, or q widders mite. r meal-bar'l,
somewheres In this bowling wilderness yit."
So saying. he summoned tho catawba
with Q low whistle. and when Uncanoola
Joined us, told him to stay with Jennifer
whilst we should make another effort to
find the ford.
when a mans chin-deeo into trouble
quoth this wise old woodsman. when we
were feeling our way cautiously along the
margin of the swift little river. III Cap'n
Dick rips and tears and pulls the grass up
by the roots, the chiefll only say, 'Wah!'
II he sits up and cusses till he's black in
the face, the ohiefll say ugh! M that's
Just about all q man bankers for when his
sores %a-running in the night season. and
all thy waters have gone over his head.
Selahr'
Now you are to remember the sky was
overcast and the night was pitchy dark.
and how the old borderer could read q sign
Of any sort was far beyond my compre-
henston Yet, when We had gone . scaut