The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1903-11-19
leaving there too the body of their

leaving there too the body Of their
leader.
1t was the last attempt of the
British save to escape from the
tolls which held them, and when that
last effort had been made and foiled,
it was little wonder that Lord Corn.
wallis gave UP in despair, nor that
he should send proposals for r
render to Mr.. Washington.
The day of the surrender dawned
fair, but jane refused to go with her
triumphant aunt to see the spectacle.
She felt that it was a small enough
act of loyalty towards both the dead
Bessemer and the living Edward to
remain away from a scene that would
have been so humiliating to both had
they been present to witness it.
But Aunt Susannah was deferred
by no such scruples, and, arrayed in
all the fnery she could muster, with
her head held very high, she set forth
to view the pageant.
The spectacle was well worth COM
ing miles to see, and many had so
come. There was a surprising con-
course of onlookers considering the
smallness of the town, the poor ia
%cilities for travel between the place
of surrender and the surrounding
country, as well as the haste with
which the whole affair had been
arranged.
Upon the left stretched the long
line Of French troops; upon the right,
the even longer line of Americans
with Washington, the one splendid
figure, upon his white charger at
their head. The appearance of the
triumphant armies was shabby. The
uniforms showed the hard work of
the seige; the lmud-stains of the
trenches; the powder burns; the mil
dew patches woven by foggy nights
and hot days. Of the Americans,
many We're threadbare, and not a few
in tatters.
Between these faded columns came
the British in their bright new
clothes which CORVALLIS had that
morning, in a final squirt of lavishs
ness, ordered issued; but if their garb
was bright their faces were in con
trast. With sullen .countenances,
downcast eyes, and leaden tread they
marched down the long, wide aisles
that had been left for them, their
colors cased and their drums beating
sardonically that appropriate tune,
The World is Turned Upside Down."
1t was. after Jne ceremonies were,
over that Mrs. Ellery and Godfrey
met, for young W%orthington, it
seemed, was a captain of infantry
in Gen. Washington's, army, and his
had been one of the very companies
that engaged in the defeat of Besse-
mer on the foggy morning so fatal
toNtha warrior. Nothing would do
but Aunt Susannah must carry him
back in triumph with her to the house
where she and Jane and Edward were
quartered, and on the way Mrs.
Ellery's tongue was not idle.
AS they entered the doorway Of
the house Jane was just descending
the stairs, OF her way to the dining
room for some food for Edward. At
sight of Godfrey the color-consider-
ably dimmed by events of the past
months-deserted her cheeks, and she
laid her hand upon the balustrade for
support. 1t was surprising how so
stable a oma as Aunt Susannah
could melt away so quickly, but dis
appear she did, and Worthington and
Jane were left the only, occupants of
the hall. .
Jane" He came swiftly towards
her. "Jane, your aunt has just told
me what you have done, what you
were to do for my sake, of sacrifice
you had made and were to make to
save my life. My God, to think that
you could have sacrificed yourself
thus for me, and that I, fool, pol
troon, should have misread you,
should ~have-Jane, can you forgive
the words I spoke at your fathers
house the last might've were together?
Can you, perhaps, still care a little
for a man SO dull that he could not
read your too generous heart Alright,
and must needs have it interpreted
for him by others? Tell, me, Jane,
can you care for such a one?"
The gay strains of a martial band
passing the house drifted in from the
street as he bent his head to receive
his answer.
THE END.