The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-10-24
Copyright, 1909, Ivy J. B. Lippincott Company.
CHAPTER VII.

his men put spurs to their horses
and gal!oprd at il lively rate. Scouts
had reported that the enemy was
resting not far off. BesScm"r. riding
at the head nf his mounted dragons,
the psrspra;;"n streaming down his
red face. his eyes sparkling with an
ticipation Of victory, his well-knit
figure !v.l erect in the saddle with
British! military stiffness. looked
what be was--n combination of force
and fire.
\ turn ia the road brought them
in sight Of Il stream. The troopers
gaze Il shou, of triumph. broken by
BessencrS ringing command. In the
water were nude men. bathng and
swimming and sporting; along its
edge, on The opposite side. were
others, stripped to their waists.
doing their "famly' washing: while
farther u, ,he bank. under such shade
as the sparse cottonwood trees gave,
were vet more, smoking or mapping
or eating. Most of them had their
rifles beside them and their horses
close by. i,u, it awaited them little.
Their crs of establishment, chagrin
and terror beat the hot air ere that
of Bcssener'S men died away. The
naked wrrtchrS in the water were
cut down before they could escape.
Across the stream with eager haste,
yet with perfect order went the
British. carrying all before them. In
vain did Sumter start from his nap
under one of his bnggng r-wagons,
seize the nc;rrS, horse by its name,
saddleies., and bridclrSs rs ii was,
and Try To rally his soldiers. The
day was lest. and though the Eng
lish colonel did not capture the "bri-
gand.'' ;.S he had boastcd lie would,
he failed in little else he set out to
do; and. indeed, few save Sumter
himself escaped; not enough to war
rant pursuit in that appalling heat.
The British returned the way they
had come. rNulting. Ever thoughtful
OF his TROOPS. though he was himself
most anxious t" get back to the FL
lery plantation and make that his
stopping place for the night. Besse-
mer perceived that the heat and the
sharp. hard ride since dawn had put
considerable strain upon his men.
Noting large. mfortable-l looking
house setting some distance oil the
road. surrounded by Il fine grove Of
trees. he asked. Can you tell me,
Edward. who lives yonder? Methinlls
1t is IL good place for an afternoon
rest hc they rebels or tories, we
shall become ,!'rir unlimited guests,
but should Iill' to learn which they
are. that may know whether to re-
quest or cummanh
''rhry are tu,ies.'' the boy an
swercd eagerly. las loyal to our king
as my own family: and they will
make YOU a ylndlv welcome. | am
sure, as my people have Bessemer
perceived that under the summer
flush which already covered his cheek
there rose a richer wave of crimson.
"Aha. ii sweetheart residing there"
he thought. and with Il sympathetic
feeling turned his horse of the road
and entered th> gate. which stood
conveniently open.
The house WAS not the imposing
mansion lir l.ilrry homestead was,
but ther" WAS y warm southern wei
come ;lw;i;ing the in;r'd"rs and a
piece of news mi"h'iIy t" I.,sSrmrr's
liking as wrsl : courier, rtlin" hard
.o overtakr the Eri,i>h commander
hail likewise stepped there for rest
and scarce had he English colonel
t!iS,nountrd era. be BONDED him Il dis,
patch from lo.li,v;;iji; conveying the
news OF Gates G"f"nt.
There were ti!rrr daughters of the
house. all If li,.rn NiN:l.iouS rn,lng
women. a> ErsS"mcr snon discovered
ooh. how ,lrii"' tful." they exclaimed
when the ,nt.irnis If th" dispatch be
came known: two ~r~nt Victories ir
one day: think Of ii, -
NO. in one day. ladies'" Hrssrmrl
reminded ,hrm. Gen. Cornwallis
won his on the sixteenth"
at does not matter: we hear %
them the same day" the yo,lnges
something to celebrate so great ;
piece of fortune. If we could onl,
have dance" she added, with Il sug
gestive look in the direction of he
mother. Mamma, why can't we in
duce Col. Besscmer and his officer
to remain here for the night, and lie
us move the furniture from the BIZ
west room and have dance there
Meanwhile, we could scour the neigh
borhood for girls. Edward, do yo
not think Jane would Gomez"
"Nay. l have a better plan," tn
lieutenant answered. "My mothe
made Col. Bessemer and myself prom
ise ere we left that, if we route
Sumter in time. we should retur
home and spend the night there. The
will be expecting us, and my fathe
will be most grievously disappointe
If we do not come; but why not ha,
dance on our lawn, as we did tf
summer before ] went to England
Remember you, Peggy. what fun "
hnd?"
"Fun? Oh, it was delicious,' ST
answered, clasping her hands in
stasy.
The plan pleased Besscmer bett
than the first proposed, and so it WI
arranged. He cncamped his little Il
my and most of his prisoners in OF
of the Ellery fields that evening. O.
of the prisoners he considered t.
valuable capture to risk thus, al
he besought Mrs. Ellcry for a speci
room for him. AS Il prisoner, he w
second only to Sumter himself.
"Now, dear madam" he said to
hostess, when these arrangemer
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