Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-12-13
CHAPTER 1.

N the list of May, 1774, the an.
Choir Ice which for SO many
months had silver plated the
- rivers bed with frosted crusts
was ripped OFF and dashed into mil
lion gushing takes by the amber out
rush Of the springtide food.
On that day had laid my plans for
fishing.
So certain was Of holiday undis-
turbed by schoolroom tasks that I
whistled up boldly as sat on my cot
bed sorting hooks according to their
sizes and smoothing out my feather
flies to make sure the moths had not
loosened wing or body. It was there
fore with misgiving that heard Peter
and Esk go into the schoolroom.
Now, we had no tasks set US for
three weeks, for our schoolmaster, Mr..
Yost, journeying with the post to visit
his mother In Pennsylvania, had been
shot and scalped at Eastertide near
Fort Pitt.
My guardian, Sir William Johnson,
who, as all know, was commissioner of
Indian affairs for the crown, had but
recently returned from the upper castle
with his secretary, Captain Walter But
Ter, and, preoccupied with the lamenta-
BILE murder Of Mr.. Yost. had found lit
tie time to concern himself with us or
our affairs.
So, hearing Esk and fat Peter on
their way to the schoolroom, took
alarm, believing that our new school
master had arrived, so seized my fish
rod and started to slip out Of the house
before any one might summon me.
However, was seen in the hallway by
Captain Butler, Sir Williams secreta-
~, and ordered to find my books and
report to him at the schoolroom.
OF course paid no heed to Mr.. But
Ter, but walked defantly downstairs,
although he called me twice in his cold,
menacing voice. And should have
continued triumphantly out of the door
and across the fields to the river had
not met Silver Heels dancing through
the lower hallway.
ooh, Michael" she cried, .you don't
know! Captain Butler has consented
to instruct us until the new schoolmas-
ter comes from Albany"
"Who told you that7" answered
sulkily.
Aunt Molly. She sent me to seek
you. So now who's going fishing, my
lord? p
IF co. said I, 81 won't study my
books anyway. I'm too old to study
with you and Peter, and won't"
Sir Williams fnvorite ferret viz,
with muEzle on, came sneaking along
the wall, and / grasped the 1.-THE AMI
NAL and thrust it at Silver Heels,
whereupon she ran upstairs like Wild
cat.
There was nothing for me but to go
to the schoolroom. laid my rod in
the corner, pocketed the ferret, drag
ged my books from under the library
table and went slowly up the stairs.
At sixteen / was as w1Hful Ounce
as ever dangied feet In schoolroom,
Knowing barely sufficient Latin to fol-
low Caesar through Gaul, loathing
mathematics, scorning the poets and
Sven obstinatsiy marring my pen writ
ing with heavy backward stroke.
! Destined against my will for Dart
snouth college by my guardian, who
very well understood that desired to
be soldier, had resolutely set N.Y.
SELF against every schoolroom accom-
piishment- And now, to my dismay
and rage, Sir William had set me once
more In the schooiroom, and under Mr..
Butler tool
Silver Heels pulled face at me be-
hand her French grammar book, and I
p4nched her arm smartly for her i'm
guidance. Then, casting about for some
ching to do, remembered the ferret in
my pocket and dragged it out. Remov-
ang the silver bit permitted the fer
ret to bite Peters tight breeches, not
meaning to hurt him, but Peter
screeched, and Sir William came In
very angry, saying that Mistress Molly
The infant had fallen a-roaring with
his new teeth:
81 did 1t, sir,' said I, "and Mr.. Butler
punished Peter
"Silence!' said Sir William sharply
rPut that ferret out the windowl"
1.-THE ferret is your best one, yix,"
answered. "She will run to the war.
rem, and we shall have to dig he1
out"
Pocket her, then" said Sir William
hastily. "Who gave you leave to pouch
my ferrets? Micky!"
Sir" replied sulkily.
Then he began to question me con
corning certain gods and demigods
and / gaped and floundered as though
were no better than the inky rabble
ruled over by Mr.. Butler.
Now to be hectored and questioned
by Sir William like shifting lad with
one eye on the birch and the other or
Mr. Butler did not please me. More
over, the others were looking on-Esk
with ink on his nose, Peter in tears
a-licking his lump of spruce, and thai
wildcat thing, Silver Heels.
felt for my underlip and got it be
tween my teeth, and for a space not
another word would I speak, although