Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-02-23

maup the llp'lIcIl:lI1l uedTt SloW. as
it was he proceeded without any sense
of pride or pleasure, moving as mere
machine in performing an act signifi-
can. beyond any other done west OF
the mountains in the great struggle
for Amery..n independence and the
con oil of American territory.
II milton stood Il little way from the
foo! Of the tall fagpole, his arms fold
ed N his b~csSt. his chin slightly
drawn in. his hrows contracted, gaZ-
ing steadily at Beverley while he was
unt. NJ the halyard. which had been
wor ii around the poles base about
thru feet above the ground. The
Amr.icnn troops in the fort were dis
posy;i 80 rs to form three sides OF a
hollow $, uare. facing inward. Oncle
JaZon. serving rs the ornamental en-
trcmc of on" line. was conspicuous for
his outlandiSh garb and unmilitary
bearing. The silence inside the stock.
ade offered strong contrast to the
tremendous roar Of voices outside.
Clark made signal. and at the tap OF
a drum Beverley shook the ropes loose
and began to lower the British colOrs.
Slowly the bright emblem Of earth's
mightiest nation crept down In token
Of the fact that handful Of back
woodsmen had Won an empire by a
splendid stroke of pure heroism. Bev-
erley detached the flag and, saluting,
handed it to Colonel Clark. Hamil-
toms breast hcnved and his iron jaws
tightened their pressure until the lines
of his cheeks Wore deep burrows Of
pain.
Just then there was birllike move
ment. winglike rustic. and light fig
ure lifted swiftly across the area. All
eyes were turned upon it. Hamilton
recoiled. as pale as death, half lifting
his hands as if to ward Off deadly
blow, and then gay flag was flung
out over his head. He saw before
him the girl lie had shot, but her beau
tiful face was not waXen now, nor was
it cold or lifalcss. The rich red blood
was strong under the Drowned yet del
icate skin, the eyes were bright and
brave. the cherry lips. slightly apart,
gave Il glimpse of pearl white teeth
and the dimples those rogush dimples
-twinklcd swectly.
Colonel Clark looked on in amaze
mcnt and in spite of himself in ad-
hlilation. He did not understand. The
sudden incident had bewildercd him,
but his virile nature was instantly and
wholly charmed. Something like a
breath of violets shook the tenderest
chords of his heart.
Alice stood firmly, statue of tri-
umph. her right arm Outstretched,
holding the flag high above IIamilton's
head, and close by her side the little
hunchback Jean was posed in his most
characteristic attitude. gazing ut the
banner which he himself had stolen
and kept hidden for Alice's sake and
because he loved il.
There was dead silence for some
moments, during which Hamiltons
face showed that he was ready to col
lapse. Then the keen voice of Oncle
JaZOn broke forth:
"Vive Zhorzh Vasinton! Nive la BAN
Mere d Alice RoussillOn."
He sprang to the middle of the area
and flung his old cap high in air. with a
shrill war whoop.
Hist it, hist it! HisSeZ In banniere
de Mile. Alice Roussillon. VOLTA, que
c'est glorieuse, cette banniere la! Hist
it, hist it,
He was dancing with rickety live
illness. his goatish legs and shriveled
body giving him the look Of an enact
ated satyr.
Clark had been told by some of his
creole officers the story Of how Alice
raised the flag when Helm took the
fort and how she snatched it from
Hamilton's hand as it were, and would
not give it up when he demanded it,
to explain itself, as he saw what Alice
was doing. Then he heard her say to
Hamilton while she slowly swayed the
rippling flag back and forth:
81 said, as you will remember, NJ. le
Gouverneur. that when you next should
see this flag should wave it over your
head Well. look. am waving It,.
vive Ia repubiique. Vive George
Washington. What do you think Of It,,
NJ. lie Gouvcrncur!"
The poor little hunchback Jean took
Off his cap and tossed it i'll rhythmical
emphasis, keeping time to her words.
And now from behind the hollow
square came mighty voice:
"Cest moi, Gaspard Roussillon; me
voici, messieursn'
There was spirit in the air which
caught from Alice thrill Of romantic
energy. The men in the ranks and the
officers in front of them felt wave Of
irresistible sympathy sweep through
their hearts. Her picturesque beauty,
her fine temper, the fitness Of the incl
dent to the occasion, had an instanta-
neous power which moved all men
alike.
"Raise her flag! Run up the young
lady's flagw some one shouted. And
then every voice seemed to echo the
words. Clark was young man Of no.
BILE type, in whose veins throbbed the
warm, chivalrous blood Of the cava-
liers. A watt Of the suddenly prevail
ing influence bore him also quite off his
feet. He turned to Beverley and said:
"Do it! 1t will have a great effect.
1t is good idea. Get the young lady's
flag and her permission to run it up
Before he finished speaking-indeed
at the first glance-he saw that Bever-
ley. like Hamilton. was white as dead
man, and at the same time 1t came to
his memory that his young friend had
confided to him during the awful march
through the prairie wilderness love
story about this very Alice ROussillOn.