The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1905-03-04

out of hearing when we were all in the
road. My mother carried the baby, and
! my father his sword and rifle and one
OF the little ones l took the three
| older children and set them on the.
feather bed that was bound to the,
back Of the COW. They chung to the
BEDFORD, their hair flying, as the old
, COW ran to keep up with us, for at first
| we were all running. In moment We
could hear the voices of people coming
behind. One OF The women was Weep
ing loudly as she ran. AT the first
cross-road We saw Arv Law and his.
family coming, in as great hurry as
We. Arv had a great pike-pole in his
hand. Its upper end rose 20 feet above
his head.
I What We soin t. dew with thet?"
my father asked him.
Coin t run it through the fust In
jun l see," said he. Il We broke the
lock o my gun"
, There was a crowd at Jerusalem
-Four Corners when we got there.
Every moment some family was arriv-
ing in g panic-the men, like my ia
ther with guns and babies and baskets.
The women. with the young, took
refuge at once in the tavern, While the
men surrounded it. Inside the line
were youths, some oddly armed with
sings or clubs or cross-guns. | had
only the sword my father gave me
and a mighty longing to use it, Arv
Law rested an end of his pike-pole
and stood looking anXiously for red
devils" among the slumps OF the far
ther clearing. An old iint-locli, on the
shoulder Of a man beside aim, had q
barrel half as long as the pole. Da-
vid Church was equipped with ak and
gun that stood at rest on either side
OF him.
Evening came, and no sign Of In
Gians. While it was growing dusk I
borrowed a pail OF the innkeeper and
milked the COW, and brought the pail
heaped with trolh, to my mother, who
passed trimming cups of milk among
the children. AS night fell, we boys,
more daring than our fathers, crept to
the edge of the timber and set the
big brush-heaps aiire, and scurried
back with the iea. Of redmen at our
heels. The men were now sitting in
easy attitudes and had begun to talk.
Don't b'lieve there S no Injuns
comm" said Bill Foster. EFF they
WIS they'd come"
"Cordin' t. my observation" said
Arv Law, looking up at the Sky, In
juns MOS gen'ally comes when they git
ready"
AN t amt when yer ready t. hey
EN-, nuthcr," said Lon Butterlield. \
"B'lievc they come up n peeked out
o the bushes n see Arv with tibet
air pihe-polc, n med up their minds
they hedn't better run up ag'in' it,"
said Bill Foster. "Scairt 'em--thet's
whut's tn matter"
Man ct meks light O this pole
oughter hev t carry it," said Arv, as
he sat impassivcly resting it upon his
knee.
"Cne Thin S sure" said Foster; "ef
Arv sh'u'd cuff an lnjun with tibet air
he'll squ'sh i'm"
"Sqush 'im!'' said Arv, with look
of disgust. faint med t. squ'sh with.
| callate t. pint it at 'elm n jab."
And so, as The evening wore away
and sleep hlshed the timid, better
feeling came over us. | sat by Rose
Merriman on the steps, and we had
, no thought of Indians. | was looking
into her big hazel eyes, shining in the
: freight, and thinking how beautiful
She was And she, too, was look
ing into my eyes, while we whispered
together, and the SLY mink read my
thoughts, know, by the look OF her
; Great flames were now leaping high
.. as the tlmber-tops at the edge of the
clearing. dead spruce caught fire
as we were looking. The flames
threw over it Il lacy, shimmerng,
; cracking net Of gold. Then suddenly
it burst into u red, leaping tower. A
few moments, and the cavern OF the
woods, along the timber side, was
choEed with fire. The little hamlet
had become spring Of light in the
darkness We could see the stumps
! and houses far afield, as il it had been
MONDAY. Suddenly we all jumped to
our feet. A wild yell came echoing
through the woods.
There they bel" said Asher East
man, as he cooked his gun. 81 toll
We So"
AS matter Of fact, he had told US
nothing of the kind. He was the one
: man who had said nothing.
Arv Law stood erect, his pike-pole
poised in both hands, and we were all
ready for action. We could hear the
rattle OF manS hoofs on the road. AS
soon as the column showed in the fire
light, Bill Foster up with his mus
ket and pulled the trigger. l could hear
the shot scatter on stump and stone.
!, Every man had his gun to his eye.
, "Wait till they come nearer" said
Asher Eastman.
, The Indians had halted. Far behind
them we could hear the wild hallooing
OF many voices In moment we could
see those on horseback go galloping
, Off in the direction whence they had
j. come. Back in the house number
OF the women were praying. My
, mother came out, her face whittier than
l had ever seen it before and walked
to my father and kissed him without
ever saying a word. Then she went
back into the house.
Scairt?" l inquired, turning to-
Rose, who now stood beside me.
} II should think | was" she whis-
percd. II IN all of tremble."
!, IF anything happens, I'd like
something to remember you by"