Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1905-02-02

He knew a little about rough fighting
with a saber He had seen my father
and NE go at each other hammer and
tongs there in our dooTyard every day
of good weather Stormy days he had
always stood by in the kitchen, roar
ing with laughter, as the good steel
rang and the house trembled. He had
been slow to come to it, but had had
his try with us, and had learned to
take an attack without fiinching. | went
at him hard for a final lesson that day
in the woods a great folly, | was
soon to know. We got warm and
made more noise than | had any
thought of. My horse took alarm and
pulled away, running into a thicket.
turned to catch him.
Judas Priest" said D'ri.
There, within 10 feet of us, I saw
what made me, ever after, a more pru
dent man. 1t was an English officer
leaning on his sword, a tall and hand
some fellow of some 40 years, in shiny
top-bOots and scarlet blouse and
gauntets of brown kid.
you are quite clever" said he
touching his gray mustache.
| made no answer, but stood pulling
myself together.
You will learn" he added, smiling,
with a tone OF encouragement. Let
me show you a trick"
He was most polite in his manner,
like a pIay-hero and came toward me
as he spoke. Then l saw four other
RriGshers coming out close in upon
us from behind trees.
He came al me quickly, and ! met
him. He seemed to think it would be
no trick to unhand my weapon Like
a flash, with a whip of his saber he
tried to wrench it away D'ri had
begun to shoot, lodging between trees,
and q redcoat had tumbled over. |
bore in upon my man. but he came
back at me with surprising Vigor. On
my word he was the quickest swords
man | ever had the honor of facing.
But he had a mean way of saying
"Ha!" as he turned my point. He
soon angered me, whereupon / lost a
bit OF caution. with some blood, for he
was a me like flash, and grazed me
on the nip before | could get my head
again. Il was no parlor play, | can
tell You We were fighting for life. and
both knew H. We fought up and down
through brakes and bushes and over
stCnos-a perilous footing. | could
feel his hand weakening. | put all
my speed TO the steel then, knowing
well that. barring accident, | should
win. could hear somebody coming
up behind me.
Keep away there" my adversary
shouted, with a fairness | admire when
think of it, Il can handle him. Get
the other fellow"
l went at him to make an end of it.
"Tll make you squint, you young
cub, he hissed lunging at me.
lie ripped my blouse at the shoul-
der, and, gods of war! we made the
sparks fly. Then he went down, wrig-
Cling; | had caught him in the side
poor fellow! Like a flash | was of
in a thicket. One of the enemy got
out Of my way and sent a bullet after
me. | could feel it rip and sting in
the muscle as it rubbed my ribs.
had caught his reins, and | was or
him and off in the bush, between bul.
let's that came ripping the leaves about
ne, before they could give chase.
Drums were beating the call to arms
somewhere. | struck the trail in
minute and leaning low in the saddle
went bounding over logs and rocks
down a steep hillside as if the dev
were after me. | looked back, and was
nearly ra-ed off by bough / coulC
hear horses coming in the trail behinC
with quick and heavy jumps But
was up 10 rough riding and had little
fear they would get a sight of me
However, crossing a long stretch o.
burnt timber they must have seen me
| heard a crack of pistols far behind
a whiz of bullets over my head.
shook ont the reins and let the horse
so, urging with cluck and spur, neye
Stacking for rock or hill or swale.