The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-10-07

Aachievements-who steal from the
" shadowy depths of nowhere. and. In
serried ranks, pass for silent review along
the paths Of memory. Their bugles ring
no cheering melody, their drumheads give
no sound, their voices have tones and
their footsteps fall with noiseless tread on
the misty roads of an Imagination that
grows with age.
The old constable at Fort Erie. doing
In the sunrays of a warm October day
shifted uneasily as the Stats on the hick-
Dry bench made ridges in his back, and
with eyes still closed, gently murmured,
''Ten rods more and all is safe"
The ghosts were walking for him.
He Is himself old soldier-a soldier
Of the crown. with flowing galoways Of
vintage long antedated and a memory
that serves him well. Clothed in the uni
form Of the Canadian militia-black, with
natry red trimmings-he keeps his daily
vigil on the site of old Fort Erie and
passes his days In peaceful 1anitorship of
the bloody plot The site OF Old Fort
Erie-the scene Of many a sanguinary
confiict-has been inclosed and made n
part of the Canadian National Park sys-
tenn 1t Is opposite Buffalo, on the Cana
dian side, at the head of Niagara River,
and stands as grim specter of the
British barracks that guar'ed the river
In the days when there was enmty be-
tween America and Great Britain. On
the American side OF the river is the
site of old Fort Porter, now a beautiful
barracks where soldiers are sent to rest
up after hard service, and 35 miles away,
at the mouth of the river. glaring across
at each other On peaceful rivalry now,
are Forts George and Niagara, the former
tn, fHn Iott In,
States. When the day Is clear and the
glasses good all this long frontier
stretch between may be seen by tourists
from the top of Brooks Monument mark
ing the site of the battle of Queenston
Heights. But the old constable at Fort
Erie needs no wearisome climb to view
the panorama. The historic ground of
the Niagara frontier Is familiar to him.
Sumber does for him what travel does
for others The MONDAY doze not only
paints In realistic colors the landscape of
the historic Niagara frontier, but sum-
mons by companies, by brigades, by ar
mics and perhaps sometimes alone and
unattended the almost forgotten heroes
of n bygone day. AS he shifts his posi-
tion and murmurs Ten rods more and
all is safe." who can tell what he Is see
ing.
Perhaps they come I'm Overwhelming
numbers, those stout-hearted, relocated
soldiers. driving the colonists before them
and cheering for King George and the
dragon. Perhaps 1t Is mighty race to
see whether the small. detached body of
redcoats out foraging expedition
shall reach the fort before the body of
American patriots shall succeed I'm cut
ting them off. Perhaps the ghosts are
those of the War of 1912, and the sleep
ing constable sees the rout that attended
the British In the first attack on Buff
falo. July IL, 1913. Perhaps his slumber
Is lighted by the blaze of the burning of
Buffalo when the village was destroyed
by redcoats and Indians In a latter and
successful attack on December Is and Il of
the same year, when but one residence was
left In the ruins. Perhaps the scene
stands out In strong contrast to any of
these. Mayhap 1t Is bright June day,
with fiower-scented air and balmy
breezes. There is no sign of war, and
all is still except for the flying footsteps
aud the heavy breathing of the solitary
figure in the constable's dream-a young
girl with wavy hair and burning cheeks.
whose Journey is beset with many diff
fcuities- Now she is flying along n Sc
Guided roadway, now climbing a prickly
hedge. anon struggling through swamp
and morass, proceeding with undaunted
towards her destina ton,
passing along by circultous routes, avoid
Ing here figure that carries a gun and
looks Ike soldier without uniform and
now hiding until some suspicious traveller
has passed. And then all Is changed
Wet and dirty, with the muck of low
lands and barnyardS clinging to her
skirts, she dashes into British camp.
There Is the call to arms the quick and
silent preparation, the forced march, the
terrible battle, and aga ina balmy June
day.
This sweet girl of the old redcoat's
irean-this Canadian Joan of Arc-was
named Laura Secord. monument has
been erected to her memory In the old
graveyard near the battlefield of Lundys
Lane. on the Canadian side of the Niagara
frontier. Not satisfied with perpetuating
her bravery, the people OF her race. with
British bombast and van
ty. have included in the tribute to her |
how mere handful of British defeated |
IN American army. Says the inscription |
IN the Secord monument:
ITO perpetuate the name and fame
of Laura Secord, who walked alone
nearly 20 miles by a circuitous, diff
hcult and perilous route, through
woods and swamps and miry roads. to
warn q British outpost at De Cows
rails OF an Intended attack, and
thereby enabled Lieutenant Fftz Glib
bon, on the Gath of June. 1913. with
less than 80 men of Her Majesty's