Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-16

when Beatrice. unable to restrain herself,
sprang to the front OF the ranks with a
stick in her hands which she brandished
like a sword, and shouted:
Rally, boyA rally, for the honor OF old
England and the hng!"
Both sides were startled. A girl never
dared enter their ranks before. but Beatrice
flung herself heart and soul into the play,
and her spirit was contagious.
The struggling British gathered them
selves together and drove the others from
the little hillock they had fortified. The
school bell rang. and Beatrice quick as a
flash. had her handkerchief hoisted on q
stick.
Truce" she cried: ''Truce!r<
At recess the boys talked it over. Shed
| make dandy soldier; what a pity she's a
girl" said Roy Everett.
She just makes you feel that it's real, -
said Fred Hallock.
just about twice as big" said another boy.
They put 1t to vote, and as result q
wariike document was sent to the girls in
forming them that they were drafted as
soldiers in the great war OF the revolution.
The girls were delighted, Beatrice most
of all.
The next noon they lined up to be chosen.
Fred Hallock had the first choice.
stepped forward, then stopped. flushing and
almost fearful. She liked Fred Haliock
better than any boy in school, but she
loved her country
Cdu Ue Oh Tie American SlQ0, she
said.
''Oh, come on, it's only play" said Fred.
impatiently.
PLAY isn't fun unless it's real" said
But you have to be on my SIDE" said
Fred stubbornly. IT'S the rules to go
or not"
tell you what I'll do. and it will be some
fun, for We can have an underground rail-
way and some Of us black up. Let's play
civil war instead of revolution, and Fred
for the north, SO 1 guess / can. Then, II
you want to change to revolution again
I'll let Roy's men capture me-though I
should hate to be captured" she added.
1t was settled that way, and Beatrice was
the leading spirit Of the northern troops.
She seemed to know history by intuition
and was always thinking up some new and
exciting situations. The boys said:
die better
1t neared February, and Fred and Roy
were often in consultation.
''Of course. on the day before Washing
tons birthday we must play the war of the
revolution, and you be CORVALLIS and I'll
be Washington
You'll have to give up Beatrice then"
said Roy, and she'll never let US surren-
der"
But it's the history We want to stick
to-" said Fred. ut isn't that I'm so crazy
about winning, but 80 near Washington
birthday We want to act the real thing, just
like play a-='.~
II say you'll have to give up Beatrice"
Il won't give her up. You can have my
three best men. but not her"
she won't play
''She'N have to-"
It was finally decided that nothing should
be said to >Beatrfce about the change. She
was to be let think that she was still fight
ing for the freedom of the slaves.
ITS only Dlay ANYWAY said Fred cts
all foolishness her being SO stubborn. 1t
will be good lesson to her"
Every one was in the secret except the
little Britisher. She was eagerly planning
for the great battle, after which Lee should
surrender to Grant.
She played as she had never played be-
fore, and when the battle was over She
stood close to Fred, waiting for the scene
of the surrender, her face glowing with en-
thusiasm.
Roy's army, with downcast eyes and with
out arms or colors. between the two long
rows of victors, came slowly, their drums
pla y1ng THE Worlds Upside Down" Beat
rice knew the tune and that 1t was the one
the British had played at the surrender of
CORVALLIS The fun died out of her eyes
and her face grew very white. Then when
she heard Fred addressed as Washington
she stood out before all the company.
wait a minute" she said, In a clear
ringing voice. "Cornwallis has surrendered
but l have not. / have read Of one man
being traitor to one army. but never heard
of one army nor two armies being traitor to
one man; but that Is what you have been
to me. l have not asked you to be loyal to
my country. or to love 1t, but have wanted
the right to love it myself, and you have
made me fight against it." She stamped
her foot. Your own George Washington