The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-12-10

Gem Der air, the cold noTta VIII" ma
ed like o. wrath under the ip# oull'
80 and the surf Numbered pom
derously along Currituck DedcH. II was
an u~nfriendIy night, and Joe Do"uy
sat with MS pipe in the chimney cor
ner looking y~acantly INTO the ilie' -"
and then kicking it with ms coarse
boots. and sending metcorIc mower
or dancing. gleeful sparks peil NEIL
up the chimney
Betsev Dowdy and her mother sat
silently carding wool for their winter
clothes. The furniture Of the room
was entirely incongruous WITH the sur
roundings. and was evidently treas
IRE trove from the sea. the easy cha4r
I'm which Joe Dowdy was sitting had
evidently been plundered from the
grand saloon Of some Btp Whlcn IN
happy fate had driven upon that I'M
hospitable beach.
Joe Dowdy4 was a wrecker, ana
lived principally upon his savage
from the sea. and a rough JPhy Iei-
low he was, broad-shouldered ana rud-
dy-cheeked-the most daring OF all
who dweit along the coast.
His only daughter Betsey, was of
her fathers same heroic mould In
her isolated home she had but lttle
contact with the outside World, put
was passionately fond Of books, ana
greedfIv devoured every one when
chance threw into her hands, most OF
which were of a romantic character.
No wonder then that she early de-
yeIoped and cherished the idea that
she was the child Of Fate, and destIn-
ed to perform some great heroic deed.
Already, during a storm, had She
plucked a tiny life from the fury OF
the down-pouring seas.
There was a sharp knock at the
door and without ceremony in stalk
ed old sam Jarvis, long-halred ana
bearded like a saint, he had come
from the mainland in his canoe to
fetch the news. and Betsey listened
,eager-eyed to his story, as he told in
detail Of Col. Howe's badly equipped,
poorly drilled troops, Of Capt. Ben
bury's delay in sending forward sup
plies, and of Capt Wallis company
composed of those fine dressed fell
lows from Edenton, whom he did not
believe would light at all, that a bat
tie was imminent at Great Bridge, and
If Dunmore were successful he would
Immediately invade eastern North Car
DINA, their homes would be destroyed,
their goodly lands laid waste, and they
would be nothing but British slaves
again. And then the conversation turn
ed to old Nick Lindsay, the Infamous
Tory of the neighborhOod, for every
body was indignant at the way he
made fun of the Patriot army, and car
ried news to the British
on the sly. and besides he lived on
the mainland very nea the highway,
and kep a pack of dogs Just to annoy
everybody who passed, and when Bet
sew heard all that, her cheeks burned,
and she hated him in her heart.
Ard her father agreed with Sam
Jarvis that the situation was desperate,
and unless something was don i'm
mediately. all would be lost, and they
both said too, that General William
Skinner, of YeODim, was the man of
the hour. and If only he could be com
municated with at once the invasion
might be checked. but he lived over
fifty miles c!vay. and that would be
impossible on such a night either by
land or by water. Betsey finally went
eff to bed-but not to sleep, for
something urged her to go to Gen.
Skinner that night. She felt that the
supreme moment Of her destiny had
arrived, so after thoroughly maturing
her plans, she crept to the dOor-all
was still and silent in the house
she raised her only window. and in
q ONE more had saddled her pony,
and was galloping off down the beach
to a ford across Currituck Sound to
the mainland.
Good st. Agnes protect such a child,
on such a mission. on such a night
as this! Now Betsey knew it would
be high tide about u o'clock, and 1t
was h@ object to reach the ford be
fore the water was too deep to cross.
1t was a full half hour of suspense and
anxiety as she swept UNDECIDED by
fishermen's huts, and sand dunes, and
across the heath to her goal. She halt
ed at the waters edge-she had mis-
calculated. The tide was at half-flood
and rising rapidly. A girliSh dread
came over her-a moments hesit3-
- twas no time to waver,
down she rode into the water up to
her pony's knees. The night hung like
a darksome pail over horse and rider
she spurs her pony, and he plunges
forward, now up to his launches
now the saddle skirts drag in the water
he swilns-she shivers, leans for
ward and firmly graSps his name. Now
BetSey knew the Sagacity of these why
little banker ponies, it was a natural
instinct to them to swim, and so she
gave him loose reins. and as he was
bearing her bravely, she lifted her eyes
above and thought how the Children
of Israel had passed through the Red
Sea, and her purpose and her faith
forsOok her not. for she knew that
the Lord of Hosts was with her. The
pony reels and iOunders-but no. he
IS in the ShOal water Of the other side,
r few moments more they stood upon
the mainland, dripping and cold! An
other difficulty now beSet her way,
another Dragon was to be passed.
Old Nick Lindsay, the Tory, lived but
two miles further UP the road, and
she dreaded that he might interrupt
her in some way and thwart her pur-
pose, for he was always on the watch
to see what the Patriots were doing,
SO just before she reached his gate
she made a dash with her pony-just
then over the fence bolted the whole
pack of ours after her-old Nick threw
open the door and hailed-Speed Bet
sey, speed! like Rederick's henchmen
to Lanric Meadi speed Betsey, speed,
Down the road they went-rider and
horse and dogs; you would have
thought John Gilpin was repeating
his famous turnpike ride that very
night. old Nick discharged his mus
ket, and the lead showered all over
them, but she ped on, and it was not
until a turn in the road had been
reached a mile further on did she hear
old nick hearkinS back his dogs, for
she had beaten in the race. She and
her pony were now dry, and warm,
and comfortable. All during the
night she would halt and listen, some
times she would seem to hear the
booming of q cannon afar off, but she
sWerved not in her purpose. The air
was crisp and clear. and the frozen
road fairly r~esounded beneath her
pony's hoofs, as she galloped past
houses dark, and gray, and silent,
$780,, l. 4