Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-05
Faith and the Soldiers.
BY CECIL HOPE.

BIZ HUE.
Faith was down in the fiume training
Adoniram to be a soldier.
Faiths home was in little Canadian
village, and this story happened about
twenty years ago. at the time when Louis
Riel. the half-breed. had raised a rebellion
in the great northwest. and with his army
of Indians and half-breeds. was threaten
ing to drive the white men out of the rich
territory of northern Canada.
Faiths father had enlisted and was now
with his regiment at Quebec waiting to be
ordered to the front The government was
determined to duell the rebellion II possible
with the standing army, but 1t was very
glad Of the reserve of volunteers that had
come forward. and stood ready to reinforce
the regulars now in the field.
So Faith in the deserted fiume was train
ing Adoniram to be soldier. and at the
same time strengthening her own heart
against he loneliness and terror that come
to little girl of ten whose dearly loved
father has gone to fight the Indians.
Adoniram was her man doll. She had
fashioned with great care little red fan
mel soldier suit, with gilt braid, sewed in
somewhat crookedly, and with a little red
cap. which had a little black band that
came down in front lust to his white cotton
chin: for Adoniram was rag doll. and
had once, though he and Faith both tried
hard to forget, been lady doll, the Lady
Louise.
The fume was an empty underground
chamber down by the old mill dam, throus
which the water had once flowed thai
turned her fathers sawmill.
The water had not run through Stncc
father had bought the new steam boiler,
and Lad drained the pond into meadow
lands.
Faith had been prowling about the old
dam che Cay ard rad discovered the tfuuie.
Sac was good climber and found that
she could easily get down to the PLANK
floor. L was Il beautiful place to play,
roor,y and quiet. and far below the street.
Underneath 1t q brook twnkled-an tue
water that was lcft OF the big pond.
Faith called the brook her piano and
the ]ume her palace: but nowadays the
brook was the far-off tramp of marching
soldiers. and the fl.me a fort. She spent
most of her spare time training Adonirdm.
She lad SHARED the secret OF the nune
with no one. for heI playmates were lew
in tue scattered Community. and Ado ilram
was always ct.eeIiul and satisfying COM
rade.
She lad male HIN a little wooden sun.
Whitfield uaiufully gu. OF single; sword
he had. too, and a belt to hold it.
''Sreso,t arms " she shouted to nm, IN
the tone she had heard her father U.s.. for
he had raised tue company in his village
and had dl fled them himself.
Reverse a,nlsr and Adoniram reversed.
Spect is time to go to rations. Aiont-
ram said i'aiiii PRESENTLY, and she WITH
tn. valiant doll c.dInbered out of the i'.Gle.
When the two returned the next morning
the fiume had been invaded. Four large
covered market baskets and number OF
gray homeSpun blankets lay on the moor
Of the flume.
Faith was startled. No one to her knowl-
edge had ever invaded her fort before,
"Spies In camp. Adoniram," she said
70 lyrny yXh q
in those baskets. 'Twould be sneaky to
peek l do feel a little shivery about 1t,
hope you're brave: Who could
have found out our secret? Adoniram
Harris have you told single soul?'
Adoniram shook his head violently.
Il know l can trust you, Adoniram. but |
It's so creepy and dreadful! Hark. She |
heard voices, far away. it is true. but near |
er than she had ever heard them in the !
chamber |
Her very heart stood still! They We're |
mems voices, and wild thoughts of gypsies, |
ramps and Indians flashed into her head.
She was all alone, and she could not make |
INV one hear no matter how loud she |
jailed. No one would ever think of coming |
% look for her in the fiume-tf anything |
should happen-she clutched Adoniram con-
7ulsively and squeezed herself through the |
Upright beams of the flume into a smaller |
,hamber adjoining, then climbed up on two |
ross beams, where she stretched herself
lat and peered down into the f1ume she had
lust left.
The voices were quite loud now.
How long do you think can live on
he stuff we've brought" said one voice.
about three weeks said another |
soice.
But we can manage to get fresh stuff |
rom home before that. Tuesday nights |
hey will all be away at the Grange, and |
We can go in and fill up our baskets. But
thought 1t was well to have more than
enough.
do you suppose they've found our note
7et?"
II don't believe they've missed US. 1t
vas a bright idea Of ours, taking cake |
t all at once. and then just after we had
eft"
Mothers been laying 1t to tramps.
Thought I'd die that day she missed the I
whole fruit cake, and was blaming old
Billy Best"
Say. Al, this is better than fighting
njuns!
If it. too Say, we live here for weeks.
md when the wars over go home with a
treat old yarn about our hair-breadth es-
apes. Did you bring all them novels?"
yep; here they are. Captain Harris
hought he'd gotten me enlisted sure.
Talked to me all one evening. IF 1t was
anything but Injuns. says L, I'd go, but
hey're treacherous.' -
They'll print your note in the Star, 1
yet. How does it go? Dear Mother: We
lave decided to go straight to the front
We cannot stand the thought of delay at
Quebec. We are eager to face the foe, If
We have to do it single handed. We will
ome home with Rel captive or not at all. |
10 not grieve for us. Your devoted sons,
"'ALFRED AND CYRUS"
Faiths fear was gone. The invaders