Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-01-14
A Yankee Trick.


 alities, were diverse. New York was Dutch, while the adjacent colony on the east, Connecticut, was English, and the two no more mingled than oil and water Indeed, the border line was the scene of continuous quarrel.
 On one side of this line lived Jona- than Pym, a young Yankee, while on the other lived Katrina Blocker, across the boundary line to hunt and fish in the Dutchmen's territory, which only tended to increase the hostility between the two peoples, especially
 firing the sluggish Dutchmen against the sharp witted New Englander. But when it was learned that Jonathan's incursions were for very different game than fish or fowl, indeed that be was courting Katrina Blocker, all the Dutchmen on the border laid down their clay pipes, set their schnapps mugs on the table and vowed that no Dutch girl should marry with the hated Yankees. Then they took up their pipes and their mugs and began to consider how they should prevent such horrible catastrophe The re- suit was that Katrina was shut up in one of those little forts built along the eastern edge of the Dutch colony.
 When Jonathan next stole over the border to the trysting place he did not find his love, but note scribbled in mixture of Dutch and English tell ing that she expected to be shut up immediately in the fort. Jonathan went back to his people and told them of his misfortune. They listened to him with occasional interruptions such as Dew tell"' and Want t know" and when he had finished and asked them to help him out of the difficulty they volunteered to a man.
 The next day all the Yankees living near JOnathan's home collected, with bikes, matchlocks, scythes and pitch forks, and set out for the fort where Katrina was prisoner. The approach was over an open field, and the Dutch man on guard in the fort happened to l be awake. He raised the alarm, and presently little six pounder sent a shot over the heads of the advancing Yankees. Jonathan called a halt
 Now, Jonathan did not wish to sacri- flee the lives of his friends simply to gain wife for himself, so he invested the fort, hoping to starve out the garri- son. But, whether it was that fear had taken away the Dutchmen's appetite or that the fort was well stored with pro- visions, the starvation process was a failure. Still there must be a dearth of fresh food, for the Yankees had kept the vendors of perlshable property away. Jonathan, true to his Yankee blood, preferred stratagem to blood shed and concluded to try to reduce the fort by the former method. He with drew his forces from one of the ap- breaches, a swampy piece of ground, leaving the Dutchmen to suppose that he had been driven off by the mos quitoes. Then he concentrated the prin- cipal part of his force behind q barn that had been incautiously left stand ing quite near the fort
 The next morning the Dutchmen saw number of women, with baskets on their arms, making their way across the swamp. They came on, chatting among themselves, and when a short distance from the fort sat down their baskets and themselves for q rest. The baskets contained butter and eggs, and the women kept up a chatter, discuss ing the merits of their produce and what prices they would get for 1t when they reached the settlement The sight of the rolls of fresh butter and the white eggs tickled the stomachs of the Dutchmen gaping at them over the parapet of the fort. and it was not long before the women were hailed to know if they would sell and why so many of them were together. They replied that they would sell if they could get as much for their wares as at the settle ment and that they were going to- gether for protection from the h. dians. whereupon they were Invited into the fort. This was part of Jonn- than's Yankee trick. He had dressed himself and dozen of his adherents like Dutchwomen, and each had arms concealed under his feminine apparel. He alone replied to the hail from the fort, for he alone had learned enough Dutch from Katrina to reply and could sufficiently conceal the Yankee nasal twang to prevent being discovered for what he was, though the Dutchmen were not quick at seeing through strat- agem and he might we'll have strained a point Be this as 1t may. the gates of the fort were thrown open. and the butter and egg vendors entered.
 They had scarcely got inside and set down their baskets when the main Yankee force concealed behind the barn made q rush upon the gates. The Dutehmen were about to run to the as- sistance of those who were shutting them when they were get upon by the women and either held or driven back. while those coming from without over came the gatemen. and in a few min utes the whole Yankee army was in the fort. A Dutchman is no hand to defend himself against surprise. and those defending the fort surrendered at discretion. Jonathan told them that his only requirement was that Katrina should be permitted tO choose between going with him or remaining with them. Katrina wss brought forth and chose to % with her Co1Becsicut lover.