The Washington herald., 1909-10-25
THE LITTLE BROWN JUG
Pv Al IL INA y Il Copyright
MEREDITH n MIL 1 AANA~ -, me
NICHOLSON
Copyright. 1908.
b. The
Bobbs-Merrin Co.


"They were not shooting at our men.
Mr. Ardmore. Their pickets are very
tired from loss OF sleep. and they were
trying 70 keep awake by shooting at
buzzard that hung over a field yonder.
where there is. cur scouts inform Us. a
dead calf lying in one Of your pastures.
They shall have better meat Buzz
yards shall eat the whole State Of South
! Carolina before night, Colonel. l order
! YOU 20 prepare at once 10 move your
troops across that creek
The colonel hesitated.
I regret 70 say. SIR. that we have no
pontoons."
"PontOons, POntoOns, What, by the
shade Of Napoleon, do you want with
/ ponIoons when you have legs? Again,
( sir, / order you TO advance your men"
II was al this crisis that Jerry lifted
/ her chin a tri0e and calmly addressed
the reluctant colonel
! col Daubenspeck. in my fathers
name, ! order you to throw your troops
/ across the RaccoOni"
/ A moment later the clear notes or the
/ bugle rose above the splash and bubble
\ or the creek. There was no opportunity
/ for grand onward sweep; Il must be "A
scramble for the southern shore over the
| rocks and fallen timber in that mad tor
rent.
And the Raccoon Is a stream from all
| time dedicated 70 noble uses and destined
70 hold mighty kingdoms in leash. one
( might well hesitate before crossing this
| hayward RUbicOn The Nississippi is
, merely an excuse for appropriations. the
/ Potomac the sporting ground OF Con-
| gressmen and shad. No other known
stream is so happily calculated as the
ioamy RaccOon 20 delight al once the
gods Of battle and the gentle sons Of
song. II marks one Of those impatient
. filings Of nature in which. bored with
creating lordly broadly flowing streams
or varying the landscape with quiet wood
lands or meadows, she abandons herself
l Tor moment 10 madness and. shaking
water and rock together as in a dice
box, spiashes them out with Joyous
laughter
Jerry Dangerdeld seated upon her
horse on a slight rise under a clump OF
trees little way back from the stream
cOolly munched q cracker and sipped cof-
fee from a lineup. Ardmore. again calm
now that Daubenspeck had been spurred
10 action. smoked his pipe and watched
the army prepare 10 advance.
( Beyond the creek and somewhat re-
moved from II on the South Carolina side,
a rifle cracked, and far against the blue
arch huge, black. lanEuor0us object
raising with a last supreme effort. as
though 20 claim refuge Of heaven. fell
ciawing at space with sprawling wings.
then collapsed and pitched earthward I'M
I'll the trees on the farther shore hid IL
from sight A feeble cheer rose in the
distance.
They sound pretty tame over there. %
remarked Ardmore critically. There's no
ginger IN that cheer
The ginger" suggested Col Dauben-
speck. ironically, is probably all in their
stOmachs"
one gun from the battery was brought
down and placed on a slight eminence 10
support the advance. f0r which all was
now in readiness. The bUgle sang again.
and the men OF one company sprang for
ward and began leaping from rock 20
rock. silently, steadily moving upon the
farther shore. Here and there some brown
khaki-clad figure slipped and splashed into
| the stream with a wild confusion Of brown
leggIngs; but on they went intrepldly
The captain. leading his men through
the torrent. was first 20 gain the south
ern shore he waved his sword. and with
, shout his men ciambered up the bank
, and formed In neat alignment This was
hardly accomplished before a uniformed
figure dashed from a nelghboring black
berry thicket and waved a white hand
kerch!ef He bore something IN his hand
which 20 Ardmore's straining vision
seemed TO be a small wicker basket
=, It's flag OF truce. exclaimed Col
Daubeuspeck, and "a sigh that expressed
y incontestable relief broke from thai
officer.
-rhe COwardsr' cried Ardmore. Does
, that mean they won't fght?"
/ 1t means that hostilities must cease
until We have permitted the bearer Of the
flag TO carry his message into our lines '
The man with the basket was already
: crossing the creek In charge Of q
/, corporal.
I II have read somewhere about beine
, careful Of the Greeks bearing gifts" said
Jerry. There may be something annoy
I ing in that basket"
! The bearer OF the basket gained the
North Carolina shore and strobe rapidly
, toward Miss Dangerfield. Ardmore. and
! Col Daubenspeck. He handed the triht
OF a basket 10 the colonel. who gazet
upon its contents for a moment with un-
i, speakable rage. The color mounted IN
: his neck almost 20 the point Of apoplexv
q and his voice beloved forth an oath 81
bleak. so fraught with peril 10 the human
! race. that Jerry shuddered and turned
b away her head as from a blast OF flame
The colonel cast the wicker basket from
; him with force that nearly tore hin
! from his saddle. II struck against g
I tree. splitting upon the earth six small
y hard, bright green apples.
Z My letter." said the emissary soherly
is for Mr. Thomas ArdmJre, and. unles.
- am mistaken. you are that gentleman.
2 Ardmore seized long envelope which
y the man extended. tore IL open, and read
Thomas Ardmore. ESQ.
I Acting Governor o. North Carolina
In the Field
Sir; AS I understand the present unhappy differ
cnccs bctWecu the States Of North and south Caro-
liza. they due 20 reluctance on the Tart O
) the governor Of North Carolina % take STEPS tovar
e bringing 90 prUper punishment in North Carolina a
g outlaw named ApplcWeighL / have the honor Q
inform you that that person is nov in Jail at XII
dare DiWcll County. y c.. properly guarded D
!, men who viii not finch. II necessary viii supper
: them with every South CarClirian able 20 bea
I arms. This being the oaso nSus beln no l0ugg
exists and 70 prevent the efuson q blood I be
o you to cease your hostile demonstrations on on
; frontier.
- Our men seized few prisoners during the night
= and / am willing % meet you % arrange az e.
, caange on The terms proper In such ciseS
a / am sir your obedient servant
e HENRY MAINE GRIsWOLD
l. For the Governor OF South Carolina.
THE nerve Of it, The sublime chez
e Of IT." exclaimed ArdmOre. though IN
II sight Of Griswold's wen-known hand
n writing had shaken him for the moment
: LAS a buffer your little friend is quit
a wonder, was Jerry's only common
IT when she had read the letter.