Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1910-09-03

er's face. "A hero In sleeping IN our
midst. To-day We ARE To nonOr the
bravery ana daring ~ our esteemed
citizen Theron lIasseit. killed on the
field OF duty. A year hence we hope
to erect suitable monument to his
memory
There was n rustic OF excitement on
the outskirts OF the crowd where the
vehicle that had crawled up the dusty
road had halted womnn's voice.
rising high above the iumult. angry
ana expostulating. interrupted the se-
lectman's speech. II tell yon I'm go
ing up front! This thing has got to
be stoppedw
A murmur OF indignation followed
the speaker as she pushed her way
through the crowd and finally emery
ed into the open space about the grave
She was n tall. rawboned woman.
with strongly marked features ana
iron gray hair drawn tightly back
from her forehead.
what do you mean by this disturb.
ance, madam" asked DIR. l.iscom Sc
verely
MY names Bassett." she replied.
with a little clicking movement OF her
teeth.
The reporter took n notebook from
his pocket and reHectively sharpered
a pencil.
"Bassettr' repeated the doctor NJ.
fably. Then ! am sure you are a
relative of the hero whose dust lies
under this mound. We would have
included you among our honored
guests had we known there was n llv-
ing descendant of Theron Bassett.
who
"Fiddlesticksr' interrupted the wo.
man rudely.
The reporter scrubbed buslly in his
notebook. The first selectman's mouth
hardened.
"What do you mean. madam" asked
DR.. LiscOm patiently.
II mean that just heard this morn
Ing that you Pond Point folks were
going to hold celebration over this
grave, and I came over here from my
home In Leetown TO stop these sacrl-
legious procecdingsr' she looked tri.
umphantly about her. while the people
gasped. Leetown was mine Of his.
toric wealth. Washlngton's headquar.
tiers. noted taverns where he had slept.
birthplace Of n hundred heroes Lee
town had more than Its share Of honor.
what do you mean by 'sacrile
glousT" There was utter silence as
DR.. Liscom asked this question.
an tell you. sir! Theron Bassett
was ms ancestor he wasn't anything
but drummer boy. anyway. and he
deserted from the army before the
battle Of Long Island! lie lived TO be
ninety years old. and he died from sun
stroke. He's buried over to Leetown.
and they're holding some kind OF a
powwow over his grave this very min
ute. ! do believer She snorted con.
temptuously as she faced the dismayed
throng.
I'VE were mIsinformed. then" cried
the first selectman. glaring angrlly NJ
DR. I.iscom. who IN turn fixed mn
accusing eye upon the discounted En-.
rights.
The reporter chucklcd gieefully as he
scrubbed. and for few minutes there
was no sound save the sharp breath.
ing OF the committee and the rustic Of
turning pages. jefferson Foster Won
dered heiplessly what the scribe might
be jotting down against his future
peace and dignity.
Yes. you are misnformed." returned
the woman sarcastically. This grave"
indicating the decorated mound with
sweep of her mitfened hand. does not
contain the dust Of any Of my anccS
tors. though II is the grave OF u
HERO. This first grave with the
weeping willow Oh the stone is Great
grandmother RaSsetts. the next IL
grcat-granafather's. aud this one under
the wall. which you hive made so gay
and this gentleman has been dcclaim
Ing over-this ~ the grave OF HERO.
great-grandfather's favorite dog The
old man thought sight Of him. and
when the dog died he buried him here
under the wall. and nobody knew any
thing about II He always said Hero
was rs good Christian as lots Of folks
he knew
She went amid dead silence. and Il
was not until the dust from her car
rage wheels had settled again that n
faint chuckle from the visitors broke
the constraint. Dr. l.iscom covered the
situation with few words spoken
with twinkling eye.
Pond Point seems fated to play II
passive part In the history Of her coun.
try. So be II. Let us be content 10 be
good citizens. heroes In our humble
way. and perhaps we may so conduct
ourselves in time OF national distress
our descendants may honor our mem.
cries even MS we would honor the meni-
Org OF some great man. In the mean-
time move that we adjourn 10 the
picnic grove"
Amid loud applause the gathering
made It's way 10 the grove. while the