The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-04-15
DETSY's Big HERO
Story Of Revolutionary War; Girl
Saves Life Of British Spy
Caught in Storm.
BY cLk3lSSA MAckIE.

BY cLk7IssA MAckIE.
It was showing drearily and . bit
ter little wind moaned among the tree
tops. creaking the frozen branches
until they waved like stiff black I'm
gers.
Little Betsy Stevens slipped . hood
over her bright hair. and. wrapping
herself In . blue cloak. she swept Z
path from the kitchen door to the
hen house and another and longer
cne out to the road that ran past the
lonely house into the woods beyond
The road was lonely and fearsome
because the British encampment was
rot far away and the relocated sol.
diers had ravaged the little farmhouse
of its choicest provisions. and Of the
big flock OF chickens there remained
one solitary member-Old Nicodemus.
the ancient red rooster
Betsy Stevens looked carefully up
and down the road, but there was not
the flicker of red coat, and when she
had finished sweeping her path she
leaned her round chin on the broom
handle ard looked dreamily through
the falling flakes at the beginning Of
the road-where It emerged from an.
ether wood beyond which the Ameri.
can troops were encamred.
It was from this wood that Betsy ex.
rected her lover to ride some fine
day No. she had never met him yet
he was dream lover. but lately
He had taken on the form and fea.
lures Of her hero. Gen. George Wash.
! ingtOn.
Suppose. now. this very minute. q
black charger should break through
the woods and appear on the white
ress Of the sno, Y .oad! SUI. 'ose he
hould ride strai !. up to Yet.v Stew.
ems and from be- ~ Re m ~ r 'olde
ri his blue cloak look down at her
from doep. mystical eyes-and ask
for a bite to eat and a nights lodg.
Ing!
How wonderful II would be-ehe
would lead him to the house and her
uncle and aunt would hasten to wait
upon him ard Betsy herself would
carry In his supper! And-and-wpll
Betsy's dreams usually stoned right
there, because she never had been in
love and at this point she usually be.
came very confused under the imagi.
nary magic Of those wonderful eyes.
But tonight the road was deserted.
No hero came forth to ask for food
and lodging Only the snow fell soft.
~ and tho wind moaned bitterly. She
thought OF tta soicers-the blue and
buzz army-roorly clad. scantily fed,
iNsuf'lciently warmed-and her heart
thrObbed In pity for their sn'rcrings.
\ hot wavo Of resentment against tho
invaders sur"od In her gentle breast.
Ry the timo tho evening meal was
cleared away the storm had increased
NIGHTLY. The wind. screamed pierre.
ing'y around tho snug farmhouse and
the snow svirlod madly in freezing
stn"nc flakes.
,Iahcz Stevens and his vito went
to bed carly that NIGHT. knowing that
tho carly morning would bring them
hard work after mo storm
po,sr norvcus md ovcitos hr ,,o
storm sat IVY tho Glowing logs on tho
Kitchen hearth cpdd,inr pntor tbo
biz l,ok o,t
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