The Washington herald., 1915-07-04
ALittLe Minute
Man
A Story of the Revolution.
By H. c. PAINE.

By H. c. PAINE.
All during the winter Brinton had
been saying what he would do if the
fedcoats came, and grieving because
ais age. which was eight. prevented
him from going with his father to
SIGHT under General Washington.
When the redcoats Unexpectedly ap-
peared in the distance, one afternoon
In May. what Brinton really did was
TO run helter-skelter down the road.
up the broad path to the house.
through the front hall into the libra
ry. close the door, and then peep out
OF the window to watch them go by.
When he first caught sight of the
soldiers Brinton was sure that there
were at least a regiment of them. but
when they were opposite the front
gate all that he could see were a cor
poral and three privates. Instead of
keeping on their way. however. they
turned up the path toward the house.
and then it seemed to Brinton that
they were the most gigantic human
beings he had ever seen.
His mother was away for the day.
and had taken Towser with her. This
together with the fact that the enemy
were now between him and his fort
entirely spoiled Brinton's plan of cam
paign. and he decided to seek at once
rome more secluded spot. and there to
devise something to meet the changed
conditions. But when he started to
run out of the room, he found that in
his hurry he had left the front door
open. so that any one in the hall
would be in plain sight of the SOL
iiers, who were now very near.
Unfortunately there was no other
door by which Brinton could leave the
room. What was worse. there was no
closet in which he could hide. The
soldiers were now SO close at hand
that he could hear their voices. and a
glance through the window showed
him that two of them were going
around to the back Of the house. as If
to cut of any possible escape in that
direction.
And his mother would not be back
until o'clock. Instinctively his eyes
sought the face of the tall timepiece
in the corner. 1t was just 3; and he
could hear the soldiers steps on the
front porch.
The clock.
Surely there was room within its
generous case for a very small boy.
In less time than it takes to write
il Brinton was inside, and had turned
the button with which the door was
fastened. AS he pressed himself close
against the door, so that there should
be room for the pendulum to swing
behind him, he heard the corporal
enter the room he knew IL must be
the corporal. because he ordered the
other man to go upstairs and look
around there, while he searched the
room on the other side of the hall.
Brinton could hear the footsteps of
the men as they walked about the
house. and their voices as they talkea
to each other. Then all was quiet
for a long while He was just on the
point of peeping out. when all four
entered the room.
We'll" said a voice that he recog-
rized as the corporars. at is plain
there is no one at ONE. Me own him
preston is that the birds flown. Els
probably started back for camp. and
the wife and the kid with i'm. 1 don't
believe in paying no hattentions to
wat them Tories says. nohow. goink
back on their own neighbors-and kin.
too. like as not. It's just to curry
favor with the hoficers. it's me own
hopinion. 'ow did e know the Major
was comink 'ome today. anyhow"