Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1917-03-22
McFadden' 5 Flight
A Story For St. Patrick. Day
BY ELlNoR MARSH

AoA SOuAS AAdA III all lrclduO HI the
time Of the revolution. He rode about
on horseback, carrying a green flag
with harp on it, calling on the peo-
pie to arm and shake of the yoke of
England.
This was very well so long as the
revolution lasted, but when it was put
down Mike was one Of the persons
marked for punishment. But his pop
ularity stood him in good stead. Where
there was one person to hunt for him
there We're hundred to conceal him.
He was talking to a crowd Of listen
ers in his native town, exhorting them
mot to give up the ship as long as>
there was stick of timber left in
her." that st. Patrick was with them
and would grant them the victory,
when woman from an upper window
cried out:
" "The sojers! They're comm"
And SO they We're. They were COM
ing for Mike, and there was beauti-
full chance of their taking him, and if
they took him he was sure to hang.
The question of the moment was how
to protect Mike. Ireland was forgot
ten. Mike was all in all. One of the
girls present beckoned him to follow
her and darted into house. AS soon
as Mike was inside she shut the door.
A few minutes later the soldiers rode
into town anG began to look for the
rebel.
All the men come into the street"
cried the sergeant in command Some
OF the men were already there, and the
rest thought it best to obey the order.
They were lined up, and the sergeant
said:
Let Mike McFadden step to the
'front.'
Mike did not materialize
III Mike McFadden doesn't step to
the front, every mothers son Of you
will be taken to Dublin and lodged in
JAIL"
This produced no effect Mike, dress
ed in petticoats, was circulating among
the girls and when called on to step
forth was standing between two girls
with an arm around each in true fem
mime style.
With the sergeant was one who had
seen McFadden, and he told the SER
geant that the culprit was not in line.
Then the order was given to search ev-
cry house in the place, the men mean
while being obliged to stand where
they were
"Ill show We where Mike McFadden
isl said one of the girls whose waist
Mike was encircling
DO it and I've got something nice
for you"
The girl led the sergeant short dis
lance down the street, and as soon as
they reached open ground Mike pulled
his skirts above his knees and ran flke
deer.
Unfortunately for the fugitive, he
had been too hasty. He should have
slipped away quietly before making an
exhibition of his masculine legs and
what they could do. But Mike was
never given to forethought. One Of
the soldiers who had been left to watch
the men standing in line took after the
supposed girl. Mike was swift Of
foot and, except for the incumbrance
Of the skirts, was more than a match
ON his shoulders and musket in his
hands. He didn't know why the girl
was running. He supposed that there
was some plan on foot to outwit him
self and his comrades. Not gaining in
the chase, he called on the fugitive to
stop or lie would fire. Mike kept on,
and the soldier, not relishing shooting
woman, desisted.
During his fight Mike saw a stout
cudgel i'll his way, and, picking it up,
he began to think of a more manly de-
tense than fight. Reaching a slight
rise in the ground. he stopped, turned
about and faced his enemy
A number of the girls had broken
away and run after the sergeant, eager
to learn the result of Mikes fight.
Those in advance We're finally treated
to the sight OF Il man in woman's APP
parel defying with cudgel soldier
with {; musllet. But while the latter
was far better armed than the former
he was handicapped by the belief that
his enemy was II girl. When short
distance from Mike he paused and
said:
Come back with me. l don't want
to hurt you. young woman"
"Divil a bit do / go back with We.
If We come near enough to me I'll brain
We wild this shillalahv'
The girls who had followed, seeing
that Mike had been mistaken by the
soldier for one of them, now came up
and, reproducing the soldier for fight
inU q woman tbpaV thomcoIvoc IN
tween Mike and the soldier. Fortu-
nately for their protection, Mike was
on the edge of the wood, and, there
being enough women to screen him, he
darted away between the trees and
this time made good his escape.
While he was doing so the women
gatheled round the soldier and began
to- nuSh him hack toward the VILLAGE