The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-04-18
McF adden' S Flight
A Story For St. Patrick's Day
By ELlNOR MARSH

Mike McFadden was the most popu
lar young man in all Ireland at the
time of the revolution. He rode about
on horseback. carrying a green dag
with a harp on it. calling on the peo-
pie to arm and shake Off 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.
lie was talking 10 crowd of listen
ers in his native town. exhorting them
not 10 give VI the ship as long as
there was "A stick of timber left in
her.. that St Patrick was with them
and would grant them the victory.
when a woman from an upper window
cried out:
The sojers. They're comm"
Ing for Mike. and there was beauti-
ful chance Of their taking him, and if
they took him lie 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 hcckoned 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 and began To look for the
rebel.
"All the men come into the street -
cried the sergeant i'll command. Some
or the men were already there, and the
rest thought it best to obey the order
They were lined up, aud the sergeant
said:
Let Mike McFadden step to the
front"
Mike did not materializc.
IF Mike McFaddcn 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
inine 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 cv-
cry house in the place the men mean
while being obliged to stand where
they were
III show ye where Mike McFadden
is" said one Of the girls whose waist
Mike was cncirclng.
DO it and I've got something nice
for you"
The g.,l led the sergeant short dis
tance down the street and as soon as
they reached open ground Mike pulled
his skirts above his knees and ran like
n 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 pirl Mike was swift OF
foot and except for the incumbrance
of the skirts, was more than n match
for the soldier. who carried knapsack
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 he would fire. Mike kept on.
and the soldier. not relishing shooting
a woman, desisted.
During his fight Mike saw a stout
cudgel in his way. and, picking it up,
he began to think of "A more manly de-
fense than flight 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 tne TeSult Ol MIKE ulSnts
Those in advance were finally treated
to the sight of man In woman's ap-
parel defying with cudgel soldier
with musket But while the latter
was far better armed than the former
he was handicapped by the belief that
his enemy was girl When a short
distance from Mike he paused and
said:
Come back with me. ! don't want
10 hurt You. young woman"
"Divil bit do | go back with ye
II ye come near enough TO me I'll brain
We wild this shillalah."
The girls who had followed. seeing
that Mike had been mistaken by the
soldier for one OF them. now came up
and. reproaching the soldier for fight
ing woman. threw themselves be-
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
gathered round the soldier and began