Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-07-17
|ERSKINE DALE, PIONEER.
BY JOHN FOX, Jr.
Copyright BY CHARLES scrtsasr's sons

Hugh, there, Is the champion fencer,"
he said, land he'll show you"
Harry helped the Kentucky boy to
mask and t~hey-crossed foils-Hugh
giving Instructions all the time and
nodding approval.
you'll learn-you'll learn fast" he
said. And over his shoulder to Harry:
why, his wrist is as strong as
mine. now, and he's got an eye like
a weasel"
With a twist he wrenched the foil
from his antagonists hand and clat-
tered it on the steps. The Kentuck-
IN was bewildered and his face
flushed. He RAJ for the weapon.
"You can't do that again"
II don't believe I can" laughed
Hugh.
will you learn me some .more?"
asked the boy eagerly.
II surely will"
A little later Barbara and her
cousin were trotting smartly along q
sandy roa through the fields with the
colonel and Hugh Looping in front Of
them. Firefly vas a black, mettle-
some gelding. He had reared and
plunged when Hugh mounted, and
even now he was champing his bit
ami leaping playfully at times, but
the lad sat him with an unconcern
of his capers that held the Kentucky
boys eyes.
Gosh" he said. but Hugh can
ride! I wonder if he could stay on
him bareback"
"HuGn can do anything"
Many questions the little girl asked
and some of the boys nsw
made her shudder. =
Papa said last. night that several
of our kinsfolk spoke of going to your
country in a party, and Harry and
Hugh ere crazy 20 go with them.
Papa said people would be swarming
owe the Cumberland mountains be-
fore. long:
II. wish you'd come along"
Barbara laughed.
II wouldn't like to lose my hair.
IN watch cut for that" said the
boy with such confident gravity hat
Barbara tu:ned to look at him.
IT Lelieve you would" she MUIR
irureG Ard J.: esently:
What, did the Indians call your"
white Arrow"
white Arrow. That's lovely.
why?"
II could outrun all the other boys
Then you'n have to run tomorrow
when we go to the fair at Williams
burg"
The fair?"
Bar bara explained.
For an hour or more they had
driven and there was no end to the
field; of tobacco and grain.
Are we still on your and
Barbara laughed. Yes; we can't
drive around the plantation and get
back for dinner. I think we'd better
turn now"
"Plan-ta-tion." said the lad. whats
that p"
n..L 80 r&,,> 1>4~ ~-Ls~ F.
why, all this-the land - the
farm"
oh"
ITS called Red Oaks-from those
big trees back of the house."
oh. ] know oaks well-all of 'em."
She Wheeled the ponies and with
fresh =cst they scampered~ for home.
Everybody had gathered for the noon
day dinner when they swung around
porch. .Iust as they were starting in
the Kentucky boy gave a cry and
darted Gcwn the path. A towering
figure III %coonskin cap and hunters
sarh was halted at the sun-dial and
looking toward them.
'Now. I wonder who hat isl said
Coioncl Dale. Jupiter, but that boy
can rum"
They saw the tall stranger stare
wonderingly at the boy and throw
back his head and laugh. Then the
two came on together, The boy was
still flushed but the hunters face was
grave.
This is Dave" said the boy simply.
Dave Yandell." added the stranger,
smiling and taking off his cap. I've
beer at Williamsburg to register some
lands and I thought I'd ONE and see
how this young man is getting along"
Colonel. Dale went quickly to meet
him with outstretched hand.
I'm mighty glad you did" he said
heartily. "Erskine has already told
US about you. You are just in time
for dinner"
That's mighty kind" said Dave.
ed, still looked at him with much GU
riosity and great interest. Truly,
strange visitors were coming to Red
Oaks these days.
That night the subject of Hugh and
Harry going back home with the two
K~entuckians was preached to Colonel
Dale. and to the wondering delight
of the two boys both fathers seemed
to consider it favorab1y. Mr.. Brock
ton was going to England for a visit,
the summer was coming on, and both
fathers thought it would be a great
benefit to their sons Ever Mrs. Dale.
on whom the hunter had made a most
agreeable impression. smiled and said
she would already be willing to trust,
her son with their new guest any,
where.
Il snail take good care of him.
madam said Dave with Il bow.
Colonel Dale, too. a greatly taken
with the stranger, and he asked many
questions of the new land beyond the
mountains. There was dancing again
that night, and the hunter, towering
a head above them all, looked on with
smiling interest. He even took part
in a square dance with Miss Jane Will
loughby, handling his great bulk with
astonishing grace and lightness of
foot. Then the elder gentlemen went
into the drawing-room to their port
and pipes, and the boy Erskine slipped
after them and listened enthralled to
the talk of the coming war.
Colonel Dale had been in Hanover
ten years before. when one Patrick
Henry voiced the first intimation OF
independence in Virginia.; Henry. a
c 0 u n t ry Observation-Disclosures;
farmer-bankrupt: storekeeper again,
and bankrupt again: an idler, hunter,
fisher, and story-teller-even a bar
keeper" as Mr.. Jefferson once dubbed
him, because Henry had once helped
his father-in-law to keep tavern. That
far back Colonel Dale had heard
Henry ~denounce the clergy, stigmatiZe
h king AS a tyrant who had forfeit
ed all claim to obedience. and had
seen the orator caught up on tbs
shoulders of the crowd and amids:
shouts of applause borne around the
courthouse green. He had seen he
same Henry ride into Richmond two
years later on a lean horse; with pa
pers in his saddle pockets. his ex-
preston grim, his tall figure stoop-
a peculiar twinkle, IN his small
blue eyes,, hisSbrown wig without pow.
der. his coat peach-blossom In color,
his knee-breeches Of leather, and his