The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1924-07-03


o~verhauled us goin' down were nigh
Hadn't no more'n come up than I fel
Stops knife rip into my leg. / nevel
had no practice in that ere knife work
'Tain't fer decent folks, but my oil
Dan Skinner is allus on my belt. He'C
chose the weapons an so l fetched Eel
out. Had to er die. We fit a minnit
thar in the water. All the while he
had that d-n black pipe in his mouth
I were hacked up a leetle, but he got
a big leak in him an all of a sudden
he wasn't thar. He'd gone. 1 struck
out with OF Dan Skinner 'twixt my
teeth. Then 1 see your line and
grabbed it. Whar's the British ship
now?'
"eWay below Stony Pint an a fair
wind in her sails the skipper an
swered.
Bound fer New York; said Solo
mon sorrowfully. They'd "a took me
with 'em if I hadn't "a jumped. Put
me over to Jasper's dock. 1 got to see
Washington quick"
"Washington has gone up the river"
"Then take me to quarters soon as
We kin. III give We ten pounds, good
English gold. My God, boysl My Of
hide is leakin' bad"
He turned to the man who had been
washing and binding his wounds.
"Sodder me up best We kin. I got
to last till | see the Father"
Solomon and other men in the old
army had often used the word ia
ther'' in speaking of the commander
in chief. It served as no other could,
to express their affection for him.
The wind was u%nfayorable and the
sloop found it difficult to reach the
landing near headquarters. After
some delay Solomon jumped over
board and swan ashore.
What follows he could not have told.
Washington was standing with his or
derby in the little dOoryard at head
quarters as Solomon came staggering
up the slope at a run and threw his
body, bleeding from a dozen wounds,
at the feet of his beloved chief.
ooh, my Father! p he cried in a
broken voice and with tears streaming
down his cheeks. Arnold has sold
Ameriky an all its folks an gone
down the river"
Washington knelt beside him and felt
his bloody garments.
"The colonel is wounded" he said
to his orderly. Go for help"
The scout, weak from the loss Of
blood, tried to regain his feet but
failed. He lay back and whispered:
81 guess the sap has all oozed out
o. me but l had enough"
Washington was one of those who
put him on a stretcher and carried
lin to the hospital.
When he was lying on his bed and
lis clothes were being removed, the
commander in chief paid him this well
deserved compliment as he held his
land:
Colonel, when the war is won it will
,e only because I have had men like
you to help me-
Soon Jack came to his side and then
Margaret. General Washington asked
he latter about Mrs. Arnold.
MY mother is doing what she can to
ner," Margaret answered.
Solomon revived under stimulants
nd was able to tell them briefly of the
lire struggle he had had.
"It were Stops that saved me-" he
whispered.
He fell into a deep and troubled
sleep and when he awoke in the mid
lie of the night he was not strong
enough to lift his head. Then these
friends Of his began to know
hat this big, brawny, redoubtable sol
Her was having his last fight. He
seemed to be aware of it himself for
lie whispered to Jack:
"Take keer o. Mirandy an the Little
Cricket"
Late the next day he called for his
treat Father. Feebly and brokenly
e had managed to say:
"Jes' want-to-feel-his hand"
Margaret had sat beside him all day
the nurse.
A dozen times Jack had left his work
nd run over for a look at Solomon.
IN one of these hurried visits the
,oung nan had learned of the wish Of
lis friend. He went Immediately to
Seneral Washington, who had just re-
urned from a tour of the forts. The
saw the look of sorrow and
.nxiety in the face of his officer.
How is the c%olonel?' he asked.