CHAPTER XIX wn Gen The First Fourth of July. Mrs. Scott and her child lived ip the family of General Herkimer for a month or so. Settlers remote from towns and villages had abandoned thelr farms, ~ The Indians had gone inte the great north bush perhaps to meet the British army which was sald to be coming down from Canada In appalling numbers. Hostlilitles In the neighborhood of The Long House had ceased. The great Indian highway and its villages were deserted save by young children and a few ancient red men and squaws, too old for travel. Late in June, Jack and Solomon were ordered to report to General Schuyler at Albany. “We're getting shoveled eroun’ plenty,” Solomon declared, “We'll take the womern an’ the boy with us an’ paddle down the Mohawk to Al- bany. They kind o' fell from heaven into our hands an’ we got to look: a'ter ‘em faithful, Fust ye know ol’ Herk'll be movin’ er swallered hull by the British an’ the Injuns, like Jonah was by the whale, then what ‘ud be- come ©o her an’ the Leetle Cricket? We got to look a'ter ‘em.” “I think my mother wlll be glad to give them a home,” sald Jack, “She really needs some help in the house these days.” The Scotts’ * buildings had had happened to be on the south shore of the river out of their reach. Jack and Solomon and Mis’ Scott” and the Little Cricket set out with loaded packs In the moon of the new leaf, to use a phrase of the Mohawks, for the city of the Great river. They had a carry at shorter ones but tween wooded shores, down the long winding lane of thie Mohawk. out fear of the Indians they were able a fire on almost any part of the shore. the cooking, trip, some pages of which the historian has read. From them we learn: “Mrs. Scott bravely gauntlet of her sorrows. a new look In ber face. black-eyed, dark-haired, comely woman of forty with cheeks as red as a ripe strawberry. Solomon calls her ‘middle sized’ but she seemns to be large enough to fill his eye. He shows her great deference and chooses his words with particular care when he speaks to her. Of late he has taken to singing. She and the boy seem to have stirred the depths in him and curions things are coming up to the surface—songs and stories and droll remarks and playful tricks and an un- usual amount of laughter. 1 suppose that it is the spirit of youth in him, stunned by his great sorrow. Now touched by miraculous hands he Is coming back to his old self. Thgre can be no doubt of this: the man is ten years younger than when I first knew him even. The Little Cricket has laid fiold of his heart. Whig sits between the feet of Solomon in the stern dur- ing the day and Insists upon sleeping with him at night. “One morning my old friend laughing as we stood om bank washing ourselves, “What are you laughing at? 1 asked. “ “That gol durn leetle skeezucks! he nnswered, ‘He were kickin' all night like a mule fightin’ a bumble bee. "Twere a cold night an’ ‘I held him ag'iln me to keep the leetle cuss warm, “ ‘Hadn't you better let him sleep with his mother? I asked “swall, if it takes two to do his sleepin’ mebbe I better be the one that suffers. Ain't she a likely womern? “Of eourse 1 agreed, for It was evi dent that she was likely, sometime, to make him an excellent wife and the thought of that made me happy.” They had fared along down by the rude forts and villages traveling gtealthily at night in tree shadows through “the Tory zone,” as the vicin- ity of Fort Johnson was then called, camping, now and then, in deserted farmhouses or putting up at village tnns. Setting out from their last camp an hour before daylight they had heard the booming of cannon at sunrise. Solomon stopped his paddle and lis tened, “By the hide an’ horns o' the devil!” he exclaimed. “I wonder if the British have got down to Albany.” They were alarmed unt! they halled a man on the river road and learned that Albany was having a celebration, “What be they celebratin'?’ Solo- mon asked “Ihe Declaration o' Independence,” the citizen answered. “It's a good idee,” sald Solomon. “When we git thar this ‘ere ol’ rifle o' mine "ll do some talkin’ If It has a chanst.” _ Churéh bells were ringing as they neared the city. Its Inhabitants were gssembled on the river front. The cluration was read snd then Gen- ral Schuyler made a brief address bout the peril coming down from the north. He sald that a large force has run the She Is a energetic, was the river By IRVING BACHELLER under General Burgoyne was on Lake Champlain and that the British were then holding a council with the Six Nations on the shore of the lake above Crown Point, “At present we are unprepared to meet this great force but I suppose that help will come and that we shall not be dismayed. The modest man who leads the British army from the north declares In his proclamation that he is ‘John Burgoyne, Esq., lHeutenant general of his majesty’s forces In America, colonel of the Queen's Regl- ment of Light Dragoons, governor of Fort Willlam in North Britain, one of the commons in parliament and com- mander of an army and fleet employed on an expedition from Canada!’ My friends, such Is the pride that goeth before a fall. We are an humble, hard- working people. ‘No man among us can boast of a name so lavishly adorned. Our names need only the simple but glorious adornments of firmness, courage and devotion. With those, I verily believe, we shall have an ally greater than ‘any this world can offer. Let us all kneel where we stand while Rev, Mr. Munro leads us in prayer to Almighty God for His help and guldance.” It was an Impressive hour and that day the same kind of talk was heard | in many places. The church led the people. Pulpliteers of Inspired vision of which, those days, there were many spoke with the tongues of men and of angels. A sublime faith in “The Great began to travel up and down the land. CHAPTER XX The Ambush. Mrs. Scott and her little son were made welcome In the home of John | Irons. Jack and Solomon were imme- | diately sent up the river and through | the bush to help the force at TL In| the middle and late days of July, they reported to runners the southward | progress of the British, They were York militia on discovered the for which August ambush-—a misfortune | they were In no way re | { ICAMPING NOW AND | i i = “THEN IN LE ODESEARTRD H1LiFARM HOUSES. sponsible, Herkimer and his force had gone on without them to relleve Fort Schuyler. The two scouts had ridden post to join him. They were afoot half a mile or so ahead of the com- mander when Jack heard the call of the swamp robin. He hurried toward his friend. Solomon was In a thicket of tamaracks. “We got to git back quick,” sald the intter. “I see sign o' an ambush.” They hurried to thelr command and warned the general. He halted and faced his men about and began a re treat. Jack and Solomon hurried out ahead of them some 20 rods apart. In five minutes Jack heard Solomon's call again. Thoroughly alarmed, he ran in the direction of the sound, In a moment he met Solomon, ' The face of the latter had that stern look which came only in a crisis. Deep furrows ran across his brow. His hands were shut tight. Tgere wns an expression of anger in his eyes. He swallowed as Jack came near, “It's an ambush sure as hell's ahead,” he whispered. As they were hurrying toward the regiment, he added: “We got to fight an’ ag’in big odds— British an’ Injuns. Don’t never let yerself be took alive, my ron, lessen ye want to dle as Scott did. But, mebbe, we kin bu'st the circle.” In half a moment they met Herkimer. “Git ready to fight,” sald Solomon. “We're surrounded.” The men were spread out In a half. eirele and some hurried orders given, but before they could take a step for- ward the trap was sprung. “The Red Devils of Brant” were rushing at them through the timber gith yells that seemed to shake the treetops. The regiment fired and began to advance, Some 40 Indians had fallen as they fires. General Herkimer and others were wounded by a volley from the savages, “Come on, men. Foller me an’ use yer bayonets,” Solomon shouted. “We'll cut our way out.” The Indians ahead had no time to load. Scores of them were run through. Others fled for thelr lives, But a red host was swarming up from behind and firing Into the regiment, Many fell. Many mdde the mistake of turning to fight back and were over- whelmed and killed or captured. A goodly number had cut their way through with Jack and Solomon and kept going, swapping cover as they went. Most of them were wounded In some degree. Jack's right shoulder had been torn by a bullet. Solomon's left hand was broken and bleeding. The savages were almost on their heels, not 200 yards behind. The old scout rallied his followers In a thicket at the top of a knoll with an open grass meadow between them and thelr enemies. There they reloaded thelr rifles and stood walting. “Don't fire—not none o ye—till I give the word, Jack, you take rifie. I'm goin’ to throw this bunch o' lghtnin." Solomon stepped out of the thicket and showed himself when the savages entered the meadow. Then he limped in the fashion of a hen partridge when one has come near her brood In moment he had dodged behidd cover and crept back Into the thicket. There were about 200 warriors who peared overran the little meadow with aston- ishing speed. 1 give ye the word, er we'll all be et up. now.” He sprang into the open. ished, the foremost runners while others crowded upon them, “bunch of lightning” halted re and shouted, “Fire! edge o' the Bloody Medder that min- nit—you hear to me,” he used to tell his friends. “The alr were grease went down into the ground. A Medder.” In this retreat Jack had lost so much hlood that he bad to be carried on a litter. Before night fell they met Gen. Benedict Arnold and a considerable wounded Herkimer, If possible, in with the body of the general reported that the far bush was echo tives, Solomon used to say. the fort, and many of St into the northern bush, of Fort Schuyler was raised. CHAPTER XXI The Binkussing of Colonel Burley. by a rifle bullet on his way to the fort. the enemy with this Intelligence he had a part In the fighting on Bemus Helghts and the Stillwater and saw the de teated British army under Burgoyne marching eastward in dfsgrace to be conveyed back to England. Jack had recovered and was at home when Solomen arrived in Albany with the news. Solomon spent a part of the evening at play with the Little Cricket and the other children and when the young ones had gone to bed, went out for a walk with “Mis' Scott” on the river front. " Mrs, Irons had sald of the latter that she was a most amiabie and useful reson. “The Little Cricket has won our hearts,” she added. “We love him as we love our own.” When Jack and Solomon were setting oat in a hired sloop for the Highlands next morning there were tears in the dark eyes of “Mis' Scott.” “Ain't she a likely womern?" Solo mon asked again when with sails spread they had begun to cut the water (TO BE CONTINUED.) Fuss Over Missing Button A woman is so used to pinning things that she can't understand why a msn should make 80 much fuss over a miss ing button. uo Db (HTT | i i wi ) psf if! nl i PETER AND THE FAIRIES ETEIL loved the beautiful green fields and all the wild flowers, but best of all he loved the pretty golden- eyed daisy with her ruffled bonnet, and never "vould he disturb a daisy though it grew in his very garden. All around the poor cottage where he llved alone grew the dalsles profusion, and one night Peter awoke and saw all the daisies dancing in the moonlight, He jumped out of his bed and ran to the window, thinking he must be dreaming. It was true. The dalsles were all dancing. and among them, taller than lady who had brought Peter to the palace. “You are the daisies’ friend,” sald the little creature on the throne, “and for your kindness we invite you to the grand ball and feast we shall have tonight. Kneel, that I may touch you with my wand.” A touch light as a feather on Peter's shoulder, und when he stood up he was dressed in a black velvet sult trimmed with gold lace, silk stock Ings and black shoes, shiny ones with bright buckles, “Now let the dance begin,” said the eyes though they were not golden. into the yurd, and the little Peter to follow her. Peter was so intent npon watching Beckoned Peter to Follow, tice he was In a strange palace right The little indy ran up the marble “You are the friend yf the daisy fairies and they sent me We are to have a grand feast and dance and the fairies sald It would ot be com- Then lito the marble palace she led Peter, and for the first time he thought of hidhen red clothes. “Don't worry ahout your clothes” sald the little lady who seemed to know his thoughts. “1 shall take you to Queen and she will make everything right for you." Peter next wns taken to a big room hung with white and gold, and on a throne made of daisies sat a tiny Me tie creature with hair of gold color and dressed all In white a ruffled cap, too, just like our She wore (© by McClure Newspaper Syndicats.) » Lunnnunnann THE MOUNTAIN ASH NYBODY who knows anything at all about witches knows that a sranch of the rowan tree—or, as it Is more generally called, mountain ash ~ill keep those objectionable persons st a distance and act as a counter charm to their sorcery. In some parts of the country the rowan is accounted equally efficacious agninst thieves. In Maine housewives stir their lye, In making soap, with a stick of rowan, In order that the soap may be hard and of good quality. And everywhere they will tell you that to beat a child with a rod of mountain ash stops its growth. The superstition with regard to the mystic qualities of mountain ash has porthern Europe as its country of origin and flourished there in the early days. In northern Burope it still lin. gers and from northern Europe we in- herit it.” Formerly In some parts of freland the villagers used to appear on May day bearing a hoop covered with marigolds and sprigs of mountain ash, within which hung two balls, one cov- ered with gold paper and one with sil. ver, to represent the sun and moon, The marigolds were, of course, to sup plement the yellow ball, the sun Which would Indicate that anciently in Celtic mythology, at least, some con. ge lon was conceived to exist between to and pulled away they all until a silvery tinkle was and the panels at one side of the room slid open and there was & table loaded with goodies such as dalsy fairies and began They caught at Peter him with them, and heard taste, A big gold chair wns at one end of end, but this was tiny, such as a falry person would use, and in this sat the but she told Peter he was to the other, for tonight he was sit In When Petcr had eaten al’ and was wondering If he coud he would be i i i i { i eyes, He wasn't .u the palace of the dalsy fairies at all. He was In own poor cottage and shining In the window, 3ut the bell he still heard, when he looked out of the in the midst of the dalsies stood a beautiful white cow with a silver bell around her neck. The cow proved to belong to a much. when Peter returned the cow the the sun was rich iid ed 1 { RT sal irs This popular “movie” star was borr in County Meath, ireland, The family | eventually moved to America and set tiled in Toledo, Ohlo. He began hie theatrical career in Chicago and, after several years in stock and road work turned to motion pictures. He lives | California. Tom is a brother of Owe! | Moore, also prominent in the business | man gave him a blg reward. and, best | of all, he asked Peter to come and | work for him and live in a comfort able house on his big farm. And all of this Peter says he owes to the dalsy fairies, for though it may all have been a dream—the he feasted and danced with the fairles— he still believes that of his fondness for the pretty daisy the fairies breught all of his good luck by | sending the white cow to his donor (2. 1934, McClure Newspaper Byndicate night because ROBBER OF INITIATIVE URTLE LAKE was the haven fittle setlle- had children Of the Strong alone first five years ment, Mrs, in their teens gens intimated that Mrs, Strong wns & garden spot In a tone of voice that defied gainsaying, that she could not openly EO away. During the June of Althea Gay's ar rival at Turtle Lake, Mrs. Stroug gave party in her honor, When was nhout to take her leave, “Have you seen Althea sald “No.” “You go home without seeing my onlons,” was the reply. “Oh, your hus- band wlll understand—you must see my onions. No, tomorrow Is uncertain; can't miss my onlons” And as Althea followed her vociferous hostess, her ears seemed to ring with *( nlons ! Onions! Onions!” The next day at the the accents an easily recognized volce. “You won't forget to send my order? You'll remem- that 1 want my order before funch? 1 must have my order without fall—you’ll see to It vourself, won't Mrs. Strong turned awn heard one clerk tell an- she always goes on like lomal of grocers and Althea other, “Oh, that.” One rainy morning that summer Al- thea was at the Strong house when Mrs. Strong was getting her family off to their several destinations. Her hus hand was on his way to a town meet. the other decoration, the rowas, and the moon-goddess, Be that as it may, it Is reasonable to suppose that the rowan got its mystic reputation in Norse mythology--as it got its common English name-—from the resemblance of its foliage to that of the true ash, the sacred tree of our Scandinavian forefathers—Igdrasil, the tree of life. One old name for the rowan was the “quicken tree"— quicken in the sense of to make alive— which would seem still further to con- nect the mountain ash with the sacred Igdrasil, (© by McClure Newapaper Syndicats.) Pesca deeded A LINE O’ CHEER s 8 8 8 8 8 3 TAT YY 1John Kendrick Bangs $8 8 BB A BB 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 & 8 rrr eee eee AS TO LUCK se DO not pray for Luck, Since I've small use for chance. 'd rather win by pluck Than whimsey eclrcumstance; But if Good Luck comes by, Demanding that 1 share It, Belleve me, 1 shall try To grin And bear it (® by McClure Newspaper Syndicates ) TR RF FF Ry By vi ge ee a > 4.8 8 8 8 & 8 8 Bb 8 EB 8 FIT AIST Ty yay r yy Subs 8 ES SS 8 8 8 5 88 5 8 8B Th IIe TT yy vwywyy a Hannan Alt missed hea knew thut having 8 commun cinerator that year It would Mrs. Strong's fault, The chi | warned ten times to put on thelr rub nd take There ana ie 1 N A lependent * fever . § DE, ana lage in- he tw ty not dren were {bers a their umbrellas, | was simply no chance for in incompetency on their part. Strong's “hree years later Mrs 8 Joy yay and pride, her only son, was sent as . 1 to school. Of the human beings upon whom she ! of character, expended her force this was the she had most closel € ood aa ahr fOlioweds ¥ nlked and whom she had land over. Althea when he went off broadside of adjuration. And several i months later Althea was calling ‘on Mrs, Strong when the tragic blow to her pride fell. Her son been dropped. He had evil ways—If so, his masters wrote, there would have been more hope for him: be had n i most 1! 10 at present perfect Gay was a Gay had no vices, no he was simply weak no him in of overemphasis hn spring from his makeup and flabby. HAVE YOU THIS HABIT? by Metropolitan Newspaper Service ) force, character, there was no place for His mother's habit d the him the school pounded all left «@® “What'sina Name?” By MILDRED MARSHALL i NE of the “glad” names is Letitia i It comes from the Latin adjective { jaetus, meaning glad, fron, which the substantive, “laetitia,” was formed Whether ancient Rome underwent a “glad” period, etymologists do not record. but the fact remains that Lae titin as a proper name was adopted by the fashionable maids and matrons of that bygone empire. Laetitia first made her appearance as Letizia, a name favored by the Ital. jans during the fashion for extreme novelty that prevailed in the Cinque centd, Spain sdopted Letizia, In Ireland Lettice was extremely popular. .One famous bearer of the name was Lettice Knollys, the wife of the Earl of Essex. Letitia was evolved In Ireland, and is still a favor fte with Irish Inssles, though Letty. the diminutl we is by far the most popular form. Letitia and Letty are both In vogue in this country. The touch of pro. priety which has become associated with Letitia has somewhat lessened her vogue, but Letty flourishes after the manner of all contractions In American, The turquoise is Letitia’s tallamanic stone, If set In gold, it will protect traveling, According to an old legend, the stone will break at the approach of evil. The best possible good luck fs promised Letty If she can see the new moon reflected in her turquoise, Saturday Is her lucky day. {@ by Wheeler Syndicate.)
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers