OCR Text |
Show Her daughter, Mis. P.ache, mj tt latter's children were diere. Suddenly confronted by the problem of a strange lad coming into the house to live with them, they were a bit dismayed. But presently their motherly hearts were touched by the look of the big, gentlo-faced, gentlo-faced, homesick boy. They made s room ready for him on the top (loot and showed him the wonders of the big house the library, the electrical apparatus, the rocking chair with its fan swayed by the movement of the chair, the new stove and grate which the doctor had invented. That evening, eve-ning, after an excellent supper, Jack suggested that he would like to have a part of the work to do. "I can sweep and clean as well as anyone," he said. "My mother taught me how to do that. You must call on me for any help you need." "Now I wouldn't wonder but what we'll git erlong real happy," said Mrs. fx 7? fk itichard Q 7 IRVING ZSSZ&. ' BACHELLERj The Cuticura Toilet Trio. LTaving cleared your skin keep It clear by making Cuticura your everyday, toilet preparations. The Soap to cleanse and purify, the Ointment to soothe and heal, the Talcum to powder" and perfume. per-fume. No toilet table is completa without them. Advertisement. WOMEN HEED SWAMP-ROOT Thousands of women have kidney and bladder trouble and never suspect It. Women's complaints often' prove to be nothing else but kidney trouble, or the result of kidney or bladder disease. If the kidneys are not in a healthy condition con-dition they may cause the other organs tc become diseased. Pain in the back, headache, loss of ambition, nervousness sre- oftentimes symptoms of kidner trouble. ' Don't delay starting treatment. Dr. Kilmer's Swamp-Root, a physician's prescription, pre-scription, obtained at any drug store, may be just the remedy needed to overcome such conditions. Get a medium or large size bottle immediately imme-diately from any drug store. However, if you wish first to test this great preparation, send ten cents to Dr. Kilmer & Co., Binghamton, N. Y., for a sample bottle. When writing, be sure and mention this paper. Advertisement. says that Mr. Adams complimented them when they left the stand. There Is an old letter of Solomon Binkus which briefly describes the journey. He speaks of the "pompy" n.en who examined them. "They grinned at me all the time an' the ol' big wig jedge in the womern's dress got mad if I tried to crack a joke," he wrote in his letter. "He looked like he had paid too much fer his whistle an' thought I had sold it to him. Thought he were goin' to box my ears. John Addums is erbout as sharp as a razor. Took a likin' to Jack an' me. I tol' him he were smart 'nough to be a trapper." The two came back In the saddle and reached Albany late In October. CHAPTER III The Journey to Philadelphia. The New York Mercury of November Novem-ber 4, 1770, contains this item : "John Irons, Jr., and Solomon Binkus, Bin-kus, the famous scout, arrived Wednesday Wednes-day morning on the schooner Ariel from Albany. Mr. Binkus is on his way to Alexandria, Va., where he is to meet Major Washington and accompany accom-pany him to the Great Kanawha river in the Far West." Solomon was soon to meet an officer with whom he was to find the amplest scope for his talents. Jack was on his way to Philadelphia. They had found the ship crowded and Jack and two other boys "pigged together" in the expressive phrase of that time on the cabin floor, through the two nights of their journey. Jack minded not the hardness of the floor, but there was much drinking and arguing and expounding ex-pounding of the common law In the forward for-ward end of the cabin, which often Interrupted In-terrupted his slumbers. He took the boat to Amboy as Benjamin Ben-jamin Franklin had done, but without mishap, and thence traveled by stage to Burlington. There he met Mr. John Adams of Boston, who was on his way Franklin. "If you'll git up 'arly an' dust the main floor an' do the broom work an' fil. the wood boxes an' fetcb water, I'll see ye don't go hungry." Jack went to the shop and was pui to work next morning. lie had tc carry beer and suffer a lot of humiliating humili-ating imposition from older boys in the big shop, but he bore it patiently and made friends and good progress. That winter he took dancing lessons from the famous John Trotter of New York and practiced fencing with the well-known Master Brissac. He also took a course in geometry and trlgo-, nometry at the academy and wrote ai article describing his trip to Boston for the Gazette. The latter was warmly praised by the editor and reprinted in New York and Boston journals. He joined the company for home defense and excelled in the games, on training day, especially at the running, wrestling, wres-tling, boxing and target shooting. There were many shooting galleries in Philadelphia wherein Jack had shown a knack of shooting with the rifle and pistol, which had won for him the Franklin medal for marksmanship. In the back country the favorite amusement amuse-ment of himself and father had been shooting at a mark. Jack forged ahead, not only in the printer's art, but on toward the fullness full-ness of his strength. Under the stimulation stimu-lation of city life and continuous study, his talents grew like wheat in. black soil. In the summer of 'seventy-three 'seventy-three he began to contribute to the columns of the Gazette. Certain of his articles brought him compliments from the best people for their wit, penetration and good humor. He had entered upon a career of great promise when the current of his life quickened like that of a river come to a steeper grade. It began with a letter from Margaret Hare, dated July 14, 1773. In it she writes: "When you get this please sit down and count up the years that have passed since we parted. Then think how our plans have gone awry. You must also think of me waiting here for you in the midst of a marrying world. All my friends have taken their mates and passed on. I went to Doctor Doc-tor Franklin today and told him that I was an old lady well past nineteen and accused him of having a heart of stone. He said that he had not sent for you because you were making such handsome progress in your work. I said: 'You do not think of the rapid progress I am making toward old age. You forget, too, that I need a husband as badly as the Gazette needs a philosopher. philos-opher. I rebel. You have made me an American you and .Tack. I will not longer consent to taxation without representation. rep-resentation. Year by year I am giving up some of my youth and I am not being consulted about It.' "Said he: T would demand justice of the king. I suppose he thinks that his country cannot yet afford a queen. ' I shall tell him that he ti Imitating George the Third and that he had better listen to the voica of the people.' "Now, my beloved hero, the English girl who Is not married at nineteen ( thought to be hopeless. There are fnv lads who have asked my father for th right to court me and still I am waiting wait-ing for my brave deliverer and he comes not. I cannot forget the thrush's song and the enchanted woods. They hold me. If they have not held you If for any reason your heart has changed you will not fail to tell i me, will you? Is it necessary that you should he great and wise and rich and learned before you come to me? Little by little, after many talks with the venerable ven-erable Franklin, I have got the American Ameri-can notion that I would like to go away with you and help you to accom plish these things and enjoy the hap piness which was ours, for a little time and of which you speak In your letters Surely there was something very greM In those moments. It does not fadf and has It not kept us true to our promise? But, Jack, how long am I to wait? You must tell me." "The letter to Dr. Franklin was in his pocket." (TO BE CONTINL'KD.' "MY BELOVED HERO" SYNOPSIS. Solomon Binkus, veteran scout and Interpreter, and his young companion, Jack Irons, passing tlirougli Horse Valley, New York, In September, 176S, to warn settlers or an Indian In-dian uprising, rescue from a band of redskins the wife and daughter of Colonel Hare of England. Jack distinguishes himself in the fight and later rescues Margaret Hare from the river. Jack and Margaret Mar-garet fall in love. On reaching Fort Stanwlx, Colonel Hare says both are too young to marry. The Hare family sail for England, and the Irons family move to Albany. Unrest grows in the colonies because be-cause of the oppressive measures of the English government. Solomon Solo-mon and Jack visit Boston. CHAPTER II Continued. 5 Jack and Solomon attended the town meeting that day in the Old South meeting-house. It was a quiet and orderly or-derly crowd that listened to the speeches of Josiah Quincy, John Hancock Han-cock and Samuel Adams, demanding calmly but firmly that the soldiers be forthwith removed from the city. The famous John Hancock cut a great figure In Boston in those days. It Is not surprising that Jack was Impressed Im-pressed by hlr grandeur, for he had entered the meeting-house in a scarlet velvet cap and a blre damask gown lined with velvet and strode to the platform with a dignity even above his garments. As he faced about the boy did not fail to notice and admire the white satin waistcoat and white silk stockings and red morocco slippers. Mr. Quincy made a statement which stuck like a bur in Jack Irons' memory of that day, and perhaps all the faster because he did not quite understand It. The speaker said : "The dragon's teeth have been sown." The chairman asked If there was any citizen present who had been on the scene at or about the time of the shooting. shoot-ing. Solomon Binkus arose and held up his hand and was asked to go to the minister's room and confer with the committee. Mr. John Adams called at the Inn that evening and announced that he was to defend Captain Preston and would require the help of Jack and Solomon as witnesses. For that reason rea-son they were detained some days in Boston and released finally on the promise to return when their services were required. They had a hearty welcome at the little house near the King's Arms, where Wey sat until midnight telling of their adventures. In the midst of It Jack said to his father: "I heard a speaker say In Boston that the dragon's teeth had been sown. What does that mean?" "It means that war is coming," said John Irons. "We might as well get ready for it." These words, coming from his father, fa-ther, guve him a shock of surprise. He began to think of the effect of war on liis own fortunes. Solomon sent his furs to market and went to work on the farm of John Irons ano lived with the family. The boy returned to school. After the hay had been cut and stacked in midsummer, midsum-mer, they were summoned to Boston to testify in the trial of Preston. They left in September, taking with them n drove of horses. "Tt will be good for Jack." John Irons had said to his wife. "He'll be the belter prepared for his work in Philadelphia next fall." Two important letters had arrived that summer. One from Benjamin Franklin to John Irons, offering Jack a chance to learn the printer's trade In his Philadelphia shop and board anil lodging in his home. The other letter was from Margaret Hare to the boy, in which she had said that they were glad to learn that he and Mr. Binkus were friend-: of Captain Cap-tain Preston and inclined to help him In his trouble. "Since I read your letter let-ter I am more In love with you than ever," she had written. "My father was pleased with It. He thinks that nil cause of complaint will be removed. Until it Is. I do nut ask you to be a Tory, but only to be patient." Jack and Solomon were the whole day getting their horses across Van Deusen's ferry and headed eastward In the rough road. Mr. Binkus wore his hanger an old Damascus blade In lierited from his father and carried his ion? musket and an abundant store of ammunition; Jack wore his two pistols, pis-tols, in the use of which he had became be-came most expert. They iimie to wagon roads Improving Improv-ing as they approached towns and villages vil-lages in the first of whl.-n they began sell In c the drove. When they reached Rosfn. nearly a week later, they had nnlv the two horses which they rode. The trial had just begun. Being ar lent WMcs, trteir testimony made an ojurirpMion, Jack's letter to His father 1 THE OTHER LETTER, 1 "SWi:f ) WAS FROM MA?6fR.ET I I - 7-4 HARE TO TH (jll to Philadelphia. lie was a full-faced, ruddy, strong-built man of about thirty-five thirty-five years, with thick, wavy dark hair that fell in well-trimmed tufts on either cheek and almost concealed his ears. It was beginning to show gray. He had a prominent forehead, large blue and expressive eyes and a voice clear and resonant. Lie was handsomely hand-somely dressed. Mr. Adams greeted the boy warmly and told him that the testimony which he and Solomon Binkus gave had saved the life of Captain Preston. The great lawyer took much interest in the boy and accompanied him to the top of the stage, the weather being clear and warm. When Jack was taking leave of Mr. Adams at the P,lack Horse tavern tav-ern In Philadelphia the latter invited the ooy to visit him in P.oston if his way should lead him there. Jack went to the house of the printer, print-er, where he did not receive the warm welcome he had expected. Drborah Franklin was a fat. hard-working, illiterate, illit-erate, economical housewife. She had a great pride in her husband, but had fallen l.opeh ssiy behind him. She regarded re-garded i:h awe and slight understanding under-standing the accomplishments of his virile, relentless, onpushing intellect. She did noi know how to enjoy the prosperity that had come to them. It was a neat and cleanly home, out. as of old, Deborah was doing most of the work herself. She would not have had it otherwise. 'T,en thinks we ortn't to he doin' nothin' but settin' eroun" in silk dressi-s an' readin' books an' gnhbin' with comp'ny," she said. "Men don't know-how know-how hard 't'.s to git help that cleans good an' cooks decent. Everybody foils so kind o' big an' Ind'rpend'M they ' -vtuj't stan' It to be found mult with." |