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A WOMAN'S
A True Story of the American
Revolution.
heroJsmTi
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DIUKCTIiV after their wedding day
young .Mr. ntid .Mrs. Fisher had
gone (n their new home. It is true,
tliis wits only a. nidu little building,
but it wiik better tlmn most of the
houses In North CiiHtle, iinil, indeed,
hi nil Westchester enmity, N. Y., for
1lit mutter of Hint; and the young
wife linil been Riiproinuly happy. There
was tlio same rugged aspect to tlio
country then as now, and the huge,
moss-coveicd granite bowlders, thu
wooded hillsides and winding valleys,
and beyond all the glistening waters
of tli'.; sound, provided a landscape
upon uhleh .Mistress Fisher never
tired of gazing.
Hut the young people were not to bo
left to the peaceful enjoyment of their
new home. The war clouds which
lind long been gathering broke in a
Htorm, and among the first to respond
to his country's eall was .Mr. Fisher.
Enrolled in Maj. Paulding's band of
palrlotR, he speedily became, one of
Hie most trusted of Washington's
scouts In the so-called neutral ground.
Nut his young wife, left to herself,
wbh as bold of heart as her husband,
ond soon found many methods oT dis
playing a courage and loyalty as
utrong us his.
After the battle at White Plains she
had gone to the camp and nursed the
wounded continentals with a care
which endenred her to all the soldiers.
and when Washington himself had en-'
At one lime he had been traced by
the redcoats, hoping to capture the
bold scout, nnd not long after he had
entered the house his enemies had
surrounded the place and boldly called
upon him to surrender. .Mistress Fish
er, terrified but undaunted, had lifted
the rough boards of the kitchen iloor
nnd concealed her husband beneath
them, and then, with an appearance
of boldness she was far from feeling,
had faced the soldiers and bidden
them search the house a search
which proved U'uivniling.
At another time and the young
wife could never repress the shudder
which crept, over her nt the recollec
tion he hnd been surprised by the
band of Hliudberry, the most detested
of all the torles in the neutral ground,
and unable to escape had been seized
by the men and bidden to give over
the, gold which he was supposed to
have concealed somewhere about the
place. Whqn the young patriot had
sturdily and steadily refused, his cap
tors had led him forth into the yard
and throwing a halter over one of the
lower limbs of a tree had suspended
him from it. Upon his repented re
fusals to reveal the hiding place they
tit last left him hanging dead, ns they
supposed, and departed. The grlef
Ktricken young wife had cut down the
body of her husband, never once
thinking that he was still alive, but to
her inexpressible joy she had discov-
MHUMMBHmceaH
MISTRESS FISHER COVERED HIM WITH ASHES.
camped near her homo she hnd pro
vided for his tnble in suqh n mnnncr
as to call forth thu thanks of thu great
commander in words which were long
nftcr cherished in the family. When
the army had departed Bho returned
to her home, but thu stirring expe
riences in thu camp were to bo fol
lowed by still moru stirring expe
riences in the neutral ground. Prowl
ing hands of torles and Hesslnns sent
out from New York soon created a
veritable reign of terror. Possessions
were- stolen, homes were burned, and
in thu. awful rage which wns begotten
ered a faint fluttering iu the Wart,
nnd through her onrcful nursing he
wns soon restored and mare deter
mined than ever to do his part in de
fending his home and country against
tho attacks of the Hessians audi the
lawless bauds which had been quick
to turn the struggle to tlutlr own ad
vantage. And now Mistress Fishr was again
expecting a visit from her husband.
It was true, she Lad not receivwl any
direct word from him, bub it had been
long since she had seen him and some
how she could not shake off the feel-
of thu war it almost seemed as if ing that he would come that very aft
ernoon. Again ami again sliu had left
her work and gone out on the low
piazza to gaze up and down tho road,
but the sun hnd sunk lower in the sky,
the night would soun come nnd still
he had not appeared. She must be
mistaken, she thought, and resolute
ly strove to drive her fears and hopes
alike from her mind. , Hut with all her
efforts she could not succeed, and as
thu long shadows began to lengthen
she once moru left thu house to take
her stand outside nnd satisfy herself
that no one was in sight.
As she passed through the doorway
every mans nana was mtcu against
his neighbor.
StillyouHg Mistress Fisher remained
alone in her home, cheered by the oc
casional visits of her husband, ami on
rare occasions tlceing to the shelter
of Coney hill with her neighbors when
it was reported that a larger band of
marauders than usual was approach
ing; but for the most part she stayed
behind to gutUd her few possessions
and defend her home. And she well
knew that her presence was demand
ed. At one time a force of red-coats
had carried away with them the roan
colt, which was her own special pridu she suddenly stopped and peered in-
and property; but, undismayed, she
had mounted tho other horse, which
lind been left behind, and ridden
straight to the Hiitlsh camp at .Mor
risania, and with dashing eyes had de
manded of the captain the return of
her possessions The officer had
laughed, and, moved perhaps by her
very buldnci-s, had granted her re
quest, She had left the camp leading
the roan colt behind her.
Of Into matters had become steadily
worse. The visits of the marauders
had increased, while those of her bus
hand were less and less frequent.
And, indeed, twice had he had such
an experience that, eager as she was
to ecu him, the young wife had tear
fully, beggtd of him not to make the
attempt tgaixr.
tently before her. Down the road just
where It left the woods she could see a
man running swiftly toward her house.
Her first thought was that it must be
her husband, but why was he in sueVi
haste? He as running desperately,
and tho frequent glances he east behind
him showed that he was in fear of some
thing coming from that direction. In
an agony of suspense Mistress Fisher
clasped her hands and watched the
man. She wtis tempted to seize the one
gun in the house and go to his aid, but
restraining the impulse, as she realized
that the man was coming toward her,
she paused and waited. Once he stum
bled and fell nhd a low cry escaped
thu waiting wo,num's lips, but in an
Instant he-had regained his footing and
dashed forward with Increased speed,
On nnd on rnn the man, still casting
occasional glances behind him, and
soon she could see that lie was not her
husband, but a neighbor, Mr. Httller,
one of the stanclicst whigs in all the re
gion. It was evident, however, thnthe was
in trouble, nnd Mistress Fisher, relieved
03 she was to discover it was not her
husband who was being pursued, wait
ed with almost breathless eagerness for
him to approach. He was nenr now,
nnd she could ensily see that he waH la
boring under great excitement; the
perspiration poured in streams down
his face nnd his alarm was evident in
every movement. He was soon near
the house, nnd as she thought he was
going to pass without recognizing her,
Mistress Fisher called:
".Mr. Hutlerl Mr. Hutler! What is
it? What is it?"
The fleeing man glanced up, and in
stantly chnnglng his course, darted into
the house nfter her.
"What is it? What is it?" repeated
the excited woman.
"The toriesl the torles!" gasped the
almost -exhausted man. "They're nfter
me. They're close behind, mc! They'll
get mc sure, Mistress Fisher, if you
don't hide mei"
Mrs. Fisher stepped to the door again
and gazed down the road. Just emerg
ing from the woods she could sec a band
of men coming swiftly up the road,
and her neighbor's words needed no
further confirmation. Had they seen
him turn into her house? She could not
tell, but, satisfied that in nny event
they would stop there to make inquir
ies, if nothing more, the courageous
woman instantly turned and once more
faced the panting mnn in the room.
"Hide me! Hide mc somewhere, nny-
wliercl" lie pleaded. "Don't let them
get me!"
Mistress Fisher glanced hnstlly about
the room. What could she do? Through
the kitchen door she could see the hens
fluttering in the ash heap. Beyond was
the barn, nnd it wns useless to think of
hiding there. And the tories were al
ready approachingnnd would swm be in
the house.
"Here!" reclaimed the undaunted
woman, selling a brush made of goose
quills lying on the table. Tailing a
knife Fhe qraickly cut several of the
quilla loose. Then, cutting the feathered
parts away, ulke blew the "pith" out of
each and jomd four of them m the
form of a long tube. She worked rap
idly and with a desperation bom al
most of despair, the mnn meanwhile
watching her and not uttering n sound.
As soon as si had the tube ready,
she grasped the shovel, which was near
the kitchen (low, nnd said: "Come!
He quielM We haven't a minute- to
spare."
The man follow-sd her, not perceiving
her purpose, but too frightened to ques
tion or protest. Quickly Mistress Fish
er ran to the ash heap and began tadig
with fevetish hasto. Every moment -was
precious r.ow, and' she Inbored desper
ately, knowing that the fate of a life
depended upon her efforts. As coon
as she had made a Hole large cnouglnto
satisfy her,.she dropped the shovel, and',
taking the quill tube, said to her com
panion: "Here! keep this in your
mouth! NcwjuinpOn.and I'll hide yvjii.
He sure nnd'keep.joar eyes and mwiUi
closed. Qniolc!"
Her purpose, wait clear now, and'' in
stantly the man obeyed. Then Mistress
Fisher covered him witli ashes, being
careful to set thati the end of the tube
was left free, and as soon as the labor
was complete! she flung the shool to
one side of thu linage and entered! tih
kitchen, juatins the tories came upon,
the piazza. Her heart was trembling,.
though her- countenance was bold; as.
she advanced to meet the band.
"Who are you? What wish you bore?'"
the brave woman demanded.
"(live up that r.bel, Joe Butler;!' saifi
the leader; "we saw him turn in here-.'"
"Think you I viould give him up. 52"
he were bore?"
"You've got fciim here somowhere-.
Now, give-lllm enrpr!" shouted the lead
er, flourishing a pistol ns he s-pokt.
Mistreui- Fislter felt strnnily sick
and faint,, but,, still striving to keep up
her bold appearance, said: "Kvuepyuur
pistol to. frighten children with; you
shall not) intimidate me! If you want to
give up your chase and look for my
neighbon Hutler here, it is. your priv
ilege. "I'is not the first time defense
less women in Westchesten county have
had tihoir homes invaded by hirelings!"
"Csiiib on, boys!" callod the leader,
restoring his pistol to his belt and
tunning to his followers as hu spoku.
"She hid that rebel husband of hers
uader the kitchen floor, and perhaps
.Joe Hutler is there now!"
In a moment the search was be
gun. Tlio loose Ixaards of the floor
were torn away, but no "rebel" was
found beneath them. Then into tho
cellar, into every room and closet,
tearing apart the beds and overturn
ing chairs and tables in their efforts.
Thu men searched the house, hut the
missing man could not hu found.
"Some of you go out to the barn,"
siild the leader, at last. "I'll stand
here and keep my eye on both pluees,"
he added, as ho stepped upon the ash
heap.
.In an agony of fear M'stross Fish
er watched and waited. "Would he dls
cover the preseneo of thu man con
cealed beneath his ieet? The mo
ments dragged on like hours, hut at
I last tho search was abandoned and
with many threats ngninsl her "rebel
husband" nnd the whig who for tho
present had escaped them the men de
parted. The woman waited until a
half hour had gone and then, taking
her shovel, began to dig into tho ash
iicap ngain. Soon she had freed her
neighbor from his hiding place, but
what a spectacle he presented! Al
most too exhausted to stand, streaked
with the ashes, and almost blinded ni
well, it was long before he wns re
stored. Hut at last, by the aid of
soap and water and such simple means
as were in the house, he was made
ready to return to his home or go to
the camp, as lie deemed best.
As he stood on the piazza he said:
'I thought 1 was a dead man when I
crawled into that nsh heap. I was
thinking of the words of the preach
er 'Dust to dust, ashes to ashes.' "
"Out of the ashes you came to life
again," responded .Mistress Fisher,
folemiily. "So may it be with our
country and with us all." And tho
true-hearted woman stood in the door
way and wntched her neighbor until
he disappeared in the forest. Everett
f. Tomlinson, In Congrcgationalist.
IRRIGATION.
The UcclKnntlon of .Arid I.ainl
What (lie Government la Uulncc
The Ceiinun Ofllec.
3,
n
&
.
mm ss mi
fpoof-
F YOU please,, you
may laud George
up to tho skloa,
As the mnn who won
battles and no7er
told lies.
You may tell op his
virtues In story
and song;
How ho careruU
sifted tho right
from tlio wronu:
Of his wisdom tn counsel, his bravery. In
war;
How he drove the grim British away from
our shore.
You may cherish forever his hat and hJ
8 word,
And up to tho sl;tca our bravo Washington.
laud.
Long, long may vre hold him aa cxamplo to
youth,
For honesty, temperance, courage awU
truth.
While wo gaze with
delight oin a
struct u re
grand,
f Let us honor the
bullderwho draw
out tho nlan.
And added, throushi
years of inflnito
care,
Small stone upon,
stone, firmly 11
Inj; thotn there;
Jnd though this ma
be but a girl's
point of view,
let us give credit Trtiore- ii i certainly duo,
And pluck from hl3.1aurlone leaf for an
other, S three cheers for ourGcge, and four for'
bin mother.
Margarot S. Undonwood,ln Youth's Coa
panlon.
t
Washington, D. C, Feb. G. The rcela
mntion of arid lands, which wns a
prominent feature of food-producing
operations in India, China, Egypt nnd
Mexico many centuries ago, is now re
ceiving more attention from the United
States government thnn ever before.
In congress, the house has appointed
a strong standing committee on irri
gation, with a chairman nnd umnjority
of its members interested in or repre
senting irrigable sections. In the sen
ate, the committee on reclamation of
irid lands is similnrly constituted.
These committees listen to the de
mands of the people and formulate leg
islation when it is intended to add to
the resources of nature quite aB sub
stantially as if large areas of prolific
territory were being acquired from tlio
outside.
The olhccrs of the geologlcnl survey
ore mnking an extended investigation
of the quantity and constancy of water
supplies in irrigable districts; locating
and surveying sites uvailable for per
manent impounding reservoirs; ineaH
uring the wastes from seepage,' evap
oration and unchecked floods, and gen
erally determining or comparing: the
rallies of different methods- of irriga
tion, nnd the utility of different) sources
of wnter supply.
The census ofllec, confining) itself
etrietlj' to exnet facts and conditions,
is supplementing these efforts-of the
government by making a census of irri
gation walls, dams, reservoirs, springs,
canals nnd ditches, and the cost nnd
character thereof; of ownership, vol
ume and constancy of water sources;
of water-rights, sales and rates; of the
ncreage, quantity and value of irrigated!
crops; of unreclaimed but irrigable
land areas, etc. IMostof this work isbe
ingnccomplished by means of schedule
sent through the mails in advance of tlio
main field work, which the law say
shall be done in June, 1000. Director
Merrram deemed snch a course warrant
ed bj the estimated increase in irriga
tion wulls to 12,01)0 and the ditches and!
oanala to 15,000 during the past teiv
yeair,. whichi means that probably more
that 100,000 producers are now raising;
'crops and hwrds abundantly on landai
tvhichv.withouit irrigation, were desolate
and valueless.
Preliminary returns to the censum
office from irrigators and irrigations
companies aire quite satisfactory, and
the dmeotor neques-ta that all who have
roceuwjd or may receive hereafter schedules-
from the-department do their best'
to acuwor the-several questions therein.-
nnd rctuiia t'ile bleaks at their earliest'
convaniencc. Also,. that irrigators wlic
hnve not received, will write and ask),
to be supplied with schedules. The re
que&tiwill bo-complied with by returns
mail. In fhi' wmy, accurate statistics
r.ill Do scoured of aai industrial feature'
which) in effijeb, ia- equal to adding sev
eral productive 3tates to the. domain
of i nation whose staple food supplies
already dominate the markets of thor
world.
i'.v ifa-vu Time.
Arnold man who was cook nt a west
ern oampiwumt ly thtt name of Hunch
Grans. Ho- lind! His- own way of looking
at things. On ono occasion the camp
was to be.movd.aloii3 the stream, and
Hunch pnltcd up the outfit preparatory
to tlio Hitting.. "Got a match, Hunch?"
nsJed onrr of the party, for he had rolled
up it. big uitpurittu ajtd wanted to light
it. The old rmh's- fingers went to. his.
ves-Upocfent;. tlien he-paused and looked
thoughtful. ISvideaily no mutch) was.
far.theoming. Hut suddenly Huneh
showed his. originality of thought..
Withoiub a. -word hie climbed into thc
wagon and started to pitch oil' his loud...
Bedding;, te-uts, kettles sailed out on the
grass, lne petitoner lor mo maieiu
"Vnxlilnntin' Answer,
The Father oft ilii (Jtountry was a
shrewd observer of mcn and he undor-i
stood feminine charaa'iur pretty well,
too, as witness the fallowing leticr
w7ittcn about a 3;oung- lady who vus
lrontcinpluting Qisouoxiu marriage. It
, vas evidently iinnospii&e to some np
:3cal for his advice that Washington
t -a rote: "For myowik paxt. 1 never did,
I nor do I belicve-I ovttu' shall, give ad
, vice to a womamwho. is-setting out on
'a matrimonial voyages. First, because
I never could advitxi one to marry
without her own ooimcnt, and, second
ly, because 1 know a it to no purpose
to advise her toi refrain when she has
obtained it. A. woman, very rarely asks
an opinion or.ruquanea advice on such
an ocension till her resolution is
formed, and thon ih is with the hope
and expect ndian oft' obtaining a. sanc
tion, not thuii she- means to hie gov
erned by yourf disapprobation, that she
applies. IiiiUiword, the plain English
of the application may e summed up I booked at Itim in amazement. Had he,.
in tnese wcrtm: "i vcisii you to tninK ROno ra2V? wfev, what is the matterr
as I do; b-it if, unhappily, yea differ ,with yo,u wiia"nre you do,ng?" lie,
irom me iMnopittion, my nenrn 1 must ,n...e&- Bimch slopped throwing out
coiifess, i&-fixed and I have gone too.
far to retmoti'" Troy Times.
KIVIHDNT -VOIUu.
1 " 1
This cuto UtU boy with hi list In hlc ey
Said: "In ordr to be a grsat man
I'll chop down a tree;" but, twlxt you and
1110,
Ills dad didn't approve, of tho plan.
ii I. 1.. 1 . 9W. ,,,, , a
Ami Aluriu a Holiday.
Teacher Now, children, what did
George Washington do for his ooun
tiy? Chorus of CUUCrcn He had u blrth
duy. Puck.
the goods, and replied, in a sbnv drawl:
"Whwh it's like- this. Whrn you re
quested that ijiateh, 1 suddenly hap
pened1 to recall that them combustibles,
nllvfi lurks in the last pouket. T got
a coat nnd waistcoat in t'ic bottom o!
this wngon, and I'm reaehin' down fop
that Inst pocket first, just to save time.""
And be proceeded to thraw off the rcsi
of the load. Youth's Companion.
Yen What
A good story is goin the rounds at
Harvard college concerning a last
year's graduate, a dutiful son and an
industrious student, yet withal a-somewhat
literal youth. At tho beginning
of his concluding ycar, his father, who
was just setting out for Europe, said
to him: "Now, Harry, you get your
degree, nnd I'll send for you to, como.
ever nnd travel all summer." llarry
wns delighted. "Father," said he, "I
will." Hu studied faithfully all tho
collcgpyear, and in June went through
with flying colors. Then he cabled his
father: "Yes." Hut the father, alnsl
had forgotten his impulsive offer. Ho
mused over the message, wondered,
nnd then eablod back: "Yes, what?"
The son was in turn perplexed, but
being a wclhtrnined lad, ho did not re
main long in the dark, and fired by
dutious zeal, cabled bauk: "Yes, sir."
Letters' of rxplnnntion followed, and
ho wa.5 permitted to make tho "grand,
tour," Youth's Companion.
V
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