the choir invisible-第7章

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With　such　an　opening　of　the　day；　the　academic　influence　over　childhood　may　soon　be　restored　to　forcible　supremacy　but　will　awaken　little　zest。　Gray　was　glad　therefore　on　all　accounts　that　this　happened　to　be　the　day　on　which　he　had　promised　to　tell　them　of　the　battle　of　the　Blue　Licks。　Thirteen　years　before　and　forty　miles　away　that　most　dreadful　of　all　massacres　had　taken　place；　and　in　the　town　were　many　mothers　who　still　wept　for　their　sons；　many　widows　who　still　dreamed　of　their　young　husbands；　fallen　that　beautiful；　fatal　August　day　beneath　the　oaks　and　the　cedars；　or　floating　down　the　red…dyed　river。　All　the　morning　he　could　see　the　expectation　of　this　story　in　their　faces：　a　pair　of　distant；　clearest　eyes　would　be　furtively　lifted　to　his；　then　quickly　dropped；　or　another　pair　more　steadily　directed　at　him　through　the　backwoods　loop…hole　of　two　stockade　fingers。

At　noon；　then；　having　dismissed　the　smaller　ones　for　their　big　recess；　he　was　standing　amid　the　eager　upturned　faces　of　the　othersbareheaded　under　the　brilliant　sky　of　May。　He　had　chosen　the　bank　of　the　Town　Fork；　where　it　crossed　the　common；　as　a　place　in　which　he　should　be　freest　from　interruption　and　best　able　to　make　his　description　of　the　battle…field　well　understood。　This　stream　flows　unseen　beneath　the　streets　of　the　city　now　with　scarce　rent　enough　to　wash　out　its　grimy　channel；　but　then　it　flashed　broad　and　clear　through　the　long　valley　of　scattered　cabins　and　orchards　and　cornfields　and　patches　of　cane。

It　was　a　hazardous　experiment　with　the　rough　jewels　of　those　little　minds。　They　were　still　rather　like　diamonds　rolling　about　on　the　bottom　of　barbarian　rivers　than　steadily　set　and　mounted　for　the　uses　of　civilization。

He　fixed　his　eyes　upon　a　lad　in　his　fifteenth　year；　the　commandant　of　the　fort　of　the　morning；　who　now　stood　at　the　water　edge；　watching　him　with　breathless　attention。　　A　brave；　sunny　face；a　big　shaggy　head　holding　a　mind　in　it　as　clear　as　a　sphere　of　rock…crystal；　already　heated　with　vast　ambitiona　leader　in　the　school；　afterwards　to　be　a　leader　in　the　nationRichard　Johnson。

〃Listen！〃　he　cried；　and　when　he　spoke　in；　that　tone　he　reduced　everything　turbulent　to　peace。　〃I　have　brought　you　here　to　tell　you　of　the　battle　of　the　Blue　Licks　not　because　it　was　the　last　time；　as　you　know；　that　an　Indian　army　ever　invaded　Kentucky；　not　because　a　hundred　years　from　now　or　a　thousand　years　from　now　other　school…boys　and　other　teachers　will　be　talking　of　it　still；　not　because　the　Kentuckians　will　some　day　assemble　on　the　field　and　set　up　a　monument　to　their　forefathers；　your　fathers　and　brothers；　but　because　there　is　a　lesson　in　it　for　you　to　learn　now　while　you　are　children。　A　few　years　more　and　some　of　you　boys　will　be　old　enough　to　fight　for　Kentucky　or　for　your　country。　Some　of　you　will　be　common　soldiers　who　will　have　to　obey　the　orders　of　your　generals；　some　of　you　may　be　generals　with　soldiers　under　you　at　the　mercy　of　your　commands。　It　may　be　worth　your　own　lives；　it　may　save　the　lives　of　your　soldiers；　to　heed　this　lesson　now　and　to　remember　it　then。　And　all　of　youwhether　you　go　into　battles　of　that　sort　or　notwill　have　others；　for　the　world　has　many　kinds　of　fighting　to　be　done　in　it　and　each　of　you　will　have　to　do　his　share。　　And　whatever　that　share　may　be；　you　will　need　the　same　character；　the　same　virtues；　to　encounter　it　victorious；　for　all　battles　are　won　in　the　same　way；　all　conquerors　are　alike。　This　lesson；　then；　will　help　each　of　you　to　win；　none　of　you　to　lose。

〃Do　you　know　what　it　was　that　brought　about　the　awful　massacre　of　the　Blue　Licks？　It　was　the　folly　of　one　officer。

〃Let　the　creek　here　be　the　Licking　River。　The　Kentuckians；　some　on　foot　and　some　on　horse；　but　all　tired　and　disordered　and　hurrying　along；　had　just　reached　the　bank。　Over　on　the　other　sidesome　distance　backthe　Indians　were　hiding　in　the　woods　and　waiting。　　No　one　knew　exactly　where　they　were；　every　one　knew　they　counted　from　seven　hundred　to　a　thousand。　The　Kentuckians　were　a　hundred　and　eighty…two。　There　was　Boone　with　the　famous　Boonsborough　men；　the　very　name　of　whom　was　a　terror；　there　was　Trigg　with　men　just　as　good　from　Harrodsburg；　there　was　Todd；　as　good　as　either；　with　the　men　from　Lexington。　More　than　a　fourth　of　the　whole　were　commissioned　officers；　and　more　fearless　men　never　faced　an　enemy。　There　was　but　one　among　them　whose　courage　had　ever　been　doubted；　and　do　you　know　what　that　man　did？　〃After　the　Kentuckians　had　crossed　the　river　to　attack；　been　overpowered；　forced　back　to　the　river　again；　and　were　being　shot　down　or　cut　down　in　the　water　like　helpless　cattle；　that　manhis　name　was　Benjamin　Netherlanddid　this：　He　was　finely　mounted。　He　had　quickly　recrossed　the　river　and　had　before　him　the　open　buffalo　trace　leading　back　home。　About　twenty　other　men　had　crossed　as　quickly　as　he　and　were　urging　their　horses　toward　this　road。　But　Netherland；　having　reached　the　opposite　bank；　wheeled　his　horse's　head　toward　the　front　of　the　battle；　shouted　and　rallied　the　others；　and　sitting　there　in　full　view　and　easy　reach　of　the　Indian　army　across　the　narrow　river；　poured　his　volley　into　the　foremost　of　the　pursuers；　who　were　cutting　down　the　Kentuckians　in　the　river。　　He　covered　their　retreat。　　He　saved　their　lives。

〃There　was　another　soldier　among　them　named　Aaron　Reynolds。　He　had　had　a　quarrel　some　days　before　with　Colonel　Patterson　and　there　was　bad　blood　between　them。　During　the　retreat；　he　was　galloping　toward　the　ford。　The　Indians　were　close　behind。　But　as　he　ran；　he　came　upon　Colonel　Patterson；　who　had　been　wounded　and；　now　exhausted；　had　fallen　behind　his　comrades。　Reynolds　sprang　from　his　horse；　helped　the　officer　to　mount；　saw　him　escape；　and　took　his　poor　chance　on　foot。　For　this　he　fell　into　the　hands　of　the　Indians。

〃That　is　the　kind　of　men　of　whom　that　little　army　of　a　hundred　and　eighty…two　was　made　upthe　oak　forest　of　Kentucky。　〃And　yet；　when　they　had　reached　the　river　in　this　pursuit　and　some　twenty　of　the　officers　had　come　out　before　the　ranks　to　hold　a　council　of　war　and　the　wisest　and　the　oldest　were　urging　caution　or　delay；　one　of　themMcGarysuddenly　waved　his　hat　in　the　air；　spurred　his　horse　into　the　river；　and　shouted：

〃'Let　all　who　are　not　cowards　follow　me！'

〃They　all　followed；　and　then　followed　also　the　shame　of　defeat；　the　awful　massacre；　the　sorrow　that　lasts　among　us　still；　and　the　loss　to　Kentucky　of　many　a　gallant　young　life　that　had　helped　to　shape　her　destiny　in　the　nation。

〃Some　day　perhaps　some　historian　will　write　it　down　that　the　Kentuckians　followed　McGary　because　no　man　among　them　could　endure　such　a　taunt。　Do　not　believe　him。　No　man　among　them　even　thought　of　the　taunt：　it　had　no　meaning。　They　followed　him　because　they　were　too　loyal　to　desert　him　and　those　who　went　with　him　in　his　folly。　Your　fathers　always　stood　together　and　fought　together　as　one　man；　or　Kentucky　would　never　have　been　conquered；　and　in　no　battle　of　all　the　many　that　they　ever　fought　did　they　ever　leave　a　comrade　to　perish　because　he　had　made　a　mistake　or　was　in　the　wrong。

〃This；　then；　is　your　lesson　from　the　battle　of　Blue　Licks：　Never　go　into　a　battle　merely　to　show　that　you　are　not　a　coward：　that　of　itself　shows　what　a　coward　you　are。

〃Do　not　misunderstand　me！　whether　you　be　men　or　women；　you　will　never　do　anything　in　the　world　without　courage。　It　is　the　greatest　quality　of　the　mindnext　to　honor。　It　is　your　king。　But　the　king　must　always　have　a　good　cause。　Many　a　good　king　has　perished　in　a　bad　one；　and　this　noblest　virtue　of　courage　has　perhaps　ruined　more　of　us　than　any　other　that　we　possess。　You　know　what　character　the　old　kings　used　always　to　have　at　their　courts。　I　have　told　you　a　great　deal　about　him。　It　was　the　Fool。　Do　you　know　what　personage　it　is　that　Courage；　the　King；　is　so　apt　to　have　in　the　Court　of　the　Mind？　It　is　the　Fool　also。　Lay　these　words　away；　you　will　understand　them　better　when　you　are　older　and　you　will　need　to　understand　them　very　well。　Then　also　you　will　know　what　I　mean　when　I　say　to　you　this　morning　that　the　battle　of　the　Blue　Licks　was　the　work　of　the　Fool；　jesting　with　the　King。〃

He　had　gone　to　the　field　himself　one　Saturday　not　long　before；　walking　thoughtfully　over　it。　He　had　had　with　him　two　of　the　Lexington　militia　who；　in　the　battle；　had　been　near　poor　Todd；　their　colonel；　while　fighting　like　a　lion　to　the　last　and　bleeding　from　many　wounds。　　The　recollection　of　it　all　was　very　clear　now；　very　poignant：　the　bright　winding　river；　there　broadening　at　its　ford；　the　wild　and　lonely　aspect　of　the　country　round　about。　On　the　farther　bank　the　long　lofty　ridge　of　rock；　trodden　and　licked　bare　of　vegetation　for　ages　by　the　countless　passing　buffalo；　blackened　by　rain　and　sun；　only　the　more　desolate　for　a　few　dwarfish　cedars　and　other　timber　scant　and　dreary　to　the　eye。　Encircling　this　hill　in　somewhat　the　shape　of　a　horseshoe；　a　deep　ravine　heavily　wooded　and　rank　with　grass　and　underbrush。　The　Kentuckians；　disorderly　foot　and　horse；　rushing　in　foolhardiness　to　the　top　of　this　uncovered　expanse　of　rock；　the　Indians；　twice；　thrice；　their　number；　engirdling　its　base；　ringing　them　round　with　hidden　death。　The　whole　tragedy　repossessed　his　imagination　and　his　emotions。　His　face　had　grown　pale；　his　voice　took　the　measure　and　cadence　of　an　old…time　minstrel's　chant；　his　nervous　fingers　should　have　been　able　to　reach　out　and　strike　the　chords　of　a　harp。With　uplifted　finger　he　was　going　on　to　impress　them　with　another　lesson：　that　in　the　battles　which　would　be　sure　to　await　them；　they　must　be　warned　by　this　error　of　their　fathers　never　to　be　over…hasty　or　over…confident；　never　to　go　forward　without　knowing　the　nature　of　the　ground　they　were　to　tread；　or　throw　themselves　into　a　struggle　without　measuring　the　force　of　the　enemy。　He　was　doing　this　when　a　child　came　skipping　joyously　across　the　common；　and　pushing　her　way　up　to　him　through　the　circle　of　his　listeners；　handed　him　a　note。　He　read　it；　and　in　an　instant　the　great　battle；　hills；　river；　horse；　rider；　shrieks；　groans；　all　vanished　from　his　mind　as　silently　as　a　puff　of　white　smoke　from　a　distant　cannon。

For　a　while　he　stood　with　his　eyes　fixed　upon　the　paper；　so　absorbed　as　not　to　note　the　surprise　that　had　fallen　upon　the　children。　At　length　merely　saying；　〃I　shall　have　to　tell　you　the　rest　some　other　day；〃　he　walked　rapidly　across　the　common　in　the　direction　from　which　the　little　messenger　had　come。

A　few　minutes　later　he　stood　at　the　door　of　Father　Poythress；　the　Methodist　minister；　asking　for　Amy。　But　she　and　Kitty　had　ridden　away　and　would　not　return　till　night。　Leaving　word　that　he　would　come　to　see　her　in　the　evening；　he　turned　away。

The　children　were　scattered：　there　could　be　no　more　of　the　battle　that　day。　But　it　was　half　an　hour　yet　before　his　duties　would　recommence　at　the　school。　As　he　walked　slowly　along　debating　with　himself　how　he　should　employ　the　time；　a　thought　struck　him；　he　hastened　to　the　office　of　one　of　many　agents　for　the　locating　and　selling　of　Kentucky　lands；　and　spent　the　interval　in　determining　the　titles　to　several　tracts　near　townan　intricate　matter　in　those　times。　But　he　found　one　farm；　the　part　of　an　older　military　grant　of　the　French　and　Indian　wars；　to　which　the　title　was　unmistakably　direct。

As　soon　as