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John Went Back

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Parent Issue
Day
17
Month
November
Year
1893
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Two fertile farms lay side by side on the road between the village of Bridgetown (now Mouut Holly) and Burlington in the year 1775. s Reuben Most and John Grigg were still wont to consult one another concerning the affairs of their respective farms. So by the saine process Reuben Most and John Grigg found themselves when the necessity arose shouldering Continental muskets together. It must not be supposed, f orsooth, that Reuben and John were childless and alone simply because no inention has yet been made of anything to the contrary. Patty Most was as fair an 18year-old slip of girl as one would care to feast his eyes upon. . Reuben and John had niany yearsago, long before the birth of Patty, confided to one another the hope that one sbould be given a son., to the other a daughter, and that the lifelong friendship of the fathers should find even a stronger tie in the union of their offspring. When, shortly af ter the girl was bom, ther?f ore, John's buxoia spouse duly presented him with an heir, the two okl friends rene wed their pledges over many a giant mug of home brewed ale. At the period when the tale begins Patty Most was a demure little country beauty a trifle over 18 years of age, and John, Jr., was a sturdy youth a month younger. Up to this time there had been but sinall need for the manifestation of their fathers' desire concerning a marriage between them. On the evening before the dejjarture of the men young John walked down the cowpath, juinped the boundary fence between his father's and Reuben's lands, and strode up through the meadows to his sweetheart's home. The parting with her was John's worst trial. Even this, however, was softened by hia anticipation of the glory which would cover him when the war was over and done, and when the name of John Grigg, Jr., should stand high upon itL list of héroes. "Oh, John, don't goto the horrid war!" exclaimed Patty impulsively. "I'm just certain you'll get killed I" "Pshaw, Patty!" said John as he put his arm around her, "don't be a little coward. 111 come home a great man, and then you'll be glad I went." The same day Patty and her mother accepted an invitation extended by the girl's aunt, who lived in the village of Bridgetown, to make their home with her until the return of Reuben. So, leaving the farm affairs in charge of an old man, who was too far advanced in years to be of service in battle, Mrs. Most and Patty went to live with Mrs. Milford in the village until the happy day when the war should end. Mrs. Milford's house stood on Mair: street, not far above Garden lane, upon the corner of which two streets stood the even then old Friends' meeting house, where the mistress, who was a member of the society, was wont toworship on First days. About four weeks subsequent to the two Johns and Reuben's departure a company of British troops en route f rom the Atlantic seacoast to Boston invaded Bridgetown for some unknown reason and proceeded to quarter themselves upon the startled resideuts. Those of the troops who violated the privacy of Mis. Milford's household were three young officers. That dame did well for her involuntary guests, setting before them the best to eat and drink that her h juse afforded. Major Derrond chose as the drill ground the main street of the village, that being greater in width than any other. Upon this street stood Mra. Milford's house, directly in front of which the British company would be forced to pass. This Patty noted with secret satisf action. Out marched the British column, passing and repassing with absolutely correct unanimity oL motion. Twice, thrice, it passed the Müford mansion, and now it was about to do so for the f ourth time. A minute more and the center of the long line was exactly opposite the house. Suddenly the shutters of asecond story window flew open, and f rom out the window was thrust an American flag. A bonny head appeared just behind it, and the accents of a shrill, girlish voice rang out: "Hurrah for the Americana 1" The company stopped like a flash. "Arrest that woman!" thundered the major. A dozen soldiers ran to fulfill the ordp bility han. flashed ücross tlie girl's mind, She nnfolded it rapMlyto John, andthat youth, timorous and l'áhithearted though he was, sncceeded in mustering a small degree of enthusiasm conoerning it. He finally agreed to do his part, and was let out of the house, as he had come, by Patty. As the tall clock in the hall struck 1 Patty crept back in bed again and la shivering nervously, with sleep f ar f rom her eyelids. Her thoughts were with John as he trod the drenched road upon the mission on which she had sent Mm. Would he prove equal it, or would he be found wanting as bef ore? She heard the clock strike 2, then 3.' She waited a long time, listening for it to strike 4, when again a shower of gravel rattled against the window panes. Her heart beat wildly as she hurried to the window. The same figure, looking more drenched if possible, she saw dimly below. "All right," she whispered, and in another minute was talking eagerly with John in the kitchen. He was quite a different youth from the one she had admitted but a few hours before, and who had confessed to such pitiable cowardice. All trace of the despondent eringe with which he had stood, so full of shame, before Patty had disappeared, and he seemed now Iike a man who could be trusted in any crisis. "Everything is all right," he said. And then he secured from her the names of the villagers upon whom the Tory soldiers had quartered themselves. With the British company's protracted etay in the village, the girl knew almost to a man whose the different houses were which sheltered part of the king's army. After this information was secured John again disappeared, and Patty, for the third cime that night, sought her couch, but not to sleep, however. Meanwhile the Continental conipany, which had been brought by John from their nearby canip, rapidly and noisslessly surrounfled each dwelling wherea prize was to be secured in the shape of a British soldier. When the work was complete, the trumpeter stood in the center of the-villagè and blew a stentorian blast. Por a moment there was no sound in reply. Then windows werethrownopen, and at every one appeared one or moro heads, the owners thereof rubbing their eyes and sleepily trying to discover the cause of such unseemly disturbance of their peaceful sluinbers. The British soldiers, too, stumbledout of their comfortable beds, surprised and uncomprehending. When they looked into the street, however, and saw at every door the Continental blue and yellow, they rapidly arrived at a correct conclusión. Ere long every red coated soldier in Bridgetown was in the custody of the Continentals, who promptly conveyed them as soon as possible to the New England headquarters, where honors were showered thickly upon the heads of the entire company. John went with thein and received his full share as the supposed author of the capture. What the commanding offlcers always supposed was merely a harebrained midnight visit to his sweetheart was pardoned in the light of its unexpected and happy result. John served all through the long war after that with bravery and distinction, liis part in the snaring of the British eoldiers apparently having cured him of the slightest suspicion of cowardice. And Patty kept lier husband's secret well. The little old Friends' meeting house, with its bullet scarred wooden pillar, still stands as a mute monument to the Revolutionary maiden's bravery and to the authenticity of my story. Ask any member of the Quaker clan which of the many objects that the town holds is chief , and he will take you without a moment's hesitation to the old house of worship which sheltered the spot where the British bullet f ound a resting place over a century

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Subjects
Ann Arbor Argus
Old News