Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1846-09-04

ltdrisJDr0 no choice ne anu HIS
Wilmington, no choice sight.
GrattOa,w ',,fed -, The
D0rcr, choice
BrOOkiine, no choice
N,c~tanc, no choice man, trom.
IIiHdhdBi. .U.aL;,,
Jamaica, the only one as',i'S
Mrdtton,w iped in blood,
Orange Cou1iy ing near this
Brootfcid no choice
o ,,enn i itl he air!
RovaIton, W gain. young girl.
I,'Mabrdgc, W gain, ed in blood
n ~s,om. y me- r'.h gp s. )k how the red
Corinth, ,ow following
Ncujurg, =, ON until ,bo,,
Rfadoipb. no choice A.. ,;.
1opStam, over the river
LqmoiHe G.
Bcirjdcyc. Cnn,ntcr flashes over the
Cim5ridgc, Nathan Smile crouchng down
I TLngou,r L''i Knoil and bleeding TO
Jghas1n, no choice.
MlimEheld PETERSON N that form clad
SleriiDg Saunic ,s'' '' p''' of the Continental
Stom', Russell! 81 party, -rsgrasping the bat
!idterrWc no choice, 3Ip
ltotcoH Benjamin.
Bursard.1 ''''' he young girl knelt,
B,ttc', dip C there were tears in
h,yf!dse"gfcr' brothers hands--ah,
VnTirb. w Id. And when she
Piymou",w gathered them to her
P o"y,y', AIN 'pt her tears upon his
Siar0n,
T>ioekhidgc, 3dp her raised his head
4 towards the river.
c,b,, '" .rnER!' he said, in his
GrJtDH
BeIrhHW. down oyar tho ,ork tho old
81 .job ,s' C~kcd far over the river.
~ There, under the dark sky. feet of
boats were tossing amid piles officiating ice.
A fleet of boats bearing men and arms,
and extending in irregular lines from shore
to shore.
And the last boat OF the ncet--the boat
Just leaving the western shore Of the Della
ware the old man saw that too, and saw
even through the darkncss---yon tall form,
halt-muillcd in warriors cloak, with a
grey war-horse by his side.
Was not that a strange sight to see at
dead of night, on dark river, under a dark
or sky -?
The old man turned to his dying son to
ask the meaning Of this mystery.
Father gasped the brave boy, lettering
to his feet. Father, give me my musket---
help me on--hep me down the riverior
tonight for tonight
As that word was on his lips---he fell.
He fell, and lay there. stiff and cold. Still
on his lips there hung some family spoken
words.
The Oh man--.hat fair girl-.-bent down
-..they listened 10 those words
TONIGHT Washington -. the Britsh-.-
tonight. -TRENTON!
And with that word gasping on his lips,
Trenton - he died
The old man did not know the meaning
of that word, until the next morning. Then
there was the sound of musketry to the
south : then, booming along the Delaware,
came the roar of battle.
Then, that old man, with his wife and
children, gathering round the body Of that
dead boy, knew the meaning of that single
word that had trembled on his lips.
Knew that Georle Washington had burs'
like a thunderbolt upon the British Camp in
/ TRENTON
1 Al, that was merry Christmas Party
which the British officers kept in the town
orTrenton sixty nine years ago. although
IL Is true. lllUl 10 t.lll party cdlllH All uui!l-
viiei quest, one Mister Washington, his
halfclad army, and certain bold Jersey
mon
Would tina, might linger here. and pic
turc the grca; deeds that morning, sixty
nine years ago.
Would that might linger here upon the
holy ground Of TRENTON,
For it was holy ground. For it was here.
in the darkest hour Of the Revolution. that
George Washington made one stout and gal
liant blow in the name Of that Declaration
which iiliy-six bold men, had proclaimed in
the old State House of Philadelphia sly
months before.
Then. il that State House is the Mecca
of Freedom, to which the pilgrims Of all
clmcs may come to worship, then is tho
battle-ground ofTrenton. the twin-Me cca.-.
the Jerusalem Of Froedom-to which tn,
Children of Liberty, from every cline may
comc---look upon the footsteps the might,
dead bring their offerings - shed theiI
tears.