The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1848-03-04
=, From the Lady's Book.
rican HerOines.l
LYDIA DARRAH.
BY r. g. F. xLLET,

II was on the second day Of Decem-
ber, 1777, late in the afternoon, that an
eficerin the British uniform nightmare
been seen ascending the steps OF a house
id Second street, u few doors below
Spruce, street, Philadelphia, immediate
~ opposite the quarters occupied by
Gen. Howe, the commahder-in!chie Of
thss British forces, who at that time had
possession Of the city. The house was
plain and neat in its exterior, and well
known to be tenanted by William and
Lydia Darrah, members Of the Society
Of Friends. 1t was the place chosen by
. the superior officers Of the army for
private conference, whenever it was
necessary to hold consultations on SUBJ
jects Of Importance; and selected, per-
haps, on account Of the %peaceable cha
racter of its inmates, whose religion in
culcated meekness and forbearance, and
forbade them to practise the artso of war.
The officer, who seemed quite famil-
lar with the mansion, knocked at the
door; it was opened, and in the neatly
furnished parlor he met the mistress,
who spoke to him, calling him by name.
II was the Adjutant General; and he
appeared in haste to give an order
This was to desire that the back room
above stairs might be prepared for the
reception that evening of himself and
his friends, who had appointed to meet
there and might remain late. "And be
sure, LYDIA he concluded. "that your
family are all in bed at an early hour;
EshalI expect you to attend to this re.
quest. \ When our guests are ready to
leave the house,, | will myself give you
notice, that you maylet us out and ex-
tinguish the fire and candles"
Having delivered this order with an
emphatic manner, which showed that
he relied much on the prudence and
discretion Of the person he addressed,
the Adjutant General departed. Lydia
betook herself 10 getting all things in
readiness. But the words she had
heard, especially the injunction to retire
early, rung in her ears; and she could
not divest herself Of the indefnable
feeling that something Of great impor-
lance was in agitation. While her
hands were busy in the duties that de.
volved upon her, her mind was no less
active, at work. The evening closed
in, and the officers came to the place Of
meeting. Lydia had ordered all her
family to bed, and herself admitted the
guests; alter which she retired to her
own apartment, and threw herself,
without undressing, upon her bed.
But sleep refused to visit her eyelids.
Her vague apprehensions gradually as
sumed more definite shape. The more
she thought of the matter, the deeper
was her conviction that she ought to
make some effort to penetrate the mys-
terry, which might involve the interest,
/
perhaps the lives, Of many dear to her.
She became more and more uneasy, till
her nervous restlessness amounted TO
absolute terror. Unable longer TO re-
sist the impulse--noi Of curiosily-but,
surely, a far higher feeling-she slid
from the bed, and taking off her shoes,
passed noiselessIy from her chamber
and along the entry. Approaching
cautiously the apartment, in which the
officers were assembled, she applied
her ear to the key.hole. For a few mo-
ments, she could distinguish but a word
or two amid the murmur Of voices; yet
what she did hear but stimulated her
eager desire to learn The important se-
cret Of the conclave. gsa3a as..g,ee q
AT length there was profound silence,
and d Voice was heard reading 4 paper
aloud II was an order for the troops
to quit the city on the night of the
fourth and march out to an attack upon
the American army, then iencamped at
White Marsh. i@ea'siS \ sss 8saa
lydia had heard enough. Sheirs.
treated softly 70 her own room, and
laid herself quietly On thsi bed. In ihe
sepstiIlnessotha reigned through the
house, she couldshear The beating Of her