The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-08-20

SnouiooIJ Gnu Watching Tue arm or her llttl
sister, who lay sleeping, she dragged her to tn
!, door, opened, it and found the stairs on fire
= Still holding on to her sister, who was hardl
' yet awake, with presence of mind she shut tn,
r door and made for the window, where the Grove
: outside were holding up beds, and screaming
Jump, jump" After pushing and almos
throwing her bewildered sister from the win
| dow, she stepped back and took from chsi
dress to wrap around her, as che was only il
her night clothes; but it caught in the hinge O
J the window shutter, and was left behind.
When Mrs. Vallette jumped from the win
dow, she fell into the arms of a colored mar
who had formerly lived with her father, and
! struck with such weight upon his stomach, tina,
} ne never recovered from the blow.
} Mrs. Murphy, when she saw the flames com
ing INTO her room, was partly undressed, and
her husband had only taken eff his coat. Az
the stairs were winding, and he was unacuuaint
ed with the house, she Immediately took his
arm, and led him to the bottom of the stairs
then returning for her children, persisted with
them in the flames.
Mrs. Murphy was seen coming to the win.
dow, with child in her arms, when bed was
held up, and the cry was, "throw your child.
II you cannot come yonrself;" but from that
moment she was seen no more.
Two elderly ladies, members of her family.
likewise persisted in the flames. One of these,
by the name of Gill, was aunt to gentleman
who was afterwards Governor or Lieutenant
Governor of Massachusetts. The name of the
other old lady was King.
Fanny Clark, faithful domestic. who had
lived in Mr.. Milliken's family many years, was
badly burned, but escaped with her life.
James Milhken, the only brother of Mrs.
Valiette, had been to wait on some of his
sisters company home. When he heard the
alarm or hire, he was at the head of what was
then called Seven Star lane, which is now sum.
mer street. He ran at once toward home, and,
on reaching the house, found it almost wholly
consumed. He could get no tidings of his
sisters. Some said all the inmates in the house
were burnt up; others, that small woman had
oeen seen to jump out of the window, and was
nearly IL not quite killed. The young man, &C.
companied by some of his friends, searched the
streets in state of almost utter distraction,
and when informed, before morning, that his
sisters were safe, refused to believe it. Thev
had found shelter with family of the name Of
Holland. :
Inc scene OF the ruins the following morn
ing, as described to the author by an eye.wit-
ness, was heart-rending. When James Milliken
came to the ruins, and saw Mrs. Vallette. with
one OF his little sisters, he screamed aloud.
crying out, Where, where is Polly?" for.
getting that the child was on q visit from home.
Safe, safe, dear brother; she is away, and
has saved her Clothes" replied his sister. He
still went around in state of little less than
distraction, saying, Sister, yesterday we had
q nome; to-day we have none no mother
iatner away, and our country ruined" In this
way he raved on, until a gentleman in whose
store, on Long wharf, he was an apprentice,
came through the crowd, and, taking him BY
the arm, forced him into a carriage with his
sisters, and took them to his own house, where
Kind and soothing attention and care brought
James to himself again not, however until
the youngest child was brought into his
presence.
Every article of furniture and clothing in a
few short hours had been swept away. silver
melted to dross, valuable papers and the records
OF family concerns, so highly priced by succeed
ing generations, together with old.fashioned
RrQcade> sIks., left .by greudmothers and great.
was heard to say, in after days, that, when look
ing over this utter desolation, nothing affected
her so much as seeing the cage of a favorite |
parrot her husband had brought her, the first
voyage he went to sea, kicking about the ruins |
The husband of Mrs. Vallete had amply provi |
ded for her during his Absence so that she could
draw suficiency, not only for herself, but her !
poor, desolate sisters.
James Milliken, though only nineteen years
old, was a Jealous patriot, and had already per-
formed many small services for his country. |
He was we'll known to Messrs. Dennie, Mo- |
neux, Proctor, and other gentlemen who were |
deeply engaged in the revolutionary movement |
Every possible attention was paid to the young
man, and much sympathy felt for his sisters |
AS Boston was in such q troubled state, they |
were advised to go to reside in Lexington,
where they had friends, with which advice they
Immediately complied.
In April, l775, Mrs. Vallette and her friend |
Mrs. Reed were sitting in the evening in their
home at Lexington, over few dying embers,
with their infants in their arms. The clock had |
struck eleven-guns had been heard through |
the day-the firing had ceased-and they sat |
talking of the perils of the times, when Mrs. |
Reed said
Hark-I hear footsteps"
1t is only the rustling of the trees" said |
Mrs. Vallette, and we will not be needlessly |
alarmed" pressing at the same time her infant |
closer to her heart, as if fearful it might be |
wrested from her, and trying to assume cour-
age which she did not feel
AT that moment, gentle rap at the door was |
heard. II
"Who is there?" asked Mrs. Reed, in
tremulous tone.
"Friends," replied low voice. speaking
through small hole, where the cord had been |
drawn in to prevent the lifting of the latch out.
side, for few had locks and KEYS in these simple |
times. They Immediately opened the door, |
and three men entered in profound silence |
each muffled in long cloak.
DO not be alarmed, ladies'" said one, in the |
same low tone of voice we are friends to |
our country, and are pursued by the enemy; we |
have hid In the woods through the day, and |
have come now to seek your bounty, and shell. |
ter for the night"
And these you should have with all nv
heart" said Mrs. Reed, whose countenance
frightened up when she found that instead of
the dreaded enemy, her guests were those dis
tinguished patriots, John Hancock, Samuel
Adams, and Paul Revere. "But," she contin-
ued, "you would not be safe here for a mo-
ment. Why, the red.coats are prowling around
US in every direction they were here only yes
terday, eating up all my pies, and bread, and
cheese; and because they could not find
enough at my neighbors' to satisfy their hun.
ger, they must needs rip open their beds, and
leave their cider running out. Oh, sir, these
are dreadful times"
"They are indeed, Madam" said Mr.. Han
cock. "But, gentlemen" he said, turning to
his companions, what shall we do, for it is
certain that we are not safe here?"
They looked at each other, but did not speak.
Have you any neighbours" asked Mr.. Han
cock, "where we might find safety for the
night ?"
"None except my fathers" replied Mrs.
Reed, "who lives five miles off, on the main
road. 1t would be dangerous for you to go by
the road, and you would not find your way
through the woods, and we have neither man
nor boy to guide you they have all gone to
fight the red coats"
viii you stay alone, and nurse my baby"
asked MIS-. NAlletfa of her friand IL |