Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1861-09-12
From the Saturday Evening Post.
GRANDMOTHER'S STORY.
A SIMPLE BUT TRUE sKETcH OF
REVOLUTIONARY TIMES.
By JULIA GILL.


By JULIA GILL.
Twelve years, as we reckon here on
earth, has my grandmother Eunlce
Locke been in heaven. We could
scarcely weep on that triumphant day
when she entered into the JOY OF her
Lord-she had waited for it so long
and SO submissively, she had borne so
many Burdens and sorrows, and her
last years had been so full Of physical
main. which our stenderest love could
only in part assuage. l often try to
imagine her face in that exceeding
plory.' with the look of patient suffer-
inp all gone from it forever. She was
large, dignlfed woman, with pleasant,
intelligent blue eyes, under noun
tain of forehead. Her light. brown
hair, ilIeted back under her cap, was
scarcely turned grey, although she
was nearly eighty-three when she died.
She comes up to me oitenest as she
used TO look when / stole unaware upon
her, sitting with the ghosts of the
dead years thick about her. Her hands
ever busy, but her mind was in the
past; she would sigh heavily, and
sometimes speak aloud. When | spoke
to her she Immediately became cheer
full and ready to converse with me on
any subject, metaphysics, theology,
the natural sciences, and even belle let
ters: she was at home in all these
fields; but | liked best to hear her tell
the spirited old legends she knew so
well.
Long time ago. sitting in her cozy
room, BY the little wood-6re, she told
me this story of her early days, which
give nearly in her own words:
Often, in my young days and since,
have heard the aged say it seemed
but Yesterday since they bounded about
the meadows and climed the hills, but
to me it seems to be long and weary
pilgrimage back to the days of my
childhood. l would not go back to
them, no, not even sit with my dear
brother John, on our old rock behind
the house, with Wondering True, the
buff and white mouser, at our feet
not even to look on the manly face, and
hear again the voice Of John Lawrence.
Poor John Lawrencel he was sister
Hanuah's sweetheart, and a bright,
handsome fellow he was.
'One evening, John and / ate supper
nn the rock of vows, As we had whIm-
s;csl]y named our favorite resort, for
John and | were lovers, ss we'll as
brother and sister. There was lar
off lowing of cattle, the bees droned in
the clover about us, and the cat looked
nm into our face, and rorringers expect
ently. Il must have another slice of
brown bread said, and going into
the house. I heard father discoursing
with Aunt Betty, over their short-cake
and eurrant-leaf tea. Father and Aunt
Betty were the staunchest Wings, and
though we lived forty miles from Bos-
ton. we escEewed the fragrant leaf of
China with the most patriotic Boston
ian of thtm all. As I was saying. l
heard fyther tell Aunt Betty, Now that
there las been bloodshed, we shall not
rest Ml we drive them from the coun-
try/ Father was a slow-spoken man,
bT these words of his reused me like
NE beat of drum.
"Is father talking about the Brit
ish?' he asked.
I EYES, he says, but now there has
been bloodshed, we shall not rest till we
drive them from the country
".That's so,' said John; L only
wish had been born four years sooner,
Eunice.'
"I wish we had been born twin
brothers, and we're sixteen now, and
then we would go together l ans
wered; Il wish l could 60 into the ar
nv this minute; but l will do some
thing for my country yet. see il don't
John
ave started simultaneously, aDC
carving our porriugers, instead o
muskets, marched as far as the thres
hold of the door, and sat down to listen
Aunt Betty wasSs school-teacher, anC
was somewhat past her youth at thi
time. She had been belle and |
great beauty, and had a romance
her own. She was now a sincerely pi
GUS person, purely Puritanical accord
ing to the spirit of the times, and ful
of faith. hope and charity. She wa
saying it could not be but God woulC
hear the many prayers offered for tn
country. Ny father replied.
"'It is not to be doubted for mo
ment. God helps those who hell
themselves, say it irreverently. Ou
cause is a righteous one, and the cosn
try is thoroughly reused now. Th
women giving up their tea, is not tn
least among the demonstrations of pub
lie feeling
"Here Aunt Hannah and Lucreti
looked at each other slyly. Mothe
poured currant-lesf decoction and sal
nothing. I knew as well as the 'gret
girls that mother, who was not vel
drank Bohea behind the buttery dool
but was silent.
"That night retired to rest with
strong feeling OF patriotism swelling
nv heart. slept with my sister Har
nah, in one of the large rooms. Abol
the middle of the night / was swakene
by Hannah starting suddenly out
bed. Then heard low knock G
the window. Hannah threw her drei