Litchfield enquirer., 1862-07-03
HETTY MARVIN.

d,fsi4 esa HETTY MARVIN. ''a
 + {54gstH z4sl ssteii -----p 13tfs* ss'F44s E'' l ;F When the British and tories attacked New London, Connecticut, in IT,, and set g price on the head of Gov. Griswold, the latter fled to
 the town of I.l.-- where his cousin, Mrs. Mar vim hid him, for some days, in a secluded farm
 houses9 But at length the subtle foe discovered his retreat, and one sunny afternoon in May he was routed from his hiding place by the tidings I that band of horsemen were approaching to Capture hiu1.sas 9ag4ska siat i ,al54fa1 b5 lt..! His only chance of escape was to reach the
 mouth of a little creek, which empties itself into the Connecticut river just above the entrance of
 the. latter into sLong Island Sound. There he bad boat stationed, with two faithful attend.
 ants, hidden beneath the high banks of the creek. The distance from the farm house to
 the boat was two miles by the usual travelled
 road. But 4 little sheep.path across the farm
 CTS orchards would bring him to, the road only | mile from the boat, and save quarter rs length lof his fearful run for life. 's''@s ss'' <
 k Just xhebs tho narrow path from the orchard opened into the road, Hetty Marvin sat with her dog Towser. tending the bleaching of the Household linen. The long web of forty yards Tor more, which was diligently spun and woven during the long winter months, was whitened in anu SHUS tlhuS IVEt uhS. ulh UuSls ness of bleaching was well economized, being usually done by the younger daughters of the family, who were not old enough to spin, or strong enough for the heavier work of the kitch, en and dairy. The roll of linen was taken by the farmer or his stout help to Q grassy plot, beside spring or meadow brook. Thefe it was thoroughly wetted and spread upon the green turf, to take I the heat of the sun by day and the dew by night
 The little maiden who tended it would sit near it during the day, with her knitting or her book, and as fast as the sun dried its folds. she would | sprinkle the water over it with her gourd-shel dipper, and make 1t wet again. 7'3
 1 Thus set Hetty, Marvin. the younger daughter of Gov Griswolds cousin, when her hunted friend sprang past her into the road. to escape his pursuers. Hetty was timid child of about twelve years; yet thoughtful and wise beyond many of her elders. She was frightened by the headlong haste with which the governor rushed across the meadow. But she quickly compre. hended the scene, and instantly quieted her faithful Towser, who, though friend of the family guest, thought it becoming to bark loud ly at his hurried steps. f s.t aD. .q s,s..jf5
 Her wise forethought arrested the governors notice, and suggested scheme to delude his pursuers. Hetty,'. he said earnestly, I am fly Ii ing for my life; and unless can reach my boat before am overtaken, am Q lost man. You see the road forks here. Now I want to run down this way to the river, But you must tell the rascals who are chasing me that have gone | up the road to catch the mail wagon, which will | soon be along, you know. Then they will turn | off the other way.' & a Oh, cousin, said the little girl, in an agony l of distress, cannot tell a lie indeed, can not; why did you tell me which way you were going -q .GH laA .t4 @
 1 Hetty, my child. surely you would not betray me to my death. Hark they are coming; 1 hear the click of their horses feet. Oh Hetty,
 tell them have gone up the road instead of 1 down and heaven will bless you.' @
 | Heaven never blesses those who speak false- l ly, cousin. But will not tell them which way you go, even if they kill me; so run quickly as possible.' .'aa@ 7'+ VT }'e7
 It's of no use unless can deceive them, I am dead man. s.
 Cousin, cousin, hide under my web of cloth :; they'd never think of looking here for you Come get down as swift as you can, and I'll cover you, | and stand sprinkling my lnen.'
 It's my only chance, child; I'll get down as you say.' And suiting the action to the word, l the governor was soon hidden under the ample | folds of the cloth. .. 1s 4. Angry tbat their expected prey had escaped from the house, where they hoped to secure him, the six mounted tories, headed by British off Ger, dashed along the road in swift pursuit. At sight of the little girl in the meadow, the leader | of the party paused. .--., 2 d"Child' he said sternly, have you seen man ] running away hereabouts ? aa' q. +E.5
 H' Yes, sir replied Hetty trembling and flush- ing. .55., :c. ~ a.4 .,,~ (Which way did he go?' ' -. 1T promised not to tell sir 5
 But you must, or take the consequences.'
 I said wouldn't tell if you killed me- sobbed 1 the frightened girl. 1T .s,
 fI'll have it out of her ? exclaimed the furious officer with an oath. 'r-st 53 aH eSIlIas.t
 Let me speak to her, said his tory guide {; I know the child, believe. Isn't your name Het ty Marvin ? he asked pleasantly.
 ' Yes, sir.'2s1 a.a a. eN'@5|'''' 4 -'l'"ff
 And this man who ran by you few minutes ago, was your mothers cousin, wasn't her
 Yes, sir he was.' .~',.,....... .s-,,j
 'Well, we are friends of his. whaths did he Isay to you when he came along r ad paf { 1 T Hs-he told me-that he was flying for his Just 70, Hetty that was very true. Ihops he won't have to fly far. Where was he going to try to hide Ton see, I could help him, if l knew his plans ~..s.,,......,..- i
 Now Hetty was not whit deceived by this smooth speech. But she was willing to tell as much of the truth as would consist with his safe hty, and she wisely judged that her frankness rwould serve her kinsman better than her silence. 1 So she answered her questioner candidIy: My cousin said that he was going down this way to the river, where he had boat; and he wanted
 me to tell the men that were chasing him that he had gone the other way to catch the mail wagon.'o a72a o 51s" 2 '+S4.7 -''o' sWhy didn't you do as he bid you, then, when asked where he had gone ? thundered the off cer, fercely
 could not lie, sir, was the fearful reply. ge' Hetty,' again began the smooth tongued tory, l you are a nice child. Everybody knows you are girl of truth. What did your cousin say when you told him you could hot tell false hood?' sTqh ss9 r5Is2s'a6 g4uo' aA sifyfaaf
 He said he shouldn't think Id betray him to his death.' ',;g-.e .,ls :.i 4 +isdi 9, isIf saaj And then you promised him that you would not telf which way he went, if you was killed for it?'a .5e9sai Yisa4aEs9 .saasf79flo h4ai8s}s L. tYes. sir s .. ,+;,ysearf, ygats s,,,. ,..F746s 1 That was brave speech i; and so, I suppose
 he thanked you for 1t, and ran down the road as quickly as possibles' s'j saft st 31 .y'saaaEg l l promised not to tell where he went, sir.,5
 .Oh yes forgot. Well tell us his, lasi
 words, and we won't trouble you any more.' Y
 His last words were, It's my only chance
 child, and I'll get down as you say.' And over
 come by the fright, and the sense of her kins
 mans danger, should they rightfully interpre the language which she had reported, she sob
 bed aloud, and hid her face from sight. ss
 l Her tormentors did not stay any longer tt cnnthn or nuasf,on hor 1bo,, had rro+. as tho,