The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-03-01
1776-The Altar of Liberty,
BY MRS STOWE.

Dick sprang aud had the table out in
trice with all ABUNDANT c|atter and nut M a.
leaves with quite al air His mother w ink
the silence and gliding motion character;sna
Of her, quietly took out the table cloth ,ni
spread it, and began to set the cups and x,n
GERS in order, and to put on the plates mi
knives, while Aunt Kitty hustled abou, II,
tea.
I'll be glad when the wars over, for Oh.
reason said she. IN pretty much tired #
drinking sage tea 70. one know
Wei, aunt Hitty, how you scodcd tb,
pcllar last week that brought the real tea
TO be sure did. Suppose I'd be takioo
any of MS Old tea, bought OF the British &c
Fling every teacup IN his face frst'
Well mother said Dick, | never exac
ly understood what it was about the tea and
why the Boston folks threw it overboard.
Because there was an unlawful tax lsl]
upon it that the government had 90 righ; IN
pay. 1t wasn't mych in itself, but it was
part 0! u whole System OF oppressive lucas
ures, designed TO take away our rights ana
make US slaves Of a foreign power
Slaves, said Dick strengthening hmse.
proudly. Father slave
But they would not be slaves They saw
clearly where il would all end and they Womb
not begin to submit 10 it in ever 50 lits!e,'
said the mother.
And [ wouldn't if was they >uil Dic,
Desid,s,' SAID his, mother, drawing hin
towards her, 1t wasn't Tor themselves alone
they did it. This is Il great country aad It
will be greater and greater, aud its very in.
portant that it should have tree and eoua
laws, because it will by and by be SO great
This country if it isa free one will be Il hight
OF the world--a city set On u hill that csnnot
be hid, and all the oppressed and dlstressel
from other countries shall come here to eHo;
the equal RICH; and ireelom. lnis, dear boy.
is why your father and uncels have gon: to
fight, and why they do stay and fight, though
God knows what they suffer, and the large
blue eyes Of the mother we're full Of tears, Yet
a strong, bright beam OF pride and cxuIati9a
shone through those tears.
We'll, we'll, Roxy, you can always til,
everybody knows SAID aunt Kitty Who uad
not been the least attentive listener Of this Ii.
tic patriotic haranoue, but you see he ,ta
is getting cod, and yonler sec the sleigh IS
at the door and john has come, so let us set
up our chairs for supper
The chairs were SOON set up, when .ioho,
thc eldest SOD, lad Of about fifteen entered
with letter. There was one general exclam
alton and stretching out OF hands towards it.
John threw it into his mothers lap; the tea
table vas forgotten, and the teakettie sabg
unnoticsd by the fire, as all hand, crowded
about mothers chair to hear the ucNs. 1t
was from Captain Ward, then in the Amer.
can army, at Valley Forge. Mrs. Ward ran
it over hastily, and then read it aloud. A
few words We may extract:
There is still, il is said, much suffering.
have given away every pair Of stocking,
you sent me, reselving to myself only oue;
for I will not BIZ one whit better than the
poorest soldier who fights for his country.-
Poor fellows it makes ny h art ache some.
times to 60 round among them, and see them
with worn clothes, and torn shoes, ana often
bleeding feet, yet cheerful and hopeful, aid
every one willing to do his best. Often the
spirit of Encouragement comes over them,
particularly at ght, when weary, cold, and
hungry, they turn into their comtortcss huts,
Gu the snowy ground Then sometimes there
is u thought Of home, and warm fires and
some speaking Of giving up. But next morn'
ing out comes Washngtons general orders
little short note, but it's wonderful the g0od
it does and they all resolve to hold on, come
what may. There are commissioners going
all through the country to pick up supplies
II they come to you, need not tell you what
to do. [ know all tina, will be in your
hearts.
There, children, see what your father SUI
ters , said the mother, and what it costs the
poor. soldiers to gain our liberty.
'Ephr.im Scranton tod me that the
commissioners had come as tar as the Thres
Miles Tavern, and he rather expec ed theyl
be along here tonight said John, as be WIS
helping round tho baked beans TO the slIea'
company at the tea table.
Tonight ? Do tell now said aunt Hit
II. Then its time we were awake and STIR
rln-: Lets see what can be got
III send my new overcoat for one, SAID
John. That old one isn't cut up yet. Is II
aunt Hitty?'
No, said aunt Kitty, l was laying II
out to cut over next Wednesday, when De,
sire Smith could bc here to do the tal'cr'O:'
There's the South room, said aunt iiIt'y,
musing that bed has the two old aunt