The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1862-01-16

along to the orchard gate, slipped
through, and was soon lost sight Of amid
the thick trees.
Not word was said in Susa's pres
ence about her Offering that night; but
at the breakfast table next morning, her
father told her that Mr.. Tinker had
been over TO offer to send one of his
sheep in place Of hers. Il was the same
old man who had spoken to her about
Nebby on the way from church. and
whom she had suspected of sinister m .
tivcs.
"Good old mani" she exclaimed. with
a quivering lip; 81 am ashamed, because
| thought so hard Of him"
Then she frankly confessed what feel.
ings possessed her when he praised her
lamb. But she would not allow him to
redeem Nebby. He was n poor man,
whose children were obliged to 90 out
to work, and she knew he could not af-
ford it. She had given the lamb, and
she would not take it back; for whom
Susa had made up her mind there was
no shrinking from its decision of right;
and then, the minister's children we're
every one as staunch patriots as their
father.
Every member of the family, except
little black Kate, approved the ohild's
sacrifice. She stamped and screamed,
and pulled away at her stout tow frock
with vigor which would have been
destruction to modern fabric. when
she heard that Neb, her own pet as well
as Miss Susa's, was to he driven awav
to Boston.
"Massa Whites folks only got one
little heap on EN-. Ole Wobetic Noun.
tain all alive wild 'em-good enuf sheen.
too, to be eaten. They wanted Neb thar
own sef ~
But though Kate's demonstration
sorely affected the children, not voice
was heard pleading for their dumb fa-
vorite.
"Never mind about it, Susa," said
her brother Dyer. "I'll catch a rabbit
for you this fall, when I 60 a nutting,
and gray squirrel too. We can keen
them in the house all winter, and feed
them on walnuts. Molly has promised
to learn me how to fire gun, and in
two years more l shall be fourteen.
then, if the British don't look out. /
shall be after them. I mint coward
Susa. Hurrah for liberty Never mind
a sheep. I'd send the Boston folks a
dozen of 'em, because 1 like their
spunk."
Before noon the farmers came driy.
ing in their focks, and the volunteers
were ready for their long march. Two
hundred and fifty eight sheep-a noble
offering from one small country town
Susa Whites lamb was conspicuous
amid the flock, for his white coat had
been carefully washed that morning.
for the last time, at the wooden trough
beside the well, and garland of green
leaves was fastened around his neck.
"That's the way the old heather used
to dress up their victims, Susa," said
her brother, 81 don't know about
fathers letting a Christian sheep 90 off
in that shape"
Bat Parson White found no fault with
the garland; he thought only of the al
tar on which the victim was to be laid.
All the children in the village follow
ed the flock up the eastern hill, very
proud of the donation, and prouder of
tho Young heroes who accompanied it
the first volunteers for freedom. Susa
White was with them, feeling very m uch
like crying for Nebby, until she saw her
little schoolmate, Sallie Lincoln, brave.
ly trying to say cheerful "good bye"
to her brother.
In about two weeks the Boston stage
brought grateful message to the citi-
zens Of Windham for their ready aid
and sympathy. Theirs was tho earliest
donation from Connecticut-thee earli-
est, save one, beyond the colony of Mas.
sachusetts.
Mr.. Bancroft has made honorable
mention of the fact in his "History of
the American Revolution;" but as tho
honOrs have nowhere been chronicled,
we offer to tho public the above tradi-
ton of Susa Whites Cosset.