The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-07-19
t was putting the question too

Ting the dollcate drapery which was
intended to veil them. It was an
wakWard position to be put in. and
they stammered and bungled over their
answer, as men in false position will.
The reply came at last, mingled with
explanations, and excuses, and apOlO.
|gies.
''Quite hopeless; absurd for starv-
ing, half-clothed, undiciplined army
like ours to attempt to compete with
England's unlimited resources. Re-
pulses everywhere ruined;- Throw
ing away life and fortune for a shad-
ow." You know the old arguments
with which men try to prop stagger.
ing conscience. Mrs. Arnett listened
in silence until the last abject word
was spoken. Then she enquired SIM
ply: :But what if we should live af-
ter all!
The men looked at each other, but
no one spoke.
"Hannah Hannah - urged her
husband. ''Do you not see that these
are no questions for you? We are dis.
cussing what is best for you, for all.
Women have no share in these topics.
Go to your spinning wheel and leave US
to settle affairs. My good little wife
you are making yourself ridiculous.
Do not expose yourself in this way be-:
fore our friends
His words passed her ear like the
idle wind no even the culver of an
eyelash showed that she heard them.
'Can you not tell me!'' she said in
the same strangely quiet voice. eff,
after all, God does not let the right
perish--if America should win in the
conflict, after you. have thrown your
self upon British clemency, where will
you be then 60
"Then p spoke one hesitating voice.
why, then, if it ever could be, we
should be ruined. We must leave
the country forever. But it is absurd
to think Of such q thing. The strug-
gle is an utterly hopeless one. We
have no men, no money, no arms, no
food, and England has everything"
''No,' said Mrs. Arnett; 'syou have
forgotten one thing which England
has not and which we have,-one thing
which outweighs all England's treas
ures, and that is the Right. God is on
our side, and every volley from our
muskets is an echo of His voice. We
are poor and weak and few; but God
is fighting for us! We entered into his
struggle with pure hearts and prayer
full lips. We had counted the cost and
were willing to pay the price, were it
our hearts blood. And now-now,
because for time the the day is going
against u.s. you would give up all and.
sneak back, like cravens, to kiss the
feet that have trampled upon us And
you call yourselves men-the sons of
those who gave up home and fortune
and fatherland to make for themselves
ald for dear liberty a resting place in
the wilderness Oh, shame upon you,
towards -
Her words had rushed out in a fiery
flood, which her husband had vainly
striven to check. do not know how
Mrs. Arnett looked, but fancy her
little fair woman, with kindly blue
eyes and delicate features-a tender
and loving little soul, whose scornful,
blazing words must have. seemed to
her amazed hearers, like inspired fury
of pythoness. Are we not all proph.
cts at times-prophets Of good or evil,
according to our bent, and with more
power than we ourselves suspect, to
work out the fulfllment of our own
prophesies. Who shall say how far
this fragile woman aided to stay the
wave of desolation which was spread.
ing over the land!
"Gentlemen, said good Mr.. Arnett
uneasily, Il beg you to excuse this
most unseemly interruption to our
council. My wife is beside herself, l
think. You all know her, and know it
is not her wont to NEEDLE with poll
tics, or to brawl and buster. To-mor-
row she will see her folly, but now I
pray your patience"
Already her words had begun to stir
the slumbering manhood in the bosoms
of those who heard her. Enthusiasm
makes it's own fitting times.
No one replied; each felt too keenly
his own pettiness, in the light cast up.
on them by this brave wOman's words.
"Take your protection, if you will,'
she went on, after waiting in vain for
a reply. 'Proclaim yourselves trait
Ors and towards, false to your God,
but horrible will be the Judgment you
will bring upon your heads and the
heads of those that love you. 1 tell
you that England will never conquer.
I know it and feel it in every fibre of
my heart. Has God led us 80 far to
desert us now!, Will He who led our
fathers across the stormy winter sea
forsake their children who have put
their trust in him! For me, stay
with my country, and my hand shall
never touch the hand nor my heart
cleave to the heart Of him who shames
her,