Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-09-22

robes, packed away n the high case o.
drawers in the spare chamber, and rolled
about on the grass in simple slips of lin
sey-woolsey. - ..-o.
While the children were playing about
happy and needless, many grave, cares
occupied the household. II was sum.
mer of many alarms and anxieties. The
seat of war had been transferred from
Boston to New York, and forces were
marshaling for desperate conflict. Com.
pany after company mustered and
marched forth to the Continental army,
and still more men were demanded, as
different points we're threatened. The
militia of Eastern Connecticut were sum
moned successfully to New London, to
Rhode Island, to Long Island, and to the
vicinity Of New York These various
calls kept our Lieutenant upon the march
the greater part of the summer, and
through the dark September days follow
ing the retreat from Long Island His
regiment was then at the front, flying
discounted before the advancing British.
Brothers and friends were cut down by
his side or hurried off to the fatal prison
ship. Whole companies were stricken
with disease, so that scarcely man was
MT for duty. Yet the distress at home
was even greater, If possible, than at the
camp. The whole charge of house, farm,
and business, of helpless age and in.
fancy, fell upon the mistress of the
household. Anxiety for absent husband
and friends and for the safety of the
patriot cause and army made these bur-
dens still heavier. Letters from the camp
brought only evil tidings. The Captain
of their company had fallen dead in the
retreat from Manhattan Island, and
friends and neighbors had been slain.
Others were suffering from wounds and
sickness, and "no mercy shown them"
The Continentals were retreating from
point to point, the British hotly pursu-
ing and closing around them, and any
day might witness their utter defeat and
annihilation. The forts upon the Hudson
were in danger and all Western Connect
| icut open to invasion. With anxious
hearts the wife and grandmothers dis
cussed these terrible prospects and
waited further developments. But the
next day and the next brought no tidings
whatever. There were no mails and
telegraphs, with daily communications,
and no chance messenger appeared for
many days. The whole neighborhood
shared the suspense and anxiety. Every
able bodied man had gone into service.
| Every household had its anxious women,
who, while caring for their homes and
| gathering the autumn harvest, wearied
themselves with vain conjecture. What
marvel that chance report should throw
them all into panic? News came that
their own neighborhood was threatened -
that Tories north and south of them
had risen, and, with Dudley's Pay
gar Indians and Malbone's murder
GUS negroes, were marching straight
upon them, burning and slaughtering
| everything before them. Well might
a company of decrepit men and helpless
women quail at such tidings. 1.-THE
Tories are comingl" "The Tories are
comingm was their Mortified cry. 1t was
madness to think of withstanding such
an onset; so the panic. stricken neighbors
at The Corner decided to leave their
homes Immediately and take refuge in a
dismal swamp. An eager boy brought
the news to our friends at the Great Elm
tree. Great as was the shock, our Lieuten-
ants wife was not overwhelmed by it.
She was not one to run at the first report
of danger. Children and old people,
house and goods were in her hands, and
she would stand by them to the last and
do what she could to defend them. Send
ing boy for the bullet-molds, she built
up rousing fire in the huge kitchen fire.
place, filling it with great iron and brass
kettles and every iron implement that
could be mustered, and announced her
intention of meeting the enemy with
scalding water and red-ho irons. Grand
mother, with her Calvinistic faith and
ninety years, was equally resolute, quiet
ly responding, as she settled back into
her chimney corner: If am to be killed
by the Tories tonight, why then shall
be. So I'll cen stay with Becky" Little
George and the other children must have
delighted in the clamor and clatter, the
great roaring fire, the bullet-running, the
sharp-shooting and skirmishing with af-
frighted neighbors. "Tell Becky" said
the swamp-seekers, that hot irons will
never do for the British" In spite of her
heroic example, they hurried off to the
place of refuge. "Thithter," pleaded
poor old lame Asa, as he hobbled along
:" Thithter, I've forgot my plathter,"
" Hurry up, Asa. You'll never want a
plaster again in this world, replied the
comforting sister. The swamp, when
reached, was so damp, moist and un-
pleasant that all could join with one dis
consulate granny in her fervent ejacula-
ton: ''pd give wedge of goold as big
as my foot for one good dram"
One other family remained TRANQUILITY
at home, ready to meet whatever might
befall il. Good Deacon G.. had gone
with his four eldest sons to the battle,
leaving family and farm in charge of the
fifth son, youth of seventeen. He was
stout young fellow, and could handle
musket as we'll as any lad but his
trust was not in carnal weapons. Hot
irons and cold swamps he thought were
but vain things for safety 1t was
household of the true-blue puritan type,
which had baptized each child when it
was eight days old, and kept the Sab
bath from sunset to sunset in strictest
sanctity. Children of the Abrahamic
Covenant, why should they fear? Young
Joseph went calmly on with his days
work, after hearing the tidings, (" did the
nightly chores" and then, calling the
family together for the usual evening
worship, read comforting words in the
old Bible, brought from Dedham, and
"led" in prayer. Thus stayed and COM
fOrted they passed the night in safety.
Nothing was heard of the expected in
vaders. The morning brought fresh
hope and courage. The weary fugitives
stole home from the swamp and
"Becky's" hot water helped furnish an
early breakfast. In the course of the
day the report was Investigated, and
found to have arisen from trifling affray
in neighboring town, and the frenzied
alarm and panic proved wholly without
occasion. Ridiculous as it was, it had
done good service, diverting the care
worn women from their worries and sur
misses and giving the disheartened sol
diers something to laugh at Those who
fled to the swamp were overwhelmed
with volleys and shafts of ridicule. Their
fright and flight and absurd sayings