Ellsworth American., 1876-07-06


Martha Moplton never wore SO brilliant
Il color on her aged cheeks as at that mo-
meut She felt bitter shame at the ruse she
had attempted, but silver spoons were prec-
ious, and to escape the smile that went
around at Major Pitciarns words, she was
only too glad TO 20 again to the well and
dip SLOWLY the high, over-hanging sweep
into the cool, clear, dark depth below.
During this time the cold, frosty morn
ing spent itself into the brilliant, shining
| noon.
You know what happened at Concord
on that 18th of April In the year l715.
You have been told the story how the men
OF Acton met and resisted the kings troops
at the old North Bridge. how brave Cap
| tain Davis and minute-man Hosmer fell,
| how the sound OF their falling struck down
to the very heart of mother earth, and
caused her to send forth her brave sous to
cry Liberty, or Death!
And the rest of the story; the sixty or
more barrels Of -four that the kings troops
found and struck the heads from, leaving
the flour III condition to be gathered again
J at nightfallthe arms aud powder that they
destroyed, the houses they burned; all
these are they not recorded in every child's
history In the land2
/ While these things were going on, for a
briet while, ut midday, Marta Moulton
found her home deserted. She had net
/ forgotten poor, suffering ,irrate Uncle John
in the regions above, and so,tae very min
ute she had the chance, she made a strong
cup OF catnip tea (thc real tea, you know
was brewing In Boston harbor).
She turned the buttons, and, with bit
/ OF trembling al her heart. such as she had
not felt all day, she ventnred up stairs,
/ bearing steamin.' peace-otfcring before her
. F4.ta hn Ttf fha
sharp thorns and twinges Of his old enemy
4 and IN no frame of mind to receive any
/ oNerturcs in the shape of catnIp tea; new
7 erth'lcs he was watching, as well as lie
| was able, the motions OF the enemy. As
\ >hr drew near he cried out:
"LnoA out this window. and see! Much
v yood all your schemng will do yoH,'
She obeyed his command to look, and
v the >-ht She then saw caused her to let
/ taIi The cup ot cLtnip tea and rush down
[ the stairs. wrin.ing her hands as She went
Z aud crSiI. out:
-.On, dear. what shall DO? The house
VIII burn aud the box up garrct. Every
I things lost
Major Pitcairn. ut that moment, was on
\ Tile .ycpn IN front ut her door. giving or
+ drt,.
Forgetting the di.nlhrd part She intend
4 yI to play, forgetting every thing but the
T supreme danger that was lowering IN mid
( AR over her home the Old house wherein
! she hai been bonn, ana the only home sne
AnI ever auowu->hc rushed out upon tn"
green, ainld tne troops, and surrounded by
/ cavalry. aud made ucr Way TO Major Pit.
earn.
The Cnurt-Mou>e is on fire" she cried.
7 laying her hand upoH tile commander, arm.
I He turned and looked at her. Major
I Pitcairn hAI recently learned that the task
hr had bcru set - do IN the provincial
/ towns that dIy was not an easy one; that,
4 when hard pressed and lIodIcn down the
J d.-pi-,d rus ics. IN homc-,pun dress, could
. -tln. even English soldiers, and thus il
happened that. when he iclt the t"nch OF
Mother Mouitou'> plump little oh fingers
+ uu hi military sleeve. he was not M the
4 pleasant humor that he had been, when
. Jhc same hand hah m'nistcred 70 MS hun-
.cr ia the early morning
wei. what 81 IN Let It buu. We
won't hart SOU, if you 20 n,"c house and
stay there"
She turucd aud glanced up AZ the court
house Already flames were issuing from
il. Go In the house and let il burn, in
deed" thought She. lie knows me. don't
he? Oh, sir for the love OF Heaven, won't
/ you stop il" she said, entreatingly.
Run i'll tile house, good mother. That
/ /, wise woman. he advised.
Down III Her heart, and as the very out
come of lip and brain she wanted To say,
. ,y"n .,,.,,ip,, mother me. Won muir lerouS
+ ,.,.rl.r y nm, remembering everything that
was Al stake, She crushed her wrath and
buttDucd it in a. clusrly aS She had Uncle
7 John behind tie door III the morning and
AGAIN, with swift gcutIcLt>S, laid her hand
I on hi> arm.
lie turned and looked At her. Nexed at
,.r ,aura AMI extremely auuowed 1T
;,.il;.,..,..,. tI,at b,l iu.t reached him from
H.. T,rfh KriI.r H. said imperiou~lv
/ 10, ,,,,,,., ~, yn1,'ll he trodL-n down hy
~. bnr..s'
- '.',,,', ,,,,. .b.. cried cI,.nipo his arm
.,,I c'ir,, .,;n,,r,,,n # II h-r frenzy or cx
'., ''',' ,,',' .nE .Inn ,,,. tir. onirL nuirL =,
,,r me-. I,o,.. vsiIl ,,irn',
- jo,..',., ti,,. n, n,,t otIt your fire. he
- |',.l...-l, .h,Linr Inn,.. from her
"'l,,,.,,,', Il, ,,,.t ,,.....u,,,,.r viii,
'''''' '''''
p..,, Il,,l... .,,,.,..rr Nhat .nlld sh,. do !?
,i.i,,., ,,I IIba ~, ur,.v
i,',,,,',,..- ,.r..,.';,,, on, iu, nm, nm,
- t ,...I.r,t. r.t,c,,s .du,.
i ,,.L,l,. ..r,I CbYt vas xhat Il
.,...i.., ,,,i...r,. III il ,u H.
''7'' ,,tt. /, ..,,I,,,,,,, ,,,,,n,,, .,ro,.
,'''.,,.,'l, ,''.h.t M, snd Iown tho
.Is.r.., ,r,, ,i-rai, and
,.,., t,,,r,.,,,', =, md fro tor nails of water
','' ~, til t III,
20 ''.,P P"' Pit, :, ,,',,,, ,h, I;,,l. yo,r,r did
,,,,,.rl,, ,,a.arr.J .ha was
~ ""V" - st,, ran ~ L.r houSe
!" ;Is ;II'l ,,.,,, ..;rh Greater
b. ~ a,,'r dra,n wafer he.
t"s.e ''d "a ra,,rGIass of I,ncIe John,s I'M
Ioi ~ ,'.. riaa ,I,o,r .ar,h ono IN ei.
H.. L.,,I ~. ,ar.r drinnin,, c,rclessIy
down the side brrAdths OF her fair silk
Gown. her silyerv curls tossed and tumbled
In white confusion her pleas SAINT lace aflame
with eagerness. and her clear eyes suiiused
with tears.
Thus equipped with facts and feeling, she
once more appeared TO Major Pitcairn.
Have yon "A mother in old Englandy 2
she cried If 81. for her sake stop this fire.
Her words touched his heart.
.Audif do? he answered.
Then your iohnny-cake on my hearth
won't burn up She said with quick little
smile, adjusting her cap.
Major Pitcairn laughed. aud two soldiers,
T at his command, seized the pals and made