Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1876-08-02
Hannah Arnett'S Faith.
A CENTENNIAL STORY.

hearts of our grandfahers were weighed
down with doubt and despOndency. De
feat had followed defeat for the American
army, until the troops had become demor-
allied, and discourage cement had well nigh
become despair. Lord CORVALLIS, after
his victory at Fort Lee, hal marched his
army TO EliZlbcthtown December. l776)
where they were now encamped. On the
80 of November the brothers Howe had
issued their celebrated proclamation,
which offered protection to all who. within
sixty days should declare themselves
peaceable British subjects, and bind them
selves to neither take up arms against their
sovereign. nor encourage others 20 do SO.
1t WIS to discuss the advisabiity Of ac-
cep,iny this offered protection that i group
of men had met in one of the large Old
houses of which Elizabcthtown was a,
that time full.
We are apt to think of those old times
AS days of unmitig,ted loyalty and cour-
age; of our ancestors rs unf;,lteriny heroes.
Swerviny never in the darkest hours from
the narrow and thornv path which con
science btde them tread Yet humln nl-
ture Is human nature in all ages, and if AT
times the old-f,shioned fire burned low,
even in manly hearts. and profound dis
courayemcnt pal>ied for a time the most
! ardent courage, what are we that we
should wonder ut or condemn them OF
this period DR.. A>hbel Green wrote:
| =" heard Il man of some shrrv,lnr>-
once say that when the British troops over
ran the State of New Jersey, in the closing
part of the Year 1876, the whole popul,-
ton could have been bought lpr eighteen
| pence per head.
|
The debate was long and grave; some
were for accepting the offered terms At
once; others hung back Il liulr, but All
had II length agreed that it was the only
hing 10 be done. Hope, courage. LOYALTY.
faith. honor-:ll seemed swept away upon
The great flood of ptnic which hat over
spread the Land. There WAS one listener
however, of whom the eager di>pu.ant>
Were ignorant, one 10 whose heart the Wis.,
reasoning WAS Very far from carrying
con> ictIon. Mrs Arnett the wife OF the
host was IN the next room. AMI the sound
If the debate had reached her where she
sat Sic had listened in silence until, car
ried away 10y her feelings. She could brAl
no more. and >pringing /" her feet >h,
opened the paror door and confronted tn,
assembled group.
Can you fancy the scene 4 large low
n l
uiiure of the period dimlv lighted hv III,
tail WAN candles and the wood tire whcl
hlazeI in the hug tlrc-place. Around I'll,
table the group OF men, pallli. gloomy
detected, di>hcnrtrnrd. In the doorwa,
he figure of the woman. in lhc antql,
costume with which, in tHc>e latter days
We have become 80 familiar. Can Vot
not fancy the proud ppi,e Of her head. til,
litrltt .,f IA, IA
clear tones Of her voice, the mti,>ty an,
lrt nee and >corn which cIo;nci her A.
garment
The men All started up at her entrance
The sight of :, ghost coull hardly hay,
CAUSED more perturb .tion than did that @
This little woman. Her husband advance
, hastily She had no business here; a wu
man >hould know her place and Keep il
] Questions Of politics and political c>(,c,li
cncv were not for them; but hc woul,
-hi,l Id her a i,r ;,> p <~iblc. point out III
mpropriciy Of her conduct afterwards
: when they should be alone 50 he wen
quick Y up to her with 4 warming whisper
+. Hannah llAnn,h this is no place TO
Won. We do not want Won here just now .
n and would have taken her hand to lea
her from the room.
She WAS a dovilr li.tle woman. an
obrvrl hi> wishes with nj 4 word; hu
t now il seemed ts if shr scarcely >lN him
* with one hand She pushed him GENT
{ back and turucd 10 The >taItlcd groIp.
Have vou made Your decision, -entl,
!, men? size asked Have You chose
The part of men or traitors
!, 1t Was putting the question To" br"adl
: 80 ke :, woman. seeing only the bare
ugly fAc,s. and quite forgetting the Iclicat
. druprrv which WAS intended to veil them
5 II WAS IN :tw hward position II pat thtl
in, and they stammercl and bunylcd ovt
: fhcir answer rs men in 4 false po~ltlu
will. The reply came At last, minyle
n with explanations and excuses and arol,
= -e>
!, Quite hopeless, absurd for a starving
hnll-clothed. uudi>cpllnel army like ON
l. to attempt to compete with n country wiz
|, EnylandS unlimited resources. RcpulSc
everywhere ruined throwing away Iii
- and fortune for = >hlduw-you know III
:. old arguments with which men try 10 pl @
+ :. staggering conscience.
i. Mrs Arnrtt listened in silence until III
last ahject word was spoken Then =
inquired simply; But what if we >houl
\ live after all
! The men looked At each other, bat Il
one spoke.
N "II,nnlh, Hannah urged her liu>bln'
y DO you not see that these are no question
for vou? We are discussing what is be
:, for Us. for Won. for all. Go to your spin
'c min. wheel and leave us to settle affair
- My rool little wif,'. you are making you
X self ridicul"u> DO not expose Not,rsc
/ in this WAY before your fricn +.
y His words passed her ear Ike the i'll
: wind; not even the culver of IN cN"la>
le shove! t!iat She heard them.
N Can v"u no; tell me? she said, III II
II same strangely quiet voice, If, after al
III God does not let the light pcr~h-if Anne
- ict should WIN in the contest, after yo
1T have thrown yourself upon British Glen
le ency. where will you be then?
- "Tnen?' spoke one hesitatinG volc
e. '.Whv. then. if it ever could be. we shou
tn be ruined We must leave the COUNT
T. forever. But it is absurd to think of su,
C. Il thing. The struggle is an utterly hop
a less one We haye no men, no money, !
n. arms, no food, and England has cvcr
IN thing"
Be no. said Mrs Arnctt: "yol have 70
Il gotten one thing which England has ne
he and which we have-onc thing which on
Us weighs all England's trcasurcs-and tn
~ is, the Right, God is on our side, an e
t. cry vollcy from our muskets is an eel
of His voice. We are poor and weak ~
de few; but God is iyhling for Us. We e
cd tered into this struggle with pure hear
IN and prayerful lips. We had counted Il
tie cost and We're willing to pay the pric
ty were it our hearts blood; and nOw-nO'
re because for I; time the day is going again
or us. you would give up all and sneak 5ac
W. like cr;,vens. to kiss the feet that ha
ut trampled upon us. And you call you
is selves men-the sons Of those who ga
g up home and fortune and fatherland
ed make for themselves and tor dear liber
ed Il resting place in the wilderness. .
IL shame upon you, cowards'"
nd Her words had rushed out in fie
ed flood, which her husblnd had vainly strl
in, en- to check | do not know how MI
le- Arnett looked. but fancy her little W
lis man with kindly blue eyes and delica
he featnres-a tender and loving little so
r b.,