The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-04-28
SELECT STORY.
A CENTENNIAL STORY.
By J. II. WOODBURY..

the volne soon enough find out The
LONGER we live the shorter seem the
years
i great dea! has happened in that
hundred 7ears; not the least Of which is
-you and have been born. Very few
in the world know that. however. But
great ma.y more important things
though they can hardly be more impor-
tant IL us-have happened you know as
wei As ]. so / need not mention them.
Eut as it is not likely that yon have ever
heard how David Allen went to war,
will tell ION about that.
Dav d was the son of deacon who
had been bles=eG-a= the good old man
would have it-with four other sons and
seven daughters; and it was not very
large family for those times. There were
only three millions of people in the
whole thirteen colonies then; so II does
seem that, if they counted all the chill
iren, there could not have been great
many old folks However that may have
been, of all the deacon's twelve, David
was the only one left at home in the fall
of1775 because he was the youngest. The
others were all married and gone away,
save two: and those two had been for
more than twenty years in brighter
and better home, the father and mother
both believed.
David was seventeen Ever since the
g. L. In 70
him to remain at home; he longed to go
and help drive out the British, he said;
but his father hardly thought that such
boy as he could really be in earnest in
such a matter. David loves to talk"
the old man used to say to his wife,
"but I guess, after all, he wouldn't really
care to GO" The father did not know
his boy so well az he thought he did; Tor
one day, late in the fall, when they were
making some repairs on the sheep rick
near the barn-you must know that the
deacon was a David said to him
Don't you think, father you could
get along without me, this winter
The father stopped his work and look
ed at David thoughtfu!ly. "Do you want
to 90 away?'' he asked, at length.
"I would like to join the army, faith
er."
You join the army, David? Why,
you are only a boy!"
"But you say can do mans work,
father"
"Ay, on Il farm; but did not mean in
the army. They need men there"
Davids Young blood was mp. eff |
can do mans work anywhere | can do
it in the army, father! / can hit squir-
rel as far as any man who has gone from
these parts!"
"Like enough, David; you are a good
shot, I'll allow; but red coats amt squir
rels, you know!
"But I could help drive them out"
said David, more calmly. They need
more men to take the place Of those who
are going home. 1t seems as if might
20, father, this winter. ! wouldn't think
of staying any longer, of course"
"You had better ask your mother,
David, and see what she thinks about it"
And the deacon resumed his work as #
he had no more to say.
The very fact that David had spoken
in such way was proof enough to the
deacon that David had decided to go.
Therefore his heart grew heavy, for he
felt that he must lose even his last child,
for a time. at least.
When they went into the house, after
completing their work, David spoke to
his mother, when his father was not near.
81 don't know, mother, but shall join
the army; I've been talking with father
about it."
David" said she, as soon as she
could recover from her surprise, "do yon
know you are all we have? You wouldn't
go away and leave us?"
''Of course 1 wouldn't, mother, only
to help drive out the red-coats. Some
of the men are going home, you know,
and they need others to take their
place"
az s'pOse we'll have to let him go,
Hannah" said the deacon, who after all
had overheard them. 'He's only a boy,
but / don't know as we ought to try to
keep him at home, if he's willing to 60.
The country needs men and boys, too,
now"
80 David! Oh, my son! did not
think it would come to this But if it is
Gods will, | will not say nay" The
mothers voice, tremhled, and she sat
down to weep.
A week later, David was ready. 1t
was sixty miles to the American camp,
at Cambridge, and he would make the
distance on foot. A pack for his back
had been made ready, containing such
things as he would most need. On the
morning he was to set out the good
mother rose long before day-dawn-hav
ing hardly closed her eyes all through
the long night--to prepare the best
breakfast the farm could afford. The
deacon sat before the fire, that crackled
and blazed so cheerily on the broad
hearth. while his wife went husily about
but he, too, was heavy of heart. When
break fast was Overland except by David
it remained almost untouched-he took
down the Bible from its shelf over the
fire place, and read passages that evi
IDENTIFY expressed in some degree his owr
feelings. Then he knelt, and said. "Ler
us pray"
The prayer seemed to give hin
strength. Rising when it was finished
he said:
"Now, David, it's ;ime to go. YOU
ought to get to Marlboro tonight, anG
it's good forty miles. OF course yor
can't do il by daylight, but you'll have
good moon after the sun sets, and they
are most always mp at Howe's. Never