Weekly Trinity journal., 1876-07-08
HANNAH ARNETTS FAITH.
A CENTENNIAL ST ny.

~ Nt-N ! e. y ~ IL al IA I.
Tn" days were at their dr lir,t, nnd
the hearts Of our grrndothcjs We g
weighed down with dru,t aud de- pnn.
dency. D..rat followed dc.cat for the
American toops, untl the army had he-
come armonli1cd, and Encouragement
had we'll nigh hccome despair Lord
Comwnlli., after hi, >ic,ory Mt Fort
Lee, bad marched his army to Elizabeth
town (Dcc'mhor l776L whore they nov
were cocomped. On the seth Of Nov
ember the brothers Howe had issued
their celebrated proclamation, which OF
Tered protection tc all who, within sky
days, should declare themselves praceable
British subjects, and bind thcm.etvcs
neither to take uparms against their soy
erelgn, nor to encourage others to do 80.
II WAS to discuss The advisabiity Of ac-
ccpling this offered protection that II
group OF men had met in one Of til large
old houses Of which ElilabethtoNu was
nt that time full.
We are apt to think OF those old times
as days ofunmitg gated loyalty and c,ur-
age; OF our nce,tors n uunltering he
roe, sWcrving never, in the darkest
hour-, from the narrow aud thoruv path
which cou-cieuce bade them t,eu /. Yet
human nature is human nature in all
nt1 ~ 4 Ia. 1 II
burned low even in many hearts, aud
profound disbursement pllsicd tor II
time the most u dent courage, wlAt are
we that we should wondernt or condemn
them ? Oh that period Dir. AshbeI Green
wrote:
g | hrnld man Of some shrewdncss
one -ay that when the British troop. ov-
ermu ihe State ot New Jo sry, in the
closing pp,t Of the year 177G, the whole
popolajion could have been bought for
eighteen pence hcnd."
The debate WA. long and grave Some
we1o for accepting the offered terms ut
once; others hung back II little, bat all
had mt length agreed that it was the on
ly thing 10 be done. Hope, courage,
loyalty, faith, honor-all seemed swept
away upon the great food OF panic which
had overspread the band. There was
one listener, however, OF whom the cng-
G. disputHut, were ignorant, one To whp o
heat their wise reasoning was very far
from carrying conviction. Mrs. Anet,,
the wife Of the host, was in the next
loom, ard the sound o. the debate had
reached her whore She sat. She had
listened in silence, until, carried owny
ty her feeling, she c,d,d bear 10 more
and ,p.n4ns to her feet, She pushed
open the paror door and confronted the
the assembled group.
Can you fancy the scche? A large,
low room, with the dark, heavily carved
furniture OF The period, dimly lighted by
the tai wax candies and the wood fire
Which hlazcd in the huge fireplace. r
Around the table the group oi meu--
palid, gloomy, detected, dl-hca icurd.
In the doorway the figure nj the wumnu,
in the antique costume with which il
these lajttr day We have hccpmr % IA
miIur. Can you not inucy the proud
p,.e of hand, The ind gnant light .. her
blue eyes, lhe Grip, clear tones Of her
voice, The IN j'~ty ana defiance and scoln
winch clothed hcros II garment?
The men all started up ut hrr eutlarcr;
The sight ola gh1,. could hardly have
caused more perlubation than did that
of thi. llrte woman. Her husband nd
vanc,d hastily. She had no business
here woman should know her pipcp
aud keep it. Question. Of po.itics aud
political exprdlcucy we're not lor them
bat he would shield her as far a. pos
sibIe, and point out the impropfiety Of
her clnducta.terwaid-, when ihey -hau.d
be alone. SO he went quietIy up to hsr
wiki Il warning whisper;
Hannah Hannah this is no place
for you. We do not want you here ju-t
now:" and would have taken her hand
to lead her fron the room.
She was dociIe little woman, and
obey ed his wishes in general without II
word; but now it seemed a. if she scarce
IS saw him, as with one hand she gently
pushed him back and turned To the star
tied group.
Have you made your decision, gen
tlcmen ?" ,he asked. Have you cho-
sen the part Of men or of traitors %
It was putting the question too broadly;
so lie II woman, seeing only the bare,
ugly facts, and quite forgetting the del
icate dppery which was intended towel
them. 1t was an awkward position 10
put them in, and they stanimered and
bungled over their answer, as men IN Il
false position will The reply came 1T
last miagled with explanations, and eX-
cuses and apologies.
quite hopeless; absurn for a starving,
half clothed, undiscip ined army like ours
to attempt to complete with IL country
with England's unlimited resources. Re