Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-07-20
HANN.AH'S FAITH.

weighed down with doubt and dos
pondency. Defeat had followed defeat
for the American troops, until the ar
my had become demoralized, and dis.
enlargement had well nigh become
despair. Lord CORVALLIS, after his
victory ut Fort Lee. had marched his
army to- ElizabethtOwn December,
1879, where they were now, encamped
Howe had issued their celebrated pro.
clamation, which offered protection to
all who within sixty days should de-
clare themselves peaceablc British
subjects, and bind themselves neither
to take up arms against their Sovc-
reign nor to encourage others to do SO.
1t was to discuss the ACCESSIBILITY of
accepting this protfered protection that
group Of men had met in one of the
large old houses Of which Elizabeth
town was. ut that time. full.
We are apt to think of those old
times as days Of unmitigated loyalty
and courage; of our ancestors US UNI
faltering heroes, swerving never in
the darkest hours from the narrow and
thorny path which conscience babe
them tread.
Yet human nature is human nature
in all ages and. if at times the ::old-
fashioned fire" burned low even in
manly hearts, and profound discour.
agement palsied for time the ardent
courage, what are we that we should
wonder at or c ondemn them! OF this
period Dr.sAshbel Green wrote:
Il heard q man OF some ShrewdnesS
once say that when the British troops
Overrun the State of New Jersey, in
the closing part of the year l7776. the
whole population could have been
bought for Is pence a head
The debate was. long and grave.
Some were for accepting the offered
terms at once: others hung back Il
little, but:ll had at length agreed that
it was the only thing to be done.
Hope, courage, loyalty. faith. honor
all seemed swept away upon
the flood of panic which had over
spread the land. There was one
listener, however. of whom the eager
disputants were ignorant, one to whose
heart their wise reasoning WIS very
far from carrying conviction. Mrs.
Arnett, the wife of the host. was in
the next room, and the sound of the
debate had reached her where she SIT.
She had listened in silence. until, car
ried away by her feelings. she could
bear no more, and springing to her
feet, she pushed open the parlor door
and confronted the assembled group.
Can You fancy the scene! \ large.
low room, with the dark, heavily
carved furniture Of the period. dimly
lighted by the tall wax candles and
the wood fire which blazed in the huge
fireplace. Around the table. the
group Of men.--palid. gloomy. defect
ed. disheartened. In the doorway the
figure Of the woman. in the antique
costume with which. in these latter
days, we have become so familiar.
Can you not fancy the proud poise of
her head, the indignant light of her
blue eyes, the crisp. clear tones of her
voice. the majesty. and defiance, and
scorn WHICH clothed her asa garment +!
The men all Started up at her en-.
trance; the sight of a ghost could hard
~ have caused more perturbation than
did that Of this little woman. Her
husband advanced hastily. She had
no business here; a woman should
know her place, and keep it. Cues
lions Of politics and political expedi-
ency were not for them; but he would
shield her as far rs possible, and point
out the improperly of her conduct af-
terwerds, when they should be alone.
So he went quickly to her with awarn-
ing whisper:
Hannah! Hannah this is no place
for you. We do not want you here
just now;'' and would have taken her
by the hand to lead her from the
room. s.I ~
She was docile little woman and
obeyed his wishes without word: but
now it seemed as if she scarcely saw
him, as with one hand she pushed him
gently back and turned to the startled
group.
slave you made your decision,
gentlemen ~! She asked, @'haye you
chosen the part Of men, or Of trait.
ors!
1t was putting the question too
broadly,-so like !. woman seeing only
the bare, ugly facts, and quite forget
ting the delicate ~drapery which was
intended TO- yell them. It was an
wakward position to be put in, and
they stammered and bungled over their
answer, as men in a false position will.
The reply came at last, mingled with
explanations, and excuses, and apollo
gies.
''Quite hopeless; absurd for a starry.
ing, half clothed, undiciplined army
like ours to attempt to compete with
England's unlimited resources. Re.
pulses Observation-Disclosures
ing away life and fortune for a shad.
ow." You know the old arguments
with which men try to prop stagser-
ing conscience. Mrs. Arnett listened
in silence until the last albeit word
was spoken. Then she enquired sim.
ply: ''But what if we should live az
ter all :" +s&s -
The men looked at each other, but
no one spoke. = -
Hannah Hannah J" urged her
husbands: s<DO You not see that these
are no questions for You! We are dis.
cussing what is best for you, for all.
Women have no share in these topics.
Go to your spinning wheel and leave us
to settle affairs. My good little wife,
you are making yourself ridiculous.
Do not expose yourself in this way be.
fore our friends
His words passed hdl car likesthe
idle winlsno ten tie quiver Of al
eyelash Showed that she heard them.
'Can you not tell me!" she said in
the same strangely quiet voice. eff,
after all, G0lxdOes not let the right
perish--if America should win in the
conflict, after you have thrown your
self upon British clemency, where will
you be then i',. .F.sy
Then 7" spoke one hesitating voice.
why, then, if it ever could be, we
should bes ruined We must leave
the country forever. But it is absurd
to think Of such a thing. The strng-
gle is an utterly hopeless one. We
have no men, no money, no arms, no
food, and England has everything