The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-08-24
Our Great -GrandmOther's Story.
BY SARAH B. HOLLY.

$50 thee wants to hear thee grand
mothers tale once more? Aye, aye,
this war talk brings up old memories
that have slum bered for many a
year. Yes, that is a piece of the very
gown 1 wore the day Abiel Wheeler
went to fight so gayly, and came back"
"Well, but grandmother, begin at the
uery beginning, won't yOu?"
"Aye-patience, patience, children.
An old woman must e'en tell story
her own way. This was how it all came
about:
"John Wheeler-AbiePs father, thee
knows-was hard man and grasping.
His lands Joined ours, and he was for
ever 1ndingsome matter to make law
suit about, forever throwing hard words
at my father and doing all he could to
trouble and annoy him. His SONS,
too, were always provoking my broth
ers, Luke and Matthew, till it was all
the dear, patient lads could do to forbear
shifting them. So thee may believe
when we grew up, and Abiel all at once
took to joining me on the way home
from meeting, and leaning over the
fence to talk while l milked my cows, l
was stirred to anger against him, and
turned him off pretty shortly, promise
thee.
'tI was sixteen when the war broke
out, and it was not many months be-
fore there was fighting all around u.s.
Jonathan Shubrick, the Squire, as the
worlds people called him, of our town
ship, raised a troop that carried off half
the young men of the neighborhoOd
and scarcely a month afterward, one
bright August morning, Abiel Wheeler
galloped up to our gate waving his ban
danna, his handsome face all in glow
Luke and 1 were standing in the yard
talking for few moments before he
started for the rye field where my father
and Matthew were already at work.
''Great news, Luke !" Abiel shouted
"The redcoats are within six miles of US
at. Major ShUbrick expects them
to attack every hour. We got the news
by sure hand, and 1 and half dozen
Others are going to have a crack at
them, too. Come, will you join? I've
fOwling piece pll lend We. Spur up
your courage, man, now's your time to
show yourself brave fellow, Quaker or
no Quaker"
"'FOr shame, Abiel Wheeler I
cried. Il wonder thee dares taunt my
brother like that. He is doing his coun-
try as much good, maybe, staying
quietly at home to garner up the food
for the fighting men, as with sword aud
gun in hand, taking the lives God gave
and doing the work of BeliaI in the
name of liberty = And here L stopped
to draw breath, and l know my eyes
flashed with anger, for he laughed out
right-that merry, provoking laugh of
his.
"'Well done, pretty Ruth p he ex-
claimed. You have spirit enough hid
den away under that plain little ker-
chief and cap of yours But like We
none the worse for it, and so fare ye
well. Shall bring ye home the gayest
flag the redcoats are sporting now for a
First Day handkerchief? Here, plI
give you token that I'll keep my word
and so saying, the saucy fellow leaned
from his horse q was standing close by
the gate) and Kissed me! l could have
killed him! And Luke darted forward
with furious look, but he had galloped
of, waving his three-corner cred hat as he
glanced gaily back at us. Twas like
Abiel. l had known him since we were
babies, to be sure-but to dare
"Well, all the long, hot, bright day,
mother and | were alone, for father and
the boys took their dinner with them
to the fields. Toward evening, a neigh
Dor came and carried mother off. There
was sick child needing to be doctored,
and all the country round knew of
mothers herbs and simples. She was
born doctor, and has cured many a one
in her day. So 1 was left all by myself
in the house, and sat lonesome enough
at my spinning, while far off over the
hills [ could hear the dull, ominous,
booming sound of cannon, that told the
tight was raging six miles away. God
help the mothers and wives now, whose
sons and husbands were in the midst of
the fray
''It was growing late, the short Au-
gust twilight coming on, and the broad
harvest moon rising behind the quiet
hills, and still | was alone. The dis
tant sound of battle still rose and fell,
making my heart throb with the
thoughts of what was going on, when
suddenly strange figure, as I thought,
came up the garden path, with hasty
and yet faltering steps. / started up, a
scream just breaking from nv lips,
when l saw it was Abiel Wheeler /! But
how changed from the morning! Cow
cred with dust, his clothes torn, his
brown curls all tangled and matted with
the blood that had soaked through a
handkerchief bound round his head.
and one arm in a sling. I wouldn't
have known him And when he spoke,
his voice sounded hoarse and broken,
Ruth he said, Il insulted you this
morning, and insulted your brother.
My father has wronged yours in thous-
and ways, L know. 1 never thought
one of our family would have entered
your doors again, yet now [ come to
you to help me in my sore need, Our
forces are beaten and flying; the enemy
are in hot chase; l have dragged NV
self away with my life only; / can 20
no further; in Gods name shelter me
till the pursuit is over for my moth
er's sake, Ruth p
II held my breath at his words. In
one flashing moment the memory of all
who had suffered at his fathers hands.
his insolent conduct in the morning,
rose up before me. [ could have found
it in my heart to turn him away almost
with curses land yet something made
me pause.
Stand here in the porch said at
last, half choked with the bitterness of
the inward strife. Thee has put a hard
thing before me, Abiel Wheeler. I
must have time-a moment to think
what I will do and turning away from
him darted into the house.
What ought to do p I cried aloud
in my perplexity. Il am alone here.
He is bold fellow. o dare I, ought |
to take him in? 1t may not be true
that they are pursuing him. But even