The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1878-08-23
An 0ld-time Heroine.

Forty years ago | went with my father
to Fitchburg, Massachusetts, where he
preached on Sabbath. On Sabbath even
ing he lectured in the adjoining town of
Townsend. The mother of our host was
hale, hearty, cheerful old lady, an eye still
bright and heart still warm and wclcom-
ing and after the lecture as we sat around
the cheerful old fireplace, she entertained
us with some of her "reminiscences of the
Revolution. One of her experiences well
remember. ] will repeat it as nearly as
can remember it, in her own words. ut
was in the month ofMay, seventy. six," the
old lady began. "The British had been
ready for an attack ON York way. Late
one aftcrnoon-I was fifteen years old then
an officer Of the Continental army arrived
in Townsend with word that fifteen sol.
diers were wanted from our town. Our
training band was called out that very
evening, and my brother, next Older than
me, was among the number selected. He
did not get hrme till late at night. On
the next morning when arose, found my
mother with red eyes and tears on her
checks. She told me that my brother ohm
was to join the army and that he was to
be ready to march on the morning at sun
rise, of the day after the morrow
"My father was in Boston, in the Mas
sachusetts Assembly, and we had no time
to communicate with him. Mother felt
very badly to have John 90 away without
sufficient clothing. He had garments fit
for summer wear at home; but if he went
away he must be gone several months, and
he would suffer for the want of warm cloth.
ing. There was something electric in
mothers fearful anxiety. 1t gave me great
and sudden strength. | asked her what
garments he most needed.
"If he had good pair of pantaloons,
she said, Il could easily fix the rest from
fathers stock
you must understand that we had no
stores in the country at this time, and such
articles as | speak of each family was
obliged to produce for itself. Yet re-
solved that John should have his panta-
looms, and | told mother we would spin
and weave and then make him q pair be-
fore he went.
"Mercy, child = the only wool we own
is on the sleeps back
"'Never mind, said l, wen very quick
ly have some of it off,
"'Poor child = she went on, you don't
know what you are talking about
cat this point turned to my younger
brother, and told him to take the alt-dish
and go and call the sheep into the yard
And then mother went on to tell me that
our shcep-shcurs were lent and that there
was web of flax in our room.
"All right said l, My own shears will
clip wool enough, and for II loom, | know
we can find an empty one somewhere
Gas soon as the sheep were in the yard,
| went out, taking my little sister with me.
Abel caught one OF the best of the white
sheep and sheared off enough of the wool
selecting the cleanest and iairest ior half
my web. Then we caught Il black sheep,
and tool; the rest OF my web from that
While my brother and had been shearing
my sister had been running with bits of
wool to the house where my mother had
been picking and cleansing. When came
in l found the cards and wheels ready
The wool was carded and mother and |
spun it. Abel had meanwhile obtained an
empty loom at a near neighbours and on the
evening Of that day had my warp set, and
was ready for weaving. OF course there
was no sleep for me that night. | had no
thought of sleep.
my shuttle flew open as think it never
flew before. BY sunrise my cloth was
woven; and as the yarn had been washed,
sized and dried before 1t was put upon the
loom, it took but short time to full the
cloth sufficiently for our use; but of course
the fulling and dressing had to be DONE
And we did it. That cloth was upon the
table with the paper pattern on it the lat
ter part of the afternoon.
81 had caught little sleep during the
day while the cloth was drying so that