The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-08-05

4
through the house | soon walked
around by the orchard to the cherry
tree beside the garden walk where the
poor wounded Englishman still sat. My
heart went out to him now with great
pity and went, though timidly and
stood within the grateful shade of the
tree.
"Was it you," he asked, gently look
ing up at me with his great luminous
eyes. l could only nod at first, then l
found my voice to say:
81 am afraid so. / have feared it
might be all the time, but was not sure
until Just now. Yet you must believe
that l had no murder in my heart. l
saw no one and fired at random, as the
gathering hoofs flew past, to augment
the noise and to increase the panic
which seemed to have seized the in
vaders."
81 am glad it was you," he said. al
am glad to knOU it was you, but your
bullet wound has not caused me so
much discomfort as the wound made by
loves arrow in my heart the day on
which / first saw you in Boston. l
thought only of your bright eyes and
rosy cheeks from that time on and
counted the days until May when l had
leave to visit you. | begged that L
might be among those detailed to come
to Concord, and when we reached the
town l inquired for the Lawton home
stead and took command of the squad
coming in this direction, hoping to see
you. | was delighted, when you handed
| . L. 49, %. InN i
ognized. On our retreat from the Skin
mish | took good care to pass this way
again. was sitting carelessly in my
saddle, looking back over the high gar
den wall when your bullet hitme. Lit
tie Jonas has told me of your exploits
with your musket on that eventful day,
and | have hoped all along that |
owed my wound to you. Even as fell
from my gallant horse, l wished for no
! greater good fortune than to be brought
here and be nursed by you, or even to
lie in some lonely room beneath your
roof and hear your light tripping step
outside my door; or to listen for your
sweet voice in chat or song. | have
suffered here in mind and body, but l
have been near you-that was bliss.
Now that you know all this, will you
pardon me if | ask one question:?
/ nodded, and he went on:
eff l were well and strong and would
take up the rebel cause with all my
heart and fight against the king, would
you be my wife?"
"Yesr' l said sadly, ''but you are
royalist and l would not have you per-
| i1ra vourSelf for nv sake -
Il am a royalist no longer" he re-
piled If my life is spared | shall es-
pouse your righteous cause. My broth
er officers would do the same could they
be brought to see the merits of the case
as l understand them through being so
kindly nursed in this hot-bed of patriot
ism. There is vast difference between
the motives of the two armies. We are
the hirelings of a king, you are indie
pendent soldiers, fight for your homes
and for the right. Again, a people who
treat their enemies so nobly must win.
l am convinced that the side of right
cannot be beaten and l espOuse the
cause from my heart"
He spoke with great earnestness and
with deep feeling. As he closed the
| lCdLS NCIC NONll SlCChS
and when he held out his arms | went
and sat beside him, for were not my
parents willing we should be betrOthed?
L knew not why this young man, who
has education, wit, talent and a knOwl
edge of the world, should fall in love
with a simple, provincial country lass
like me, and | tell him so ever and
anon. and then he speaks such tender
words of flattery that it would seem
like vanity for me to transcribe them
here.
The clouds darken day by day. The
minute-men march by in little squads to
Boston. There is much bread and ba-
con cooked, many doughnuts fried and
much ale brewed that we may always
be able to give any weary ones a lunch
as they pass. night as we all
sat out under the cherry-tree enjoying
the cool evening air, a company marched
by with their arms glittering in the
moonlight.
What company is that?" asked our
guest.
d" 1t is the Sutton company" replied
nv father, who had Just been giving an
officer at the gate drink from the peg
tankard They came here to Concord
for arms and supplies before going into
camp near Boston"
{" 1t is as long as eternity" replied
my lover, and indeed the line did seem
endless as it moved with muffled tread
along the dusty road. We situp very
late these moonlight June nights. There
seems to be something in the air that
keeps one wakeful and vigilant.
Last night was dark, sultry and damp.
We sat in the silence watching the fire
flies and listening to the whip-poor-
wills which ever and anon left the woods
and alighted quite near piece of linen
my mother has bleaching upon the
grass. Near midnight we heard a
horseman upon the lower road, and
half an hour later my uncle Jasper ap-
peared. After short consultation with
my father and my three brothers, the
five brave, strong hearted men marched
away into the darkness.
Why do you not tell me what has
happened, Annie?'' cried my lover in
sudden distrust. DO you doubt me?
Do your family think they are harbor-
ing a spy who will turn and betray
themP"
Moved by his entreaties L told him
that flying horseman had been through
the town telling the news that General
Gage had planned to fortify Bunker
Hill, but that the provincials intended
to forestall him and that battle was
imminent.
The first crash of arms came near
three o'clock the next afternoon and
with such a shock that the cannonading
lid 10 c.lnss in al1,. 1r-i,ad aIu- If