The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-07-19
THE LITTLE REBEL.

this story, 1880, she was only a small
girl, who lived on plantation near the
Santee river, South Carolina. She was
twelve years old -four feet and two inches
high, and, for so young and so small a
person, SHE was as staunch rebel as you
could have found In all America /, for the
war of independence had been raging
ever since Cynthia could remember.
When she was only five years old,
her little heart had beaten hard at the
story of the famous " Boston Tea party"
at which whole ship-load of tea had
been emptled into the harbor because
stupid George III, insisted on " three
penny tax"
"And New York and Philadelphia
would "a done the same, but for the
ships turning tail, and going where
/ they came from. They've burned the
stuff in Annapolis, and it's spelling in
the Charlestown cellars, bless the Lord ~
said Mr.. Smith, striking his heavy hand
on his knee.
Hurray !" shouted John ami Jack
and William and Ebenezer, Cynthia's
brothers. "Hurrah !" echoed Cynthia,
as if she understood all about it.
The following year, when England
shut up Boston harbor with her "Stamp
Act" never bit of rice did Cynthia
get to eat, for her father sent his whole
harvest North, as did many another
| Southerner
After that John went to NIassachu-
setts to visit Uuncle Hezekiah, and the
next June they heard that he had been
shot dead at the battle of Bunker Hill.
Cynthia wept hot tears on her course
homespun apron; but she dried them
in sort of strange delight when Jack,
all on fire to take Johns place, insisted
on joining the Virginia Rinemen, and
following a certain George Washington
to the war.
"It's Liberty or Death we have
marked on our shirts, and it's Liberty
or Death we have burned into our
hearts, Jack wrote home at which his
mother wrung her hands, and his father
smiled grimly.
Just wait you two other boys" said
the latter tive III have it hot and heavy
at our own doors before we're through" !"
That was because Will and Ebenezer
wished to follow in Jacks footsteps
Cynthia longed to be boy, that she
might indulge in a private skirmish
| with the" Britishers' on her own ac.
count.
But she had little time for even patri-
otic dreamings and yearnings. There
was a deal of work to be done in those
days.
Cynthia helped to weave cloth for
the family gowns and trousers, and to
spin and knit yarn for the paternal and
fraternal stockings. This kept her very
busy until 1776 when two great events
took place.
One was the signing of the Declara-
ton of Independence; the other was
the birth of red and white calf in Mr..
Smiths barn. Which was of the most
Importance to Cynthia it is hard to say.
To be sure, she tingled from head to
foot at her fathers ringing tones, as he
read from sheet of paper some one had
given him, All men are born free and
equal " but she also went wild with joy
when her father said "You may keep
that bossy for your own, if you'll agree
to raise her, Cynthy."
Cynthy took the calf into her inmost
heart, and she named her Free. .'n'-
equal" That was the way the words
sounded to her.
If ever an animal deserved such a
name this was the one. She scorned all
authority, kicked up her hind legs, and
went careering round the plantation at
her own sweet will, only coming to the
barn when Cynthy's call was heard
Free ntequal was Cynthy's only
playmate, for no children lived within
six miles. AS the calf grew into COW,
the more intimate and loving were the
two. 70 Free-'n,equal did Cynthy
confide all her secrets and chiefly did
she inform her of her sentiments in re-
gard to the war; She even consulted
her as TO the number of stitches to be
put on pair of wristlets for Jack, who
in the winter of 1777-7S had gone with
General Washington TO Pennsylvania.
Alas! Jack never wore those wristlets.
He was one of the many who lay down
to die of cold and hunger in that awful
Valley Forge. Cynthy believed that
Free-'n'-equal understood all the sor-
row of her heart when she told her the