Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-03-16
NO. H..

he was wounded and fell on his knees Then
he fired his gun and though he was dying
he reached for another charge in his hat
when a big red coat killed him with bayo-
net on the very spot whore Jonas first stood
Wasn't that pluck p
Rare pluck, answered. "The names
of such men should never be forgotten"
"They never will be, replied the vener-
able patriot excitedly. Their names are all
cut deep in marble on the little monument
down yonder on the green-Robcrt Monroe,
Jonas Parker, Samuel Hadley, Jonathan
Harrington, Jr., Isaac Murry, Caleb Har-
rington, John Brown and Asahel Porter
Should that marble perish, their names are
cut deeper in the memory of Americans
''Nou said it was a warm night when Re-
we're rode from Cambridge to Lexington
| remarked.
Yes, it was very early spring Young
leaves appeared on the first day Of April.
The grass on the village green was so tall
on the morning of the 10Th that it waved in
the light wind that was blowing. At noon
that day the quicksilver in Parson Clarke's
thermometer rose to eighty-fve degrees ON
the north side Of his house, and the door
yards were all bright with dandclons."
Did you serve in the army afterward ~
l inquired
"No," he said father went to war.
and ] stayed at home to help mother take
care Of things, for l was the Oldest boy. |
played the fife Sometimes after that when
the young men in the neighborhood were
training for the fight
By permission drew likeness of Mr..
Harrington sitting in his rocking chair. and
under it he wrote with trembling hand.
which condition he attributed to the use of
the axe that morning,
"Jondtban Harrington,
Aged 90, the sh Jitiy, fs,s."
His brother Charles two years Younger
than he, came in before / had finished tbe
sketch. could not but look with reverence
upon these strong old men, children of one
mother, who had borne five sons and three
daughters, who had nearly grown to man
hood when the war for Independence broke
out. bade them farewell received from
the old fifer the benediction, God bless
you, went back to the village green, sketch
ed the monument and called upon their
klnsman, Abilah Harrington who was a
lad fourteen years old at the time of the
skirmish He saw nearly all of the fight.
He had two brothers in it. and had been
sent by his mother, trembling on account
OF her sons, to watch the fray at a safe dis
tance, and to obtain information concern
ing her brave boys They escaped unhurt
From Mr.. Harrington's | went to the
house of Parson Clarke, where found Mrs.
Margaret Chandler, remarkably intelH.
gent old lady, then eighty-three years of
age. She had lived in that house ever
since the Revolution had clear recollection
OF events at Lexington on the memorable
April morning, and gave me a version of
the escape of Adams and Hancock some
what different from that given by the ven
cradle fifer
On the seventy-fifth anniversary Il $50 of
the conflicts at Lexington and Concord. Mr..
Harrington rode in the procession with his
brother Charles, aged ninety Amos Baker,
aged ninety-four Thomas Hill aged ninety
two and Dr. Preston aged eighty. four. At
the banquet, after the procession. the aged
fifer offered the toast "The 10Th of April
li'5. All who remember that day will sup
port the Constitution of the United States. "
On that occasion Edward Everett made a
speech, in which he remarked that it pleas
ed his heart to see these venerable men be-
side him, and he was happy to assist Mr.
Jonathan Harrington to put on his top-coat
a few minutes before In doing so he was
ready to say with David, "Very pleasant
art thou to me, my brother Jonathan"
Mr.. Harrington died late in March 1854.
when he was almost ninety six years of age.
and was buried with public honors, the
highest state officers with a military escort
forming part of the funeral procession.
BENSON j. LOSING, LID.