Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-03-14

"Brave menl" said the old man, his mil
eyes beaming with unusual lustre. "bravt
men never lived. Not one of them left h
post until Captain Parker, seeingit was use
less to fight against SO many reg'lars, tol
them to disperse. There was one man wh
wouldn't 90 even them. 1t was Jones Park
er, of this town. He lived near Parso
Clarke's, He had said he would never rul
from an enemy, and he didn't. He ha'
Hoaded his musket, put his hat containing
powder, wadding and bullets between hi
feet, and so faced the reg'lars. At th'
second fire he was wounded and fell on hil
knees. Then he fred his gun; and, though
he was dying, he reached for another charge
! in his hat, when big red-coat killed hin
with a bayonet on the very spot where
Jonas first stood. Wasn't that plucke''
"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-Robert Monroe,
Jonas Parker, Samuel Hadley, Jonathan
Harrington, Jr., Isaac Murry, Caleb Har-
rington, John Brown and Asahel Porter.
Should that marble perish, their name are
cut deeper in the memory of Americans.
"You said it was a warm night when
Reyers lode from Cambridge to Lexing-
ton, 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
tho c;1 do Of
yards were all bright with dandelions."
"Did you serve in the army afterward?"
inquired.
"No," he said; "father, went to the war,
and I staid at home to help mother take care
of things, for was the Oldest boy. l play
ed the fife sometimes after that when the
young men in the neighborhood were train
ing for the fight"
By permission, drew a likeness of MIR.
Harrington sitting in his rocking g-chair, and
under it he wrote with trembling hand,
which condition he attributed to the use of
the axe that morning,
JONATHAN HARRINGTON.
Aged 80, the 9Th July, 1s4S.
His brother Charles, two years younger
than he, came in before l had finished the
sketch. I could not but look with reverence
upon these strong old meo, children of one
mother, who had borne five sons and thrre
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,
sketched the monument and called upon
their kinsman, AbUah Harrington, who was
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 heI
sons, to watch the fray at safe distance,
and to obtain information concerning her
brave boys. They escaped unhurt.
From Mr.. Harring; on's l went to the
house of Parson Clarke, where found Mrs.
Margaret Chandler, a remarkably intelligent
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 morn
ing, gave me version of the escape OF
Adams aud Hancock snmewhat different
from that given by the venerable fifer.
On the seventy.fifth anniversary (1S50) 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 nlnety-tWo, ana Dr. freston,
aged sig44ty-fozr. At tie banqIgtcs' arc
the procession, the aged fifer offered the
toast: "The 10Th Of April, 1775. All who
remember that day will support the Con
stitution of the United States" On tha
occasion Edward Everett made speech
in which he remarked that it pleased hi
heart to see these venerable men beside
him, and he was happy to assist Mr.. iona
than Harrington to put on his top-coat I
few minutes before. In doing SO he wa
ready to say, with David, every pleasant
art thou to me, my brother Jonathan"
Mr.. Harrington died late in March, 1854
when he was almost ninety six years ofage
and was buried with public -honors, tht
highest State officers with a military esoor
forming part of the funeral procession
BENSON J. LOSING, LII. D.