Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1890-07-05

son Harding; while as for thee, Regi-
nald Cathcart, thy fathers rank should
restrain thee"
Harding's eyes still fl ashed, but Cath
cart, with glance at the mastiff, whose
deep growls like distant thunder made
him glad OF any chance to withdraw
from the encounter in an honorable
manner, responded: "True, sir. fear
did forget myself for moment.
No6lesse obRge, of course. So, If my an
tagonist is satisfied, will bid you both
good-day;" and having brushed the dust
from his silk camletsuit and lace ruffles,
this small sprig of English nobility
marched off with the naughty air he
fancied so we'll became his station.
What would Margaret Harding say did
she know thee had been exchanging
blows thus publicly with royalist?"
asked the old Friend.
my mother would regret it, no
doubt" replied Nelson, "but Grandpa
Darrah, he insulted my father as we'll
as myself He called him a-a-jail
Bird" and great sob rose in the boys
throat
Wrong, indeed was that" said the
aged man. "But two wrongs never
make a right, and tits likely the boy
knew not that BENJAMIN Harding was
| unfortunate, not wicked. Long and
bravely he struggled to support his
| family, and when reverses came it was
cruel thing to consign him to the
| debtors prison. 1t was the work of an
enemy"
"Aye," cried Nelson, "and for SEEM
ingly so small sum, too! 1t is large
enough, however, to mother and me
who are laboring to pay it off. We buy
as little as possible, but the sum in
creases but slowly in the debt box,
and some times 1 fear the mother will
die ere we can set my father free. She
pines sadly for him"
"Aye, ave." sighed the Quaker, truly
we have fallen upon troublesome times,
and the hand of the oppressor is heavy
| in the land! Who would know our peace
full Philadelphia with the red-coats
| turning everything topsy-turvy! l pray
we may soon throw off this British rule!
| BY the way, the Continental Con-
gress has been considering the question
for the past two days, and tomorrow
their decision is to be made known.
! Wilt thee be at the State House, Nell
son Harding, to receive the first news
from the door-keeper and give me the
signal whether to ring the great bell or
no? l will pay thee shilling for the
job"
"Gladly will I be on hand, Grandpa
Darrah. You think they will really
dare to declare our independence"
MANY say not, but / believe they
will. There are great and wise men in
the Council, and then the motto on the
old bell / have rung so many years
seems verify prophe Proclaim lib
erty throughout all the land to all the
inhabitants thereof. The Lord grant it
may do it, and the aged Friends Sc
rene countenance glowed with enthusi-
asm.
"Oh, hope, I hope it will, responded
Nelson; "but now I must away home at
once. Good day, grandpa. Come, Penn" {"
and off he scampered with the huge
mastiff at his heels. The little home of
the Hardings in Letitia Court was plain
and modest in the extreme, and, as the
pale, fragile bonneville set the frugal
dinner on the table, Nelson thought she
seemed more downcast than usual.
what is it, mother?" he asked.
HAS any thing gone wrong?"
Nothing new only the landlord has
been for the rent and l have had to
draw on the debt-box again, and each
time it seems like step further away
from your father. Oh, wonder if we
shall ever, ever accomplish his free
dom"
"Of course we shall!' cried Nelson,
more hopefully than he felt. "Cheer
up, nanny! l am growing larger every
day, so can soon earn more; and only
just now Grandpa Darrah, the belhman,
promised me shilling if l will wait at
the State House door tomorrow and
give him the signal if independence be
declared"
"And if it is, how your poor father
will fret and funle at being shut up and
unable to fight for his country. He was
always such a true patriot" And the
unhappy woman turned away to her
sewing with heavy sign. A lump, too,
arose in Nelson's throat, and he ate but
small portion of his savory stew, CIV
ing the lions share to Penn, who en-
ioyed it with hearty gusto.
AS he finished the last morsel Mrs.
Nelson looked up. THAT dog eats as
much as two men," she said.
But he is such a grand, noble fellow,
mother, and love him So"
$50 he is, dear, but l wish his appe-
tite was less;" while into Nelson's mind
darted the young Britisher's words:
such as you have no business with a
| valuable thorouph bred
Was it true? Ought he to sacrifice
his dear companion and playmate for
the sake of the father lang uishing be-
meath the shadow of the law? He tried
to put the thought away, but the idea
haunted him and made him wretched
whenever Penn looked up in his face
with his soft, brown eyes or licked his
cheek with his warm, red tongue, as
though to ask "What ails you, little
master?"
But when, in the dead of night, Mel