The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-07-11
a REVOLUTIONARY

BY MARJORIE RICHARDSON.

~ ATHER, your breakfast is ready now"
sz%I II Is The morning Of The 18th OF April,
Is& 1775, and though Dorothy Harris voice is
as calm usual, the glow brought into
her cheeks Two hours before by Paul Reyere's
startling news had not died away
No answer comes 10 her summons, so she
hurries down the path TO the barn, but the very
thought Of breakfast van>hes as she hears
Netphbor HosmeT'S voice IN excited conNersa ION
with her father. '--and you're to take these
paters TO Isaac Davis IN Acton. ana tell him the
regulars are on the road here from Lexington"
$50 they're really coming says Harris, COM
pressing his lips slerny. TO destroy the an-
munition, l suppose. In that case there's no
time be lost IN getting this cart TO Inc village
for every BIT OF powder VIII be needed. You VIII
have To lake II, Reuben, either to The courthouse
or 10 Major Buttrick's. l must be OF at once"
"Wtu there be- fighting, father " Dolly asks,
as lie bends from his saddle 10 give her !aie-
well kiss. . AZ. ,,,ro
ports from Lexington be tue We have teiIlple
day before Us. You haG best hot stay here
alone, be ADDS row Gown 70 % ~ i,.t , 90
st0u " 18th your uncle William M ine leu-codts
leave the town" aud lie rides swiftly away.
Dolly Us afi or uim wisuully I'LL lie IS out oil
sight, aud then lurns 10 Reuben.
sWout You come IN 0 breakfast, Neighbor
Hosme ?" she says, "or can't you spare The
time?"
powde may he wanted al any moment. l only
wish there was more uf IT, glanclng IegfeuuIy
over his shoulder at The few kegs, Ihis IS 50
little compared with what those FaseaIiy red
coats Will have.
"GOOd-by, Dolly, you'd better leave The house
as soon as you can. LIS AFTER now"
For the next TWO hOuTs Dolly Is busy with her
household cares, but now the last pan is secured,
the last dish washed anu Tut IN lis place on the
shelf in he pantry, and Win tired Slgh she sis
down IheIe among the boxes and barrels 10 resi-
Her only companion, large gray cat, Iubs az
feciiunatey against her hOmespun gown, and
purrs loudly, as II TO m Ike amends for her ina
bnty TO TAX matters over WIKI this troubled IT.
on TatithaV" says Dolly, sorrowfully, bury
Ing her face IN the soft fut, Pm afraid things
are going very, very wrong. Those terrible Btlt-
isher>l How can We keep them cut OF the town
with so few men and so little 10 DO with? Well,
We must not sci here moIiug must 20 TO The
Mause, ana you shall come, TOO but, oh, how l
wish We could help ID some way why, Sup,
What is tnis?"
: Size pushes the reluctant cat from her knee
and drags aside heavy box, disclosing a stout
" OGDEN keg whose contents are well KNOWN 10
=. ION, Tabitha ,TabItha, IT'S gunpowder. Father
must nave forgotten il in his hurry and every
lille is needed lie says. What can We do?"
Iabiiha shifts susplcIously at the eask. and
then comes With loud purr 10 rub herself
again against hefiittle mlstIess's Knee but Dolly
Is too troubled, now 10 notice her.
" tie SAID 10 The courthouse or TO Major But
trick" size muses..
II could Get ii 10 the Buttrick's, not through
the village, for | might meet some OF The led
coats. besides II is too heavy, but could easlE
cary II down 10 the river, and then IL wouldn't
be more than fifteen minutes Ill rowing to The
"Tge only trouble would be the South bridge.
II the BilIishers we're there they'd surely never
let mr. row under their very noses with keg OF
gunpowGer.SI must, think of some way to hide II.
81 could Iut the keg In tie chest; they might
think IL clothes or something's and Can Tie
it up WIN stout cord, and -oo.
and Dolly fears To delay longer, so Win great
care she places tie keg IN The chest and packs
straw about il to keep II steady.
Il Is fortunate that the river is near The house,
for TWO stone Is no light weight Tor 4 fuuTlt ell
. YedI-Old XII 10 cary DOiIy's sturdy arms ache,
and the Short curls on her forehead are moist
nil tar avt 4Ffl "a
box safely IN The bottom OF the boat.
TabItha culls herself up beside II, but Dolly Is
not yet yet satisfied
1t Is suspicious looking cargo.
Once more she looks lctiectlVely about her.
Spring Is fully IN advance this year. The grass
is green and The cherry trees are White with fra
graul blossoms.
This IS not a very thrifty thing 10 do" look
Ing Iueiully at the cherry trees. shall have
TO cap blossoms over tie box. II the red-cOats
don't know much about country people perhaps
they'll not think II strange ! should mahe way
with so many coed Cherries"
Breaking of large branches she throws them
IN a careless heap over the box.
"IheTe, Tabby" she says with much salts
faction. e II does very well as long as you and
are the only ones IN the boat"
She pushed out Into lie stream and rows
steadily for several minutes. Then, as she turns
The bend in The river, size suddenly rests on her
oars, her heart beating wildly, for there on the
very bridge under which she must pass she sees
the gltering bayOnets ana scarlet coats OF a
group of English soldiers.
Dolly hesitates only a moment, then she CON
IlDueS Inc course anu - ltdIlS uLLGE lue DlIuSe
when peGeDlptOry voice arrests her.
stop, my lass. We must have your boat for 4
time o take this gentleman down the river TO
"rll not lend my boat for any such purpose"
she answers back sloutly, continuing o row.
MIR. Rice is Tory" she ADDS, as the boat
eldes swiftly under the bridge.
But as ii energies from The other side its prog
ress is checked. Ted-cOat leaning over the
low railing has thrust his bayouet into the stern
and the boat comes to a sudden stIndstill.
Dolly raises her pretty, flushed face to those
above her, and, win fiashing eyes, cries angriy:
Let 20 my boat at oncel What right have you
to hinder me like thlSY
"A little REBEL see" says the offender. witt
a loud laugh. Nevertheless, We must have
your boat for Captain Chandos, and that as once
"Dolly's heart Is beating wildly for the safety
Of IeI guupowde and Captain Chaudos, seeing
the troubled look In her blue eyes, fancles she IS
fTiEnt-ned aud comes hastily forward.
my pretty lass" lie says. With reassuring
smile, "yOu have no cause to fear l ely
wish TO get to Mr.. Rce's as soon as posslblei FL
only need your boat for half an hour"
Dolly has bren turning matters over swiftly in
her mind and she now answers:
ell, then, II must, I'll take you down;
but thai man." glaneing coniemptuously at the
first speak err Shall NOT step foot in this boat"
A loud auel greets this Iejoinder, and Captain
CbaBdos, lowering himself infO The boat cries
neTTily, a. This VIII be better than having you
for the skipper. Parker; take your bayOnet out"
The boat Is freed and Dolly, selzng her oars.
bends again 10 her task. Her quick brain has
already furnished her with a plausible story
10 account for the powder, so when Captain
CbandOs catching sight OF tie box, exclaims,
3" Why, what have you hele?' she answers:
That's GIandmOlheT's silver / am taking Il 10
Aunt Hetty ButtIlcks 10 hide I'LL tie Ied-cOats
leave lie town, foT we were warned they would
take everything they could lay their hands to.
That's the reason l wouldn't give my boat 10
your soldiers" Then she drops her eyes hastily
FOR this Is The first lie she has ever told, ana
though It Is for good cause, it troubles her
Puritan conscience not little.
Captain LhandOs leans back with an amused
laugh.
she would have gone TO all this trouble TO con-
zeal her household goods from The grasIing
British. Why. my dear, we don't want TO touch
your personal property. Good King George has
only sent us over TO Keep the peace. IT'S shock
ing," he adds warmly, that the very children
here should have been taught dislOyaltY 10 their
sovereign" Dolly stops rowing abruptly, her
New England blood on fire.
Yankee children don't have to be taught their
rights" Size cries hoty. We know what we
should have and your good King George Will
know Ii before loug."
Captain Chandos bows with mock solemnty
" Your pardon, my little lady, for those thought.
less remarks. forgot for tile moment that |
was addressing stanch Wing. Let us not dis
euss this dangerous topic further but turn TO
more cungenlai subjects. By your leave III light
my pipe"
side him the young officer leans dangerously
near the chest and with blazing taper cafeles,ly
lights his pipe
color has fled from his little companions face.
.'Egad !" he said TO himself "what little
rebel she is 10 be Ut such While heat on account
of a few words. l must do something 10 bring
myself back 10 her good graces." Then aloud:
"What is your name. little one?' Dorothy Har-
rls" she replied briefly with slight feeling OF re-
lief, as, the taper beng extinguished, he leans
back III his place. dorothy" lie says, with ln-
terrsi. "Nby That is my little sisters name
DOrolhy-and she is just about your age, too.
Dear lilly thing" softly. "How she cried when
came away, and how GLAD shell! he To see her
big brother again."
''What is She like? Tell me about her." said
= Dolly feeling that she can take an Interest new
that lie dreaded pipe is al a safe distance iiom
tie powder
. What Is she lke?" he repeats. swell, she
has honest blue eyes, like yours, and-wait;
nave her miniature. Perhaps you'd like 10 see
~ lie lays bis pipe on Tie edge Of The box
While he feels in his pocket for tile miniature.
. Dolly stops rowing ana clasps her hands i'll ter
TOT then rs she sees the hot ashes slipping from
o Tie pipe toward Bit OF straw left sticking from
The box, she can stand it no longer. she leans |
forward and. selZlng the hot bowl holds II high |
In the air. 81 never saw pipe like this before"
she says, and then-ls 1t motion OF The boat or |
tn heat from The pipe that CAUSES II to suddenly
slip from her fingers and fall down into The
de,Ihs Of the Musketaquid ? Captain Cnaudos
starts forward with an exclamation Of anger as
afta alad