The National tribune., 1894-03-01


| work to make himself and the
| Kings cause popular in a social way, by giving
| series of fine entertainments in the stately
| Province House.
! To these entertainments were hidden all the
| Boston townsfok who were loyal to the British
| Crown. Among such, none were more prom
| inent or made more welcome than Mr.. jeffrey
Merridew and his pretty younR niece, Sibyl.
Mr.. Merridew was q stanch Royalist. though
| he was by no means violent hater of the rebels
His onlv brother, DR.. Ephraim Merridew--
| Sibyls father-was rebel at heart. though in
faraway Barbados. where he was at that time
engaged in business, he could not serve the
rebel cause in person as he would gladly have
done.
But he left behind him son. who, in full
sympathy with his fathers views, ranged him
self boldly on the rebel side as part and parcel
of the American army.
A rebel relative in Barbados was not q mat
ter to trouble ones self about greatly, but
rebel relative on the spot so to speak-for Young
Ephram was only six miles away at the Cam
bridge rallying ground-was different thing.
The young man could not, of course, be allowed
free intercourse with his sister.
What harm do the Kings soldiers think
poor Eph can do them by now and then paying
visit to his sister ?" she asked her uncle scorn-
fully.
Harm? You are very young. sibyl, and
has chosen very foolishly to join the rebel
forces, and so he has made himself one of our
acknowledged enemies, and / never heard OF
declared enemies In time of war walking in and
out of each others houses like tame eats" an
swered Mr.. Merridew, sarcastically.
You think Eph would be so mean as to tell
talesP" exclaimed Sibyl in high Indignation.
Tell tales /" repeated Mr.. Merridew, fling
ing back his head with irrepressible laughter at
Sibyrs ignorance. why, my dear, the report
ing of important facts. however gained, in times
of war, is part of war tactics-it is not called
telling tales"
"And would you--would you. if you were
in Ephraim's camp as a visitor, would you -
Tell tales?" laughed Mr.. Merridew; in
deed would if heard anything worth telling
anything that / thought would save the
cause believed to be right teous cause"
Then. more seriously: Why, Sibyl, it would
be my duty TO do it,"
90! o." cried Sibyl; sit is odious odious-
all this war business"
"Yes, grant you that but who is to blame
for bringing this odious business upon us2 Who
but these foolish malcontents, these rebels,
like"-
Like my father and my brother" broke in
Sibyl hotly, as Mr.. Merridew hesitated.
'sYes like your father and your brother,
am sorry to say" concluded her uncle gravely
"No, DO. no." cried Sibyl excitedly. " 1t is
not they who are to blame. They are good and
brave aud wise. They only want justice and
fair play. 1t is the Kings folk who are to
blame-the Kings folk who want to oppress
the people with unjust taxes, that they may
live in greater grandeur"
Mr.. Merridew stared in silent astonishment
at this unexpected outburst. Then in a severer
tone than his niece had ever heard from his
lips, be said:
So this is the reasonable talk you have
heard from your brother; these are the teach
ings that he has been instilling into your All,
il is none too soon that you are cut off from the
influence of that headstrong boy"