The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-07-13

ES&&S5aSsSsSsd SbreeIS utoPleO ehO hOioH
ZlN wind. That day Joseph
~ Warren, the patriot, was
to deliver an Grafton on
the Boston massacre in the Old South
Church. He was young man, and
he loved the liberties of the people
more than his own life, and his heart
was no longer his own, but of his
cause. The Sons of Liberty were to
be present on that occasion, and the
British officers. The early light OF
the morning found the patriots flag
flying from the Liberty tree. One
may see its effigy in stone now on
Washington street, near Boylston
street, on the building that stands
where the grand old tree stood.
The town was full of excitement
that morning. Men breathed fast and
hurried. Their faces were electric.
They stopped now and then to ex-
change views. Then hurried again.
They hardly knew why they hurried.
Something was in the air. The thrill
ing question in all minds was;
would the British officers arrest
Warren, Adams, Hancock, and the
patriots that day in the Old South
Church? Would it be day of crisis,
a day of fate?"
The Province house Indian vane
turned to and fro in the March winds
like the shifts of public opinion.
Mems thoughts that day were as
shifting as the air. At 10 o'clock the
whole town seemed to be in the
streets. The Old South Church, near
the windy halbor, began to fill with
people. Hundreds of visitors from
the neighboring towns had come rid
ing into the town, some in wagons
and some on horseback, and knots of
excited men were to be seen about
the stores and under the waving
limbs OF the bare trees on the Con :
mon.
British officers, in red coats ard
bright buttons, moved about in a
body among the people, in pompous,
official, vice-regal way. One of these
was observed to have in his hand an
egg, and to show it to the others and
to talk in confidential way.
A bright boy, whom we will call
Rodney, came tripping down sic e
street TO the place where these officers
were gathered and stopped and
glanced curiously at the egg.
Boy" said the stately looking
soldier who held the egg, "you are a
ioyalist?"
eyes, captain"
"And you are true to the cause of
the king?'
"Yes, captain, that l am, sir."
'Your father is a loyalist2"
"Yes, captain"
''Do you know General Warren
when you see hint"
'Yes, captain"
Are you going TO the South
church?"
"Yes-I will follow you there, sir"
'Boy, mark ye. That eggs stands
for King George. Don't you break
it. In Queen Charlotte's name, don't
break it. Throw it at him in the
middle of his speech. Understand
Great events will follow"
AT Warren7'
"Yes, at Warren-Joseph Warren.
Who did you think l saidi'
The officer handed the egg to the
boy, as though it were a sword and
commission. As Rodney took it an
other officer remarked:
IF you fail, it may lose the king
his colony"
The officers started for the church.
They were brilliant company of
men. Rodney, the boy, followed
them.
The church was full of people.
The British officers could hardly
make their way to the seats in front
of the platform which had been re-
served for them, so dense was the ex-
cited crowd.
The boy concealed the egg in his
h@nd and sleeve and stood alone in
full view of the platform, just inside
the coor. The officer who had given