The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1896-10-09
THE GOVERNOR ESCAPE
By EREDERIcK- M COLBY.


sweet springtime of the year, pretty
little Hetty Marvin. sat in her fathers
orchard, tending the bleaching of the
household linen. =
On the grass, in the sunshine, by the
little brook, lay the long web of so yards
or more-thes spinning and weaving of
which had occupied Mrs. Marvin dur
ing the long months of the previous
winter.
Hetty was not old nor strong enough
10 help her mother in the heavier work
of the kitchen and the dairy, so it de-
volved upon her to superintend the
bleaching. She was not quite IL, a bit
or girl. with bare feet and a profusion
of soft. dark hair that would not be
trained, but persisted in struggling over
her pretty face, and yelling half the
time a pair of vivaeious. although
thoughtful. dark eyes.
Her task was not a hard one. When
ever the folds of the linen grew dry,
BETTY sprinlled them afresh with water,
obtained from thc brook in her gourd-
shell dinper THIS was to forward the
whitening
= The rest Of the tf11ne size sat under the
orchard treas busy with her book or
her knitting. or roruped with Towser,
The Zig house dog that boreOher com
paTy.
On this particular Noy afternoon,
rotty sat C..fl~r an ale tree. reading
tunyp.!'s "p:icrT:l.- = ?, orress'' But.
rhc<a,.l., notable l.ftic housewife that
.;ila vas :'laIG.l not allow the adxen-
-Suraa of Cl..,; i n and 'op@ful to keep
Der mind fror9 tn t;'e't: f?e, was oversee
20.
The afternoon va. rcrv BEAUTIFUL and
I'll T.-et:9 some v-N~i.- = uison the
.,.~>a h.!.: rs = hcs'> -hn and tt:9
---,,;a frc re %..@rp loo1c- TT III Yellow and
GOV anl pnr*ic STORY upon tine re-
Z. -. hou Ii. set in rs, iraIae Of llac
j .::.ces n alloom. e.d upon Try aud
,u..~ l. Nv a.:,-w&;c h here came up
elcss i ~ O.. lard. Hnd was joined by
a well-tr&yelcd r&th that I'D from the
Farmhouse through lie field, although
st.1,0r tl?s' Other side of t!,e house the
-b.oad tl7ofo,,qhfa fare sweptaup close TO
tl.c front .ensd
The Leug-As of TIE old apple tree
shco!; their green leaves TREMENDOUSLY
above the head of the young girl, and
the water OF the little brook murmured
mus .cullv in its channel, as it tumbled
over the messy pebbles to join the broad
Connecticut. not far distant, whose sur
face was visible where it emptied into
Long Island sound.
On the morning of that May day, 1777.
looking from her childhood's home, she
had seen the reflection of the flames in
the eastern sky, that toldof British and
tory vengeance upon New London.
The night before, when she and her
elder sister were in bed, horses hoofs
had dashed up to the door, and a fugitive
had been stealthily let in-no less per-
sonage than Gov Griswold himself,
who, fleeing for his life, had sought q
retreat among his relatives in this Sc
cluded farmhouse. 4
Her cousin was still there, concealed
behind her mothers chest of drawers
in hole in the wall, for she herself had
carried his dinner to him. That his
enemies were likely at an any time to
track him thither was a fact patent to
the Marvin household. 5
Hettie had not troubled herself much
about this latter danger to the safety of
her kinsman. Perhaps she had not
thought enough about the matter fully
to understand the peril that would ac-
crue to. her distinguished relative in
case such an event happened. .-
She was only little girl, after all,
and just now more intent upon the es-
cape of Christian and Hopeful from
H.
thing in this practical world, save the
whitening of her mothers linen. She
was reading where Christian had found
the key of promise in his bosom, and
WIS rejoicing over theediscovery with
Hopeful when Towser sprang up, with
a loud bark.
just at that moment mancame run
ming through the orchard-a man with
his hat off. and wearing haunted, anx-
glance, the girl recognized Gov. Girls
wold.zc 3 & s-fia .gs ss#
He. did not see her.. in his haste, and
sprqng. by herr but he paused as she
called to him:
"Cousin, cousinl what is the matter p
"Hetty, the British and Tories are at
the house, and I am fleeing for my life.
Please keep Fowser quietl They will
hang rue Il they catch me.''1 81
The girl Instantly quieted the dog,
who, though friendly enough to the
family guest, felt it Incumbent to take
some notice of his hurried steps, -
. "But how do, you mean to escaped"
she. asked, growing somewhat pale at
the Thought of her gallant consin being
caught and hung by the British Les
s4"Iiefts boat hidden down on the river,
and two of my friendsare waiting there
for me. If Lean get down there before
my enemies oyertake me, l shall be
saved. Good-by, little cousinl When
the Dragons come along. tell them
have gone upsthe road after the mail
wagon. 81 ~ ~E rlnsd
Hetty Maryin's dark eyes looked up,
very much surprised and very much dis
dressed, through her trpant curls. IS
IT cannot tell a lie, cousinzindeed
cannot" she cried. e sT.9g .,....T
But you must, child, else the British
will surely overtake mel You would
not betray me to death, Hettie?'
"No, no! But must not, dare not lie.
will never tell which way you go; they
may tear me to pieces first. So run
quickly, for they are coming - 8
The 1o,,,1 +,,,..,~ L, e. =.