The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1896-10-31
THE GOVERNORS ESCAPE
BY FREDERICK NJ. COLBY.

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
OF mofe-the 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-
VOWED upon her to supe1intend the
bleaching. She was not quite 70, bit
or girl, with bare feet and q profusion
OF soft, dark hair that would not be
trained, but persisted in struggling over
her pretty face, and yelling half the
time pair of vivacious, although
thoughtful, dark eyes.
Her task was not hard one. When
ever the folds of the linen grew dry,
Hetty sprinliled them afresh with water,
obtained from the brook in her gourd-
shell dipper. This was to forward the
whitening
The rest of the time she sat under the
orchard trees, busy with her book or
her knitting, or romped with Towser.
the big house dog that bore her COM
pany.
On this particular May afternoon,
Hetty sat under an apple tree, reading
Bunyan's "Pilgrims Progress" But,
like the notable little housewife that
she was, she did not allow the adven-
lures of Christian and Hopeful to keep
her mind from the task she was oversee
ing.
The afternoon was very beautiful and
still. The sun shone warmly upon the
green hillsides, where the violet and the
saxafrage were blooming in yellow and
snowy and purple glory upon the red
farmhouse, set in it's frame of lilac
bushes all abloom, and upon a dry and
dusty highway-which here came up
close to the orchard, and was joined by
q well-trayeled path that led from the
farmhouse through the field, although
upon the other side of the house the
broad thoroughfare swept up close to
the front yard.
The boughs of the old apple tree
shook their green leaves TREMENDOUSLY
above the head of the young girl, and
the water of the little brook murmured
unsteady 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 told of 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 u
retreat among his relatives in this Sc
cluded farmhouse
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.
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 lust now more intent upon the es-
cape of Christian and Hopeful from
Doubling castle than she was in any
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
was rejoicing over the discovery with
Hopeful, when Towser sprang up, with
q loud bark.
Just at th8t moment a man came run
ming through the orchard-a man with
his hat off, and wearing haunted, anN'
ious look on his pale face. At the first
plance. the girl recognized Gov. Girls
void.
He did not see her, in his haste, and
sprang by her; but he paused as she
called to him;
cousin, cousin! what is the matter?'
"Hetty, tho British and Tories are at
tho house, and l am fleeing for my life.
Please keep Towser quiet! They will
hang me If they catch me-"
The girl instantly quoted 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 escape"
she asked, growing somewhat pale at
the thought Of her gallant cousin being
caught and hung by the British.
"Ileft boat hidden down on the river,
and two of my friendsare waiting there
for me. If can get down there before
nv enemies overtaks me, l shall be
saved. Good-by, little cousinl When
The dragons come along, tell them
have gone up the road after the mail
wagon"
Hetty Martins dark eyes looked up,
very much surprised and very much dis
tressed, through her truant eurls.
81 cannot tell lie, cousin-indeed l
.annotl" she cried.
'But you must, child, else the British
win surely overtake mel You would
rot betray me to death, HettieY
mo. no! But / mustnot, dare not lie.
I will never tell which way you go; they
NAV tear me to pieces first. So run
quickly, for they are coming"
The loud tramp of horses hoofs rang