Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1896-10-17
THE GOVERNORS ESCAPE
BY FREDERICK NJ. COLBY.


On the grass, in the sunshine, by the
little .Nrook, lay the long web of so yards
or more-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
TO help her mother in the heavier work
of the kitchen and the dairy, so it de-
Solved upon her to superintend the
bleaching. She was not quite 12, bit
or girl, with bare feet and n 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 a hard one. When
ever the folds of the linen grew dry,
Hetty sprinkled 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 "Pilgrim's 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 Jry and
dusty highway-which here came up
close to the orchard, and was joined by
a well-traveed 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
musically in it's channel, as it tumbled
over the mossy 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,
7ooking 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 fugitive
had been stealthily let in-no less a per-
sonage than Gov. Griswold himself,
who. fleeing for his life, had sought a
retreat among his relatives in this Sc
cluded farmhouse.
Her cousin was still there concealed
behind her mothers chest of drawers
in a 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 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 just 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
ha ,rith
Hopeful, when Towser sprang up, with
loud bark.
Just at that moment man came run
ming through the orchard-a man with
his hat off, and wearing haunted, anX-
dous look on his pale face. At the first
glance, 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, the British and Tories are at
the house, and 1 am fleeing for my life
Please keep 1owser quiet! They will
hang me il they catch me-"
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 escape?"
she asked, growing somewhat pale at
the thought of her gallant cousin being
caught and hung by the British.
81 left boat hidden down on the river,
and two of my friends are waiting there
for me. If Lean get down there before
any enemies overtalse me, l shall be
saved. Good-by, little cousinl When
She Dragons come along, tell them
have gone up the road after the mail
wagon"
Hetty Marvin's dark eyes looked up,
very much surprised and very much dis
tressed, through her truant curls.
Il cannot tell lie. cousin-indced I
cannot" she cried.
"But you must, child, else the British
will surely oyertalSe me! You would