St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1896-10-31
THE GOVERNORS ESCAPE
By FREDERICK M. COLBY.

little Hetty Marvin sat IN her father 8
orchard, tending the bleaching of the
household linen. ...a
On the grass, in the sunshine, by the
little brook, lay the long web of so yards
or moTe-the spinning and weaving of
which had occupied Mrs. Marvin dur
ing the long months of the previous
winter. 3 p @ ~ 9+a9 ~ =
Hetty was f@6t old nor strong enough
to help her mother in The heavier work
of the kitchen and the dairy, so it de-
yolved upon her to super-intend the
bleaching. She was not quite 12, bit
OF a girl, with bare feet and 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 viyacious, 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 hen. gourtl-
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
Runyan's "Pilgrim's Progress" But,
like the notable little housewife that
she was, she did not allow the adyen-
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 hilisides, where the violet md the
saxafrage we're blooming in yellow and
snowy and purple glory upon the red
farmhouse, set In its frame of lilac
bushes ali abloom, and upon aslry and
dusty highway here came up
close to the orchard, and was Joined by
q well-traveled 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 tremulously
above the head of the young girl, and
The stes f the little tf-eellss
nusfcally in its. 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,
looking from her childhood's horne, 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 n fugitive
had been stealthi1y 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
ciuded fan house.
Her coBsin was still there, concealed
behind her mothers chest ofdrawers
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 patentto
the Marvin household.
Hettie had not troubled herself much
about this latter dangersto the safety OF
her lSinsrnan. 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 happeneds 8FSS
She was only a 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 1
the key of promise in his bosom, and |
was rejoicing over the discovery with |
Hopeful, when Towser sprang up, with |
loud bark.
Just at that moment a man came rum
ming through the orchard-a man with |
his hat off, and wearing haunted, anx.
ious look on his pale face. At the first
glance, the girl recognized Gov. Girls
wold.
He did not see her, in his haste, and /
sprang by her; but he paused as she
called to him; "a
Cousin, cousinl what is theInatter? I
'Hetty, tho Britishsand Tories are at
tho house, and am fleeing fer my life.
Please keep ToWser quietl They viii
hang me if 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?f
she asked growing somewhat pale at
the thought other 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. II !. can get.down there before
my enemies overtakS me, Il shall Be
saved, Good-by. little cousin! When
theedragoons come along, tell them r
have gone up theroad. after the mail 4
wagon. F# g Ee&
Hetty Marvin's dark eyes looked up,
very much surprised and very much dis
tressed, through her truant curls. s54
II cannot tell lie, cousin-indeed i !
cannot! ! she cried.
But you must, child, else! the British
will eure1y overtake mel You would +.
rot betray me to death, Hettie?''
No, mol But / must not, dare not1ie.
viii never tell which way you go; they
may tear me. to pieces first. So run
quickly, for they are coming
u n.