The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1897-04-01
THE CAPTURED HESSIAN.
A STORY OF REVOLUTIONARY
DAYS.
What Two Lads Accomplished.

= Youths Companion.
In one of the most beautiful parts {
the valley OF the Brandywine not ia
from where the historic stream curve
n around the bold bluff of Point Lookout
e there stood in Revolutionary days, an
+ still stands, farmhouse of the goo,
old colonial type. The blue smok
curling upward from its wide chin
neys seemed always to SAVIOR of th'
:. good cheer within, and oyer it's spread
ing roof the branches of great maple
| hung. At one side was the orchard
and by its edge wound the lane, to joir
the road beyond.
One day in October, 1777, the au
tumn sunbeams sitting down through
the leaves OF the naples fickered upor
the early heads and homespun clothes
of two boys, who, seated on the great
stepping-s stone In front OF the door
were busily digging in the dust with
their bare toes. They were brothers.
and their father, whose name, with the
date 100, was cut on the stone beneath
them-was a Quaker of the strictest
type.
As this was Fifth-day, he had ridden
off, with his wife behind him, to Ber-
mingham Westinghouse, few miles
up the valley, in spite of the danger
from rowing bands from the British
army. The boys were left at home,
for the father judged them safer there
especially as a body of Continentals
we're encamped by the stream below
| the house.
Suddenly David, the elder boy, drop
ped walnut-bur on his brothers toe,
then, jumping behind a tree to protect
his own feet, he shouted, "Let's feed
our chickens. I'll race thee to the
barn."
In moment two pairs of brown legs
were twinkling in the sunlight as their
owners spurted toward the great stone
barn, hidden from the house by the
grove OF naples. Past the corn-crib
they raced and up the slope to where
the great barn doors stood wide open,
letting in flood of sunshine on the
hay strewn floor. It was still quite
early In the day.
They had reached the threshold near
ly abreast when both lads stopped short
and stood amazed Well they might
be, for, on a pile of hay just within the
doors, lay redcoat,--a Hessian cap
tain, judging from his long boots and
his uniform,-sleeping heavily, with
his sword and pistols lying beside him.
With one impulse the boys turned
and ran, never stopping until they
we're safe behind the corn-crib, out of
sight of the redcoat, should he awake.
What could a British soldier be doing
in their barn? There could be but
one explanation He must be the
leader of a night-foraging party; he
must have lain down in the barn for
nap while his men went about the
neighborhood. They must have struck
the American camp and been driven
across the Brandywine, away from their
sleeping captain. That would explain
the firing which the boys had heard in
the night.
They could not allow Hessian to
sleep in their barn, especially as they
had seen some of their pet chickens
with twisted necks lying beside him,
ready to be carried off.
What should they do? If they went
to the Continental! camp for aid, he
might awake while they were gone and
escape with the chickens. Young as
they were they readily imagined that
he would burn the barn, and even the
house itself, if there were time, tor
they never reflected that he would be
exceedingly careful to do nothing like
ly to attract notice from the Continent
ais.
"Ezra," said David, 1--WE must get his
sword and pistols, and then force him
to 20 down to the camp. 1t is the only
way"
Little Ezra trembled at the audaclty
of this proposition, but both felt the
case was desperate, and nerved by this
they crept stealthlly back, until they
could again look on the sleeping enc
my. Then David, angered by the
sight of the murdered fowls, softly stole
the pistols and the sword away from
the sleeper's side. He gave pistol to
Ezra, who Immediately got as far away
from the hand which held it as possl
BILE, and kept the sword and the other
pistol for himself.
At this juncture the PROSTATE soldier
snored, and the boys. as if pulled by a
string, scampered backward out of the
barn. David, tripping over the sword,
fell spralling down one side OF the in.
cline. while Ezra rolled down the 9TH
er. But nothing threatening followed,