Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-09-29

&% SssA Bay and see the
, church spires and
toll buildings of New York and Brook
lyn. She often laid aside her work
and gazed at the blue water and the
great ships and boats that passed to
and fro upon it and at the far-away
cities. Indeed, this is what she was
doing when o gentle knock disturbed
her reverie.
"Come in! Oh, Sophia, it is you,
my dears" she said, as little girl OF
twelve entered. s'Sit down here, and
I'll ring for Kate to bring you some
gingerbread"
With al air OF extreme satisfaction,
Sophia drew up one of the old-fash-
ioned mahogany chairs and seated
herself at the table beside the old
lady.
after Sophia had been supplied with
two large slices of gingerbread, "shall
| it be talk or story this afternoon?"
ga story" replied Sophia, promptly.
"Well, then, I'll tell you a story
about this table," and Aunt Caroline
laid her soft old hand on the polished
surface of the table at which they sat.
cit was a favorite piece of furniture
with my grandmother, who received
it as a wedding present from on
uncle of hers in England. My dear, I
| often sit here and think of my grand
mother and wonder how she could
have borne the separation from her
husband and only brother-both Off
GERS in the American army during the
War of the Revolution. Her husband
was Major Deerfeld and served in
Washington's army, while her brother,
Henry Dayton, was captain of horse
under Colonel James Clinton, who, at
the time the events I am going to tell
you about happened, was in command
of certain posts in the highlands of the
Hudson.
Grandfather and grandmother were
married in the spring of IT'S, and it
was about year after, that affairs in
New York began to assume an alarm
ing aspect. Out on the bay lay q
British fleet, among them the vessel
honored by thepresence of Governor
Tryon-how the goodasNew Workers.
hated hirn-and British army was en-
camped on the Staten Island and Jer-
sey shores.
"AIy grandmother, plucky though
she was, could not help feeling alarmed,
and she was overjoyed when Washing
ton arrived from Boston, where he had
been turning the British out and re-
storing the Bostonians to their rights.
With Washington's army came, of
course, Major Deerfeld.
"For time, the arrival of Washing
ton put new heart into the New York
ers; but my grandfather meant to run
no risks where lls wife was concerned.
One morning he came from headquar-
ters to his house on Pearl street and
found grandmother seated by the win
dow in her little .boudoir. Her work
lay in her lap and her elbows rested
on the table-this table.
"Well, sweetheart, said he, stoop-
ing and kissing her, what ails you?
Idle so early in the morning?' Then
he sat down beside her and they both
looked out of the window down the
bay; and he counted the British ships
in sight, and pointed out to her our
fortifcation on Brooklyn Heights and
| showed her that if the British once
wrested this post from u.s.. New York
would be directly under their noses,
'and then-and then, said he, 'there'd
be the deuce to pay And he tod her
that he thought it wonld be better for
her togo out of town, away from the
turmoil and confusion and possible
danger until things in the city had be-
come quiet and peaceful again. In
fact, he said, he had already taken
measures to this end, and had OBJ
tanned leave of absence from his regi
ment long enough to allow of his plac
ing her in safety with some good, re-
liable Dutch people, who lived on q
farm about thirty miles up the Hud-
son. Ny grandmother did not want to
go bit; for, in leaving New York: she
would not only be cut off flom all COM
munication with her husband and
friends there, but would lose the
chance of getting news of her Brother
Henry, from whom she had heard
nothing for many weeks. However,
grandmother was sensible woman,
and, making the best of sad necessi-
ty, said she was willing to go.
"Major Deerfeld had arranged that
they should leave the city next morn
ing, and IN escort of ten men had been
provided. Travelling at that time was a
perilous undertaking without an armed
escort, as one was liable at any mo-
ment to encounter party of British
foragers or band Of native maraud-
ers, unscrupulous and rapacious.
Grandmother room at the farm
house was made quite homelike by fur
niture and knick-knacks she brought
with her from the city. Among them
was this table, which she would not
have consented to leave behind on any
account. Her life in the country was
not unhappy, though she longed for
news of her husband and brother.
However, it was just as we'll that she
could not know of the dreadful things
that we're happening in the city, as t. q
knowledge would have increased her
anxiety ten fold. Washington was
disheartened at the turn affairs. had
taken. His enemies were overpower-
ing in numbers and their ranks were
constantly being increased by the az
rival of fresh troops. Poor man, he
saw dire disaster staring him in the
face. His own forces seemed little
calculated to cope successfully with
those of the well-trained, well-equipped
enemy.
"But I am going ahead of my story.
It was about six weeks after her ar
rival at the farm that little daughter