Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1899-01-14
How the Tories Broke UP the
Meeting"

/
sOh, dear!" she sighed, glancins
at the long slanting shadows; "iti
almost supper-time and they haven
come, and sister Mollie is never
late ~
Then she turned and passed
through the narrow entry into the
kitchen, where her mother was bend
ing over big iron pot which hung
from the crane in the vide fire. place
"Well, daughter, any signs o
them YETI"
"No, mother" answered Ruth, al
most ready to cry. perhaps Gray
Duke has run away. or some OF The
dreadful Tories have stopped them
and If anything should happen tt
Geordie or the twins, / don't know
what | should do -
Mrs. Holley raked the embers for
ward and threw a fresh log on the
fire. "I wouldn't borrow any trou-
BILE, daughter" she said quietly; rea
trouble comes thick and fast enough
in these dark days without any nee6
of borrowing more"
The kitchen door opened, and 6
tall gray haired man entered
"I've pnt the milk in the pantry
mother. Where are Mollie and the
children? Haven't they come ?"
Mrs. Holley shook her head.
Ruth is worrying, father, fol
fear that they've been caught by the
Tories or that Gray Duke has rur
away with them"
The farmer threw back his head
and laughed.
mo fear of that, little girl Molly
Pidgin is born horsewoman, anG
Duke may be fiery and unmsnage-
able enough with strangers, but he's
like lamb with Molly. And as fol
being caught by tie Tories,-why
I'd just like TO see them do il. that's
all There isn't horse in these
parts that can keep within sight O
Dukes heels. I knew his value vel
when I gave him to Molly for we'd
ding gift. And they are well match
ed for spirit?'
81 wish Molly had less spirit
father, for then when Edward went
away, she would have come up here
to stay with us,' returned Mrs. Hol
ley. "Middlesex is no place for her;
it's a perfect nest of Tories But
we had hard work to get her to
spend even this week with us !"
"Well, I suppose she thought
some OF the Tories would run of
the cattle or ransack the house while
she was away. We are passing
through dark days-dark days
mother! It's bad enough to have
to fight an open foe, but when i,
comes to having neighbors who are
on the watch for every chance to
plunde. you and to give you over
to the Red coats, it's almost more
than flesh and blood can stand !"
1t was the summer of 1881, the
darkest and most trying period Of
the Revolution. The campaign Of
1919 had proved failure. The
British were everywhere successful
and the American army had done
almost nothing toward bringing The
war to a close. And 1880 was 6
still more discouraging year. The
winter was one of the coolest evel
known, and the suffering of the Con
tinental troops in their winter quar-
tiers at Morristown were terrible
Early in 1881, several hundred Of
the soldiers reyolted and we're only
kept by the point of the bayoneI
from going home, so that this year
too, opened most disastrously. The
jewellers on the Connecticut coast
lived in constant fear of the British
who occupied New York City an6
Long Island, and frequently crossed
the Sound at night in boats. t.
plumber the inhabitants and carry
them away cap,ives. Norwalk, Mid
dlesex (now Dariene), and Stamford
were particularly hated by the En-
gllsh on account o: the patriotism
of there three ministers, and thu
Red coats had been planning for I
long time some way of Furnishing
the Rev. Mather. whose earnes
teaching served to keep up the al
most fsinting courage OF the peopl
of Middlesex.
Mrs. Holley swung the crane fur
tner over the fire, and then helpe'
Ruth to set the table with the dark
BILE china and the large pewter plat
tiers, which had been secured unit
they shone like silver.
! "Iark ! What is that 7" said til
! farmer, going to The dool. But Mrs
Holiey and Ruth were there befor
him, just in time to see powerfr
gray horse dash up to the door an
| stop obediently at the decide
aWbaa ~ IF hic misfrcsS a rnav