The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-11-09
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9 am 7l1rh0imn Dnn. 9
4 A Romance of Concord 4
{. and Lexington. :.
. BY L. C. Woodbury.. 6
0.0.0.A.M.A.@@.a.A.0.n

wen. as WIS SLY NY, lulS Is Ulle
way it came about: was young
thing then, just turned IS Your grand
father had been my playmate, hero
and protector from the time that was
old enough to 90 to school. | had nev-
er thought of marrying any one but
him, and so when he asked me to be
his wife, why, of course. | said Yes"
Well, it was in the spring of 1175
that we We're to be married. Mother
and | spent the winter getting my
things made up, and had as fine an
outfit as a girl could possibly have in
those days. The day set for the we'd
ding was the 10Th of April-ycs. the
very day on which the battle of Lex
ington occurred, as have good reason
to remember.
Those were anxious days for us.
remember how serious my father and
brothers used to look as they discussed
the events which were then taking
place Their only conversation was
about rights, stan IS and taxes.
When the towns began to raise min
h''AAl'Al ~ ny VI NOlal ~, w ldl~'i IL
company in our town. and your grand.
father and my brothers were members
of it. We girls could not stand guard,
of course, SO in order to show our pa
triotism we all signed a paper in which
we agreed not to have anything to do
with the men of the town who refused
to join the company.
The 10Th of April was a beautiful
day, though a warm one for the sea
son. We Were all up early that morn
ing, for there was great deal TO be
done. 1t was about . o'clock in the
forenoon when my mother who had
been looking over some linen. suddenly
raised her head, cXclaiming rs she did
so, 'Why, Mary, was that the meeting
house bcllY"
"What can it mean?" | cried. and
running to the window, | caught sight
of our neighbours sons. Joe and John
Eaton. running down the road with
their guns. Across tine way Harry
Wright was blowing the field The
boys called out to him as they passed
and, without stopping to unhitch the
horse, he seized his gun and was off
across the fields.
1T is an alarm, MOTHER | cried.
"rhe boys are down by the brook"
she said. The sound will not reach
them. Run and tell them"
Without delay hurried to the kitch-
en-, and, Selling the horn. | ran out of
the house and started for the brook.
which was some distance from the
house. | blew blast on the horn as
ran, and as the boys caught sight of
me | pointed toward the road where
several men could be seen running
with their guns. The boys understood
and. waving their hands to me. they
were off across the field to the road
What do you suppose the matter
is?' asked mother when | returned to
the house.
81 do not know" was my reply. but
| am going to find out" And | ran out
of the house and took Il short cut across
the fields to the meeting house. which
was to be the gathering place if the
alarm should ever be sounded. |. for
one. had never expected to hear any
alarm, for at home we hoped for a
peaceful settlement of the difficulties
But when | reached the church and
saw the whole town gathered on the
green the mems stern air and the wo-
mems pale faces frightened me, and
began to fear that something serious
was the matter.
~ hat is it? Where are they GO
ing?" | asked. And as spoke the men
came hurrying out of the meeting
house, where they had heard a few
words from ParSon Smith. and. mount
ing their horses, rode off as fast rs
they could go | looked for your grand.
father, but he was not there Catch,
ing sight of my father, ran to him.
Have you seen Henry" that's your
grandfather | asked
Henry was at the tavern when the
messenger rode through here" replied
my father, land. as he had his horse
with him, he rode away without wait
Ing for the company to assemble"
You may imagine my feelings as |
turned to 90 home. This was my we'd
ding day, and the man who was to
marry me had ridden off without a
word, knowing too, that he might new
er return, if all they were saying about
fights and resistance was true.
My father had reached home before
me, and as opened the door | heard
mother ask, do you think it is any
thing serious, father?"
Il am afraid it may be. Wife" he
said. THE messenger said that Gov
ernor Gage has sent some of the kings
troops to destroy the supplies which
have been stored at Concord. If the
report is true, there will be resistance,
and If 1t comes to that it will be very
serious business for us"
My mother kept her fears to herself
and did her best to make me feel that
1t would come out all right, but those
hours were the most anxious ! ever
spent. So through the day we watch
ed and waited for news.
The first news that came to us from
the fight at Lexington and the other
dolngs of that day arrived about
o'clock in the afternoon, when some
mlnutemen from another town stopped