The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-12-02
PATRIOTS OF OLD.

men at the door. They did not note
the shutting and hesitation before the
door was softly pushed open It was
only when the draft of cold air struck
them that they looked up. Into the
great kitchen with its roaring fire of
hickory walked four young men-fOur
raised and shivering and gaunt-facsd
young men with muSketS in their
hands. The door was pushed TO be
mind them and the four looked into the
faces of the man and woman. The old
clock licked sixty times before the
woman, making never a motion with
hand or foot, but with her eyes fast
glued 10 the face Of one OF the four,
whispered.
'Zadok, 1t is our Zadok."
Yes, mother replied the young
'Zadok. 1t is our zadok"' repeated
the father.
Yes, father. and here are Tom
Eatchen, William Haynes and George
Swift We are freezing and starving.
Look at our shoes-Our ragst'
We are freezing and s-arving." re-
peated the men behind him.
The mother did not spring 10 her
feet to clasp in her arms the boy she
had not seen for months The father
did not ho.d out u hand of welcome.
The four men looked down at the floor,
and for the next minu.er the snap of
the fre was Ike a sound of musketry,
and the tIck-taCk of the clock was as a
bell tOlling out its dea-h notes. BY and
by the mother dropped her head TO the
table and shiver passed over her. and
in a low, stern voice the father asked
What do you here, from Valley
FORGE"
There was no reply. With their eyes
on the floor the men moved their feet
uneasily.
= know" shouted zachariah in
voice that thrilled and startled Aye"
l see 1t in your faces He are deserters
from Washington, Ye are traitors to
the cause of liberty Because Of the
cold and the hunger and the rags We
have skulked away, and come whining
back to your homes, Cod Cod And
We, zadOk-ye have done this-and ye.
Tom and William and George-sons Of
my neighbors."
But, father began Zadok. when
the old man rose up as If the pains in
his knee had suddenly departed, and
swinging his arm about, he cried out:
-Skulkers from the camp. Deserters
from Washington Traitors TO the
causei Before God, I would blast ye
where We stand but that ye may atone
for d hundredth part of your disgrace
by reddening the snow with your
blood small troop of TedcOats left
mere an hour ago to capture Colonel
Talbot and his brother officers. They
are ten 10 five, but we five viii fall
upon theml'
"Zachariah," whispered the wife. as
she crossed over and laid a hand on
his arm.
Away. AbigaiI-away! he fierceIy
shouted as he shook off her hand and
reached for his mUsket. You would
speak of food and drink and warmth
before we so, but it shall not be. Were
ZadOH Scott a thousand times my only
child. he should fast and chill and be
unfCTgiven until he has won back his
manhood. Come On-c0me everyone of
ye-"
MulHed in great coat and as erect as
in the strength of youth-with his
mUSkrt on his shoulder and the night
blasts Ringing his gray locks about
the Zachariah who would have given
home wife and his own life for the
cause of liberty, stalked out into the
night and was followed by the de-
serters.
Cod God. That Zadok should do
this-that he should become desert
err grOdned the old man DIS he tram
pied up the snowy read.
We did not mean to desert" wills
peTed each man to himself. we were
freezing and staring and could hardly
drag about. and we wanted food and
care We would have gone back to the
valley again.
Behind them, in the farmhouse kitch-
en-, the women knelt down beside a
chair and prayed to God. The table
was left unCleared. the sparks snapped
across the floor unheeded. the clock
stopped its ticking because Q o'clock
had come and gone and it had not been
wound. She prayed-and prayed. She
prayed for the son-for the father-for
/ herself She prayed with s0bbing in
her throat but with dry eyes.
With heads bent to the wind and feet
g-~Hu III
men pushed their way along for two
miles and a half. Then the sound of
/ firing came to their ears. and they halt
ed for moment, and each one girded
I himself uD, as it were
They are fighting at Talbot s-they
nave not been captured YET" exclaimed
Zachariah, as he looked round upon his
/ men Forward nOW-foTWard to smite
/ them hip and Highland spare not
The British troopers had hoped TO
/ take the house by surprise, but the
alarm had been given, and a stout re-
SlstanCe was being made. Two troopers
/ had been killed, and the captain was
making ready to set fire TO the sheds
/ and thus drive the patriots out into the
{ open. He had no fear Of rescue on such
/ a night. and the coming of the band
I of five created CONSERVATION for a mo-
! ment.
Smite them down." he heard a voice
/ crying through the night. "Smite them
/ from head to heel. and spare mott
/ The TedcOats rallied They were eight
| to five. but three fell as the patriots
/ fired d volley. and then it was five e
J five and with dubbed muskets aEainst
| sGber and pistol. they fought across the
! snow ridges and back and forth undel
| the great limbed walnut trees. BY and
! by there were but two left. It was the
| barrel of "a shattered muSket agains1
/ an officers sword.
"Smite them and spare not Smitt
| them and show no mercv.'' cried Zach.
ariah. as he whirIed his weapon abOu
/ his head and advanced and gave way
/ and struck and recovered, Under The
| treeS-Over the ridges-acrOss wind
| swept spots and the flower beds of sum
! mer they fought, and now and theI
/ they stumbled over men lying dead. a
/ length there was but one left on hi:
| feet. He threw away the sword .eC
/ with life and blood and staggered anC
! lUTched like a drunken man as he mad,
/ his way down To the gate. The ter
horses were tied there They had rear
/ ed and paved and plunged as the nOis,
of battle reached them. They We're Quie
now. The staggering. gaspinE MAJ
| loosened one and mounted To the saddle
| with a groan, and as he gathered vi
! the reins the steed set of at a furiou
| gallon. As the woman in the farm
| house prayed she heard the hoOf beat
! on the creaking snow, and she praye,
! in low breath:
| IF it is thy viii let il be a messen
ger that it is well with my people"
The hoof beats came nearer an,
neaTer-theE SIackened a Iitt1c-fhe'