Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-08-06
1ly mehhfnn nap.
A Romance of Concord
and Lexington.
BY L. G. Woodberry.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

Well, as | was saying, this Is the
way 1t came about: | was a young
thing then. just turned IS. Your grand
father had been my playmate, hero
and protector from the time TINT was
old enough to go to school. had new
er thought Of marrying any one but
him. and so when he asked me to be
his wife, why. Of course, said YES"
Well. 1t was in the spring Of 1775
that we were to be married. Mother
and spent the winter getting my
things made up. and had as fine an
outfit as girl could possibly have In
those days. The day set for the wed.
ding was the 10th of April-yes, 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, stamps and taxes.
When the towns began to raise min
utemen," why. of course, we raised a
company In our town, and your grand
father and my brothers were members
of 1t. We girls could not stand guard,
of course, so in order to show our pa
triotism we all signed 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 beautiful
day, though warm one for the sea-
son. We were all up early that morn.
Ing, for there was a great deal to be
done. 1t was about 8 o'clock in the
forenoon when my mother. who had
heen looking over some linen, suddenly
raised her head, exclaiming MS she did
so, why, Mary, was that the meeting
house bell?" e -, ,ss.
"What can 1t 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 the way Harry
Wright was plowing the field. The
boys called out to him as they passed
and, without stopping to unhitch the
horse, he seized his gun and was of
across the fields.
''It Is an alarm, mother!' cried.
"The boys are down by the brook. u
she said. "'rhe sound will not reach
! them. Run and tell thcmw
Without delay hurried to the kitch
en-, and. seizing 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 tC
the house.
81 do not know" was my reply, "bu
am going to find out" And ran ou
of the house and took short cut acros!
the fields to the meeting house, whlcl
was to be the gathering place IL thu
alarm should ever be sounded. l, fo
one, had never expected to hear an,
alarm, for at home we hoped for ,
| pcNceIul seItlemeHt VI tHe uliHcuities
But when | reached the church ant
saw the whole town gathered on th'
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 II? Where are they go
ingY asked And rs spoke the mel
came hurrying out of the meeting
house. where they had heard n few
words from Parson Smith. and. mount
Ing their eorses rode Off as fast n
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" chats you
grandfather) asked.
Henry was Mt the tavern when tn