Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1900-07-05
DOROTHY and
THE HESSIANS
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In the year 1116 little Dorothy Stirling,
who was then just 10 years old. lived
with her parents in a pretty vine covered
house on the outskirts of Flatbush.
which. as you know, Is on Long Island.
On July ! her father. having important
matters t. attend To in New York, took
his wife ana daughter over there with
him. and they staid at tho house of q
friend This house stood 1t what Is now
the corner of Broadway and Leonard
street. but in those days it was all open
country. loSely green fields and pasture
land
The hot. suItry month Of July. 1916,
was destined to be the most eventful in
the history Of our country. Wonderful
events were taking place. and the old
city of New York was filled with hustle
and suppressed excitement. Dorothy did
not understand what it all meant. but she
knew something unusual was happening.
Her father, instead of laughing ard romp-
ing with her as he was wont to do when
he came home at night, was very grave
and quiet, and sometimes he would hold
his little daughter in his arms for whole
hour without saying a word, gazing out
through the open window over the green
fields and with a look on his face that
made tender hearted Dorothy murmur
softly, Poor papa" and with her little
hands she would try to brush away the
deep wrinkles that had gathered on his
brow. Her pretty, bright little mother
had grown quiet and sad, too, and once
Dorothy found her sewing on a gay blue
coat with brass buttons and weeping.
Mamma" said Dorothy, kneeling at
her mothers side, what makes you cry,
and what makes everybody so graveT
Dorothy" said Mrs. Stirling, stroking
the childs fair hair, ''the time has nearly
come when all brave and loyal men like
papa must fight for their country and
when all true women like you and me, my
darling, must stand by them, for they
will need our help and comfort sorely be-
fore it's all over"
Then she told her daughter that the
English king had not dealt fairly by his
people in America, and that they had de-
termined to rebel from his authority and
rule themselves, and this little girl learn
ed that her father was going to be sol
der and carry fine sword and fight
against the English when the right time
came
The next day her father took her down
to Bowling Green - see some soldiers
drill They We're gay looking fellows in
KnlckerDOCkerS, WITH IuuHy pONuefeu
wigs and long cues under their three cor
nered hats. And then Captain Stirling
took her down to the waters edge and
pointed out lot of the kings ships, with
flags flying. that lay off Staten Island.
And as she looked a roll of drums and the
sharp squeak of the flies came floating
over the bay.
Dorothy clapped her hands in delight.
"Oh. papa" she cried, do you think
they will come to New York? l love to
hear the drums"
Il fear 50, dear" said the father, pick
inx up his little daughter and kissing her.
But it will be another tune they'll play"
As they were starting on their way home
there was sharp clattcr of hoofs and
the mad hurrahius Of mighty crowd
that surgcl about a solitary horscman as
hebrew zip at a tavern in Bowling Green.
The rider was covered with dust. and his
hat was gone, while the poor jaded horse
was covered with foam from hi ride.
"Hark" cried Captain Stirling. "Hark
to what the man is saying"
I'VE are declared free and independent
states by the Continental congress at
Philadelphia. 1t was ratified on the
Fourth of July. We are free!"
These We're the words that rang in the
ears of Dorothy and her father Down