Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1901-04-26

IN the suburbs of Elizabethtown,
and in the month of April, 1889,
young girl went fitting with bird
like hops and skips down the broad
driveway leading from gray, we'll
gabled mansion, to the great stables
beyond. The carriage, driven by a
sable-faced coachman, was just
emerging from their midst. The lit
tie maid, just passing childhood's por-
tails, threw up her hand, bidding the
coachman stop and take her upon
the seat beside him.
"Ah, Miss Dottie will always be
little girl and want her ride around
from the barns to the front door,
when the coach goes" said the coach
man, reaching down to help her up
over the wheel.
II am not little girl any more,
Sam. I am young lady, and am
chosen to be one of the 10 girls who
will present flowers, and sing songs
when Gen. Washington passes
through here on his way to New
York. Do you know, they are build
ing a special barge to convey him
from here? It is to be grandly deco
rated and rowed by 10 pilots, and
Brother Victor is coming from New
York to be one of them. Oh, Sam, this
is great and glorious time. Free
dom! Freedom! and then the
ight-hearted girl stopped and trilled
stave or two of song beginning
thus, which she would help sing in
greeting for the hero upon his in
augural journey from Mount Vernon
to the governmental seat of that
time. "Uncle is spluttering around,
rushing everyone of us to death to
get him ready" she continued. %"He
is going by way of the road to New
York. Howard is going with him.
You know Howard belongs to the
general assembly, and really should
not be lettering arotnd here. But
we know why he stays, don't we,
Sam?"
Paying no attention to her light
questioning, Sam, soberly, said:
missy, they fought to throw of
the rule of one king, why should
they 60 right away and put another
over them?"
"Oh, there's no danger of George
Washington imagining that he is to
be q king, although 1 try to make
Cousin Dorothy believe that is the
title we will bestow upon him." went
on the tallative girl. II wish you
could hear her, Sam; and only over
from England so short time. She
is more American than we who were
born here. She and Nellie Custis are
the warmest of friends. She has
just come from Nellie's home, and
her whole talk is of our future pos
sibilities-our liberties
"Our liberty! Our freedom. What
is there for Sam to rejoice over?''
The words were said with low sigh.
"Poor Sam! I forgot. But you
know that you are we'll cared for,
and will be as long as Dottie has any
sayso about you. And you are mine
because father left you to me. Vic
tor expects to settle in New York,
and he wants you for his coachman,
and says he will give me Lizzie, your
wife, and Rachel in exchange for you.
But never! His body servant, Bob,
belongs to me-, and he shall have Bob
for your Lizzie when he settles away
from us to stay and no other way
will I make the exchange, Sam. !
will not separate you from Lizzie"
Sam had been driving very slowly,
his head bent low to catch every
word the little beauty uttered. "God
grant that you may live to- be very
old. Sam has nothing to fear: from
bondage under you. " ., 70, :
They had now drawn up to the
wide front entrance Of the house, and
Dottie stepped lightly down, went
dancing up the steps and into
the large reception-room, where, at
a mullioned window, jas slender, grace.
full girl, with hair of the old Saxon
shade and dreamy blue eyes, sat
reading. Stepping in front Of her
Dottie made low obeisance. saying.
Mistress Dorothy, I am chosen ia
salute our chief: a. he steps upon
the barge 13sha1l say: Hail your ex.
cellency, the king. 5..s :: l.. =.
"You shall do no such thing, and
the English cousin playfully flung
her book after Dottie, who, sprineine
aside, to avoid it, ran into . portly
gray-haired gentleman, bustling IL
y large kerchief in his hand. Here
comes Uncle nckerson.,' AxSs ..| $:s. II, +.
What title was that the sprite wa.
bestowing upon Washing tonas I came
il he gent eman said !, as Doroth