The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1902-01-09
Tho Drum Boats Of Liberty. .

Jacob Vac kfnpf, sitb hW VISION soh'
forever. A Hessisn's bullet he'd hlindst
him, sna comfsde wslked hsnd II
hand With hin snd warned hin OF ol
s,rnciions 10 The road.
0ae night months later. a. the hlint
msa slept. there vas sealls tsppios .
his window. and s be opened the sssi
aud asked VITO vas there pstfioi s.rsesp
replied:
Hi.i, jacob. have been win oxen snt
wagon Tor muskets. powder and lead
l have had long pull OF IL. snd th'
o1ep can 40 no farther, and there Is
Hessian picket on the road TO the sonih
We mnst hide the munitions and CON,
Tor them sgsio.
Ten minutes later the blind drummer
snd bis three daughters we're assisting
tho soldiers to unload The wagon and
hid its contents 10 the dark snd empty
cellar Of the barn, Ia oil hsste srd ye'
With due csution the work was speedily
dpished snd tho vehicle driven back oye'
the road and by and by when psiro
Of csvslry came trotting that way 20 mar
saw or heard snythins unusnal.
Aud when the muskeis had been oiled
and the lead cast into bullets which CLEAN
ed bright rs silver there was drill on
the bare hoor OF the old barn, With
drum ., his side, bu, the sticks bsstina
softly, and with Raib. Msry and E'ther
10 line before him, the blind man whisper
inply commanded;
Attention, companyl Right iscel Lsil
fscei Order srmsl Shoulder arms
Ready aim -recoyei R-r-r.rl Rit-tat.
tail
Aud there clme November day when
The snosf,kes faitered now and then,
aud the skies were dark with winters
warning. and the gale whipped the dying
lesvse of the spple and pear trees and
tossed their branches about 10 Wild dis
order, The blind drummer wss noddiug
10 sleep In bis chair, and his daughters
we're 10 the field searching for potato
bills which might have escaped the raid
era. Ofs sudden the msu reused up and
peered into vacancy with his sightless
eyes and listened With beating heart.
The daughters found him standing
erect With drum at his eide aud sticks
in his hand, as they came running in.
Aye. they are ccuing, the enemy, be
said, as the painting girls esssyed to
speak. They have heard OF the arms and
are coming 10 take them away. You.
Rnth and Mary, to the barn snd bring as
many mnskels as yoa can carry. aud you.
Esther, lead me to the lane aud eone
wall. Forward steady -for~srd, march
Attention, company! cried the drum
mer as be ceased to rattle bis sticks.
come ball way up the lane before you
fire, Tell me, Esther, what do they dof
They have halted. father; and appear
surpri ,ed aud confused,
R.r.r.l Rst.a-.stl Rat.tst-ist They
ere brave men and will come on, but
they sre enemies Of liberty. Aye, | hear
their tramp on the dying grass. Steady,
girls -stesdyi When they sre even With
the wild cherry tree. fire OF them to kill.
Fell me, Esther, tell me-
Banel bangl bangl rosred the three
muskets, and with pulses jumping the
blind man grssped his sticks and made
the drum rattle till the half dozen horses
down 10 the road reared up and plunged
aud whinDied at the sounds.
Fresh musketsl Fire awsyl Tell me,
Esther, tell me II any Of them ore down
Three, fstherl Bsuel bsngl bang
Five, fsther-fve are down now, and one
is leaning against the WALL We have
stopped theml The bslt-they waver-
they give way
The enemy fell bsck. rallied and sdvan
cd for the third time. Now come OF the
troops LETT the narrow lane and advanced
Tor the third time upon the A,nks OF the
defense They crept along the stoue
wslls or skirmished across the helds.
aud the firing became briek.
R.r-.-rl R.t-s.tst-.stl ratified the drum
and the drummer shouted above the
noise: You sre nsiog but two muskets
nowi Wbst has become OF Rathf
Oh, father, replied Either, Rn.h Ruth
is desdl
Rat-s-.st-tsl-.sti Attention, company
L,sd-resdy - ain - Fl re recovefl Tell
me. Esther, can We bold thenf
No, istheri They are 10 rout-to tbs
right 10 The leitl see them shining al
you, f.tberi Crouch dcwn beside me OIL
you viii be killed,
cannot see, cannot shoot, bat / VII
stand to the lsstl R-r-f-rl R.r.r-fl Rat
a.tsll Rii-s-tst.lsil Tis the drnmbestl
that oslled the minutemen together o.
Lexington. You are nsiog but ore mot
ket now. What has become oil Msryf
Dead. fstber dead ss she rested be-
eun barrel npon the WALL
Affection, company Only bhns
man aud girl. bat the nuskets In th'
bsrn belong to Washington sud liberty
and We must die for them Are yot
sftsic. Estheif
II sm not sitsiol
Then fsbt oul TwS thus the drun'
ratified u Booker Hill -r-rtrst-a-tst
You have c ssed firing, Tell me, Esther
/: tie powder gonsi
Tasfe sas 90 spsWer.
They are dead. afo'nsd The blind maj
-Ra,b, Nsry aud L ater all deadl Ay
shout sud cheer aud fire. you buiingsi
.acs you sol Add here 10 The way ID
druns beats, White Plains sseor rsgss'
! .,.sa.. n.,a svinaiua into sction -r-.-f