Peggy Owen and Liberty

Lucy Foster Madison

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• Publié par: arga
• Publié le: 08 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 20
• Langue: English

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The Project Gutenberg EBook of Peggy Owen and Liberty, by Lucy Foster Madison
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Title: Peggy Owen and Liberty
Author: Lucy Foster Madison
Illustrator: H. J. Peck
Release Date: January 12, 2010 [EBook #30940]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PEGGY OWEN AND LIBERTY ***
Produced by Juliet Sutherland, D Alexander and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.netPEGGY OWEN
AND LIBERTY
B Y LUCY
FOSTER
MADISON
AUTHOR OF
“PEGGY OWEN”
“PEGGY OWEN,
PATRIOT”
“PEGGY OWEN
AT YORKTOWN”
ETC.
ILLUSTRATED BYH. J. PECK
The Penn Publishing Company
PHILADELPHIA MCMXIII
COPYRIGHT
1912 BY
THE PENN
PUBLISHING
COMPANY
“WHY, IT’S FATHER!”“The motto of our father-band
Circled the world in its embrace:
’Twas Liberty throughout the land,
And good to all their brother race.
Long here—within the pilgrim’s bell
Had lingered—though it often pealed—
Those treasured tones, that eke should tell
Where freedom’s proudest scroll was
sealed!
Here the dawn of reason broke
On the trampled rights of man;
And a moral era woke
Brightest since the world began.”
Introduction
In “Peggy Owen,” the first book of this series, is related the story of a little
Quaker maid who lived across from the State House in Philadelphia, and
who, neutral at first on account of her religion, became at length an active
patriot. The vicissitudes and annoyances to which she and her mother are
subjected by one William Owen, an officer in the English army and a
kinsman of her father’s, are also given.
“Peggy Owen, Patriot” tells of Peggy’s winter at Middlebrook, in northern
New Jersey, where Washington’s army is camped, her capture by the
British and enforced journey to the Carolinas, and final return home.
“Peggy Owen at Yorktown” details how Peggy goes to Virginia to nurse a
cousin, who is wounded and a prisoner. The town is captured by the British
under Benedict Arnold, the traitor, and Peggy is led to believe that he has
induced the desertion of her friend, John Drayton. Drayton’s rescue from
execution as a spy and the siege of Yorktown follow.
In the present volume Peggy’s friends rally about her when her Cousin
Clifford is in danger of capture. The exciting events of the story show the
unsettled state of the country after the surrender of Cornwallis.
Contents
I. A Small Dinner Becomes a Party 11
II. Peggy is Surprised 26
III. On the Horns of a Dilemma 40
IV. The Search 53V. Friends in Need 69
VI. Appearances Against Her 81
VII. David Owen is Informed of the Facts 94
VIII. Before the Council 108
IX. Out of the Frying-Pan Into the Fire 120
X. A Race for Life 134
XI. The Choice of Fairfax 144
XII. “They Must Go Home” 163
XIII. A Woman’s Wit 176
XIV. Marching Orders 194
XV. The Attack on the Blockhouse 215
XVI. “Of what Was He Guilty?” 227
XVII. A Glimpse of Home 244
XVIII. Herod Out Heroded 256
XIX. The Turn of the Wheel 272
XX. A Slight Emphasis of “That” 285
XXI. Chosen by Lot 303
XXII. What Can Be Done? 318
XXIII. A Little Humor Despite a Grim Situation 334
XXIV. “Thee May Tell Him at the Last” 348
XXV. At Headquarters 363
XXVI. The Adventure of the Glen 376
XXVII. The Safeguard of his Honor 392
XXVIII. “How Could She Know?” 407
XXIX. In the Shadow of Death 424
XXX. And Then the End 437
Illustrations
PAGE
“Why, It’s Father!” Frontispiece
“Close the Door” 47
The Two Girls Set Forth 97
A Shower of Bullets Fell About the 138
Sleigh
A Cry of Anguish Went Up 221
“Where is Thee Going?” 268
“I Kneel to You, Sir” 373[Pg 11]Peggy Owen and Liberty
CHAPTER I
A SMALL DINNER BECOMES A PARTY
“At Delaware’s broad stream, the view begin
Where jutting wharfs, food-freighted boats take
in;
Then, with the advancing sun direct your eye
Wide opes the street with firm brick buildings
high;
Step, gently rising, over the pebbly way,
And see the shops their tempting wares
display.”
—“Description of Philadelphia,” Breitnal, 1729.
It was the first of March, 1782, and over the city of Philadelphia a severe
storm was raging. A stiff wind, that lashed the black waters of the
Delaware into sullen fury and sent the snow whirling and eddying before it,
blew savagely from the northeast. The snow, which had begun falling the
day before, had continued all night with such rigorous, relentless
persistence that by the noon hour the whole city was sheeted with a soft
white blanket that spread abroad a solemn stillness. The rolling wheels of
the few vehicles in the streets were noiseless, and the sharp ring and
[Pg 12]clatter of horses’ hoofs became a dull muffled tramp. High up overhead the
snow settled on the church spires, clothing them in a garb of pure cold
white, and drifted among the niches of the State House Tower, until the
face of the great clock was hidden, and could scarce be told for what it
was.
Just across from the State House, in the midst of extensive grounds,
stood a large double brick house which was taking its share of the storm.
There were piles of snow on the steps and broad piazzas, huge drifts
against the fences, and great banks on the terraces of the gardens. The
wind lashed the lithe limbs of the leafless trees of the orchard, shrieked
through the sooty caverns of the wide chimneys, whistled merrily as it
drove the snow against the windows, and rattled the casements with howls
of glee as it went whirling by.
Storm-bound the mansion seemed, but its cold and wintry appearance was
wholly on the outside, for within its walls there was no lack of cheerfulness
and warmth. Great fires blazed on every hearth and puffed clouds of
smoke through the broad chimneys, in defiance of the wind which strove
[Pg 13]there for the mastery. Between the heavy gusts of wind came gleeful
bursts of laughter from the sitting-room as though the inmates were too
happy to heed the driving storm without, and from the kitchen arose savory
odors that spoke of tempting preparations for a bounteous meal, whichfurther enhanced the air of geniality that pervaded the dwelling.
In this latter apartment were two persons: one, a serene faced woman of
middle age who was busily engaged at the kneading board; the other, a
slender maiden well covered by a huge apron and with sleeves rolled back,
stood before a deal table reducing loaf sugar to usable shape. They were
Mistress David Owen and her daughter Peggy.
“How it blows!” exclaimed the girl, looking up from her task as a sudden
gust of wind flung the outside door wide, and sent the snow scurrying
across the sanded floor of the kitchen. “What shall be done anent that
door, mother?”
“Tell Sukey to bring a large stick of wood and put against it,” returned the
lady. “Then look to the oven, Peggy. ’Tis hard to get a clear fire with so
much wind.”
[Pg 14]“I do believe that everything is going to be done to a turn in spite of it,”
remarked Peggy, a little frown of anxiety which had puckered her brow
disappearing as she glanced into the great oven.
“Then as soon as thou hast set the table the dinner will be ready to take
up. I make no doubt but that thy friends are hungry. And what a time they
seem to be having,” Mrs. Owen added as a merry peal of laughter came
from the sitting-room.
“Are they not?” Peggy smiled in sympathy. “I am so glad they came
yesterday. I fear me that they could not have reached here to-day in this
dreadful storm. ’Tis too bad to have such weather now when ’tis Robert’s
first home leave in three years.”
“Methinks that ’twould better come when one is on a furlough than in
camp,” remarked her mother gravely. “It must be terrible for the soldiers
who lack so much to keep them comfortable.”
“True,” assented the girl soberly. “Would that the war were at an end, and
the peace we long for had come in very truth.”
[Pg 15]“And so do we all, my daughter. ’Tis weary waiting, but we must of
necessity possess ourselves with patience. But there! let not the thought
of it sadden thee to-day. ’Tis long since thou hast had thy friends together.
Enjoy the present, for we know not what the morrow may bring. And now
——”
“Set the table,” added Peggy with a laugh, as she rolled down her sleeves.
“And don’t thee dally too long talking with thy friends, Peggy. Thee didn’t
add that, mother.”
“As thee knows thy weakness it might be well to bear it in mind,”
commented her mother with a smile.