Show A heroine of seventy six BY MRS AIRS 31 A DENNISON I 1 dont like to hear the noise noise of those ham mers the dull son song bong of 0 laboring picks breaks upon the ear with monotonous s regularity they are making tracks for a railroad in this old town I 1 am not pleased with the improvements prove ments as some call it for a pleasant farmhouse farm house and its sor rounding fields that sloped from h gh and undulated hills had vanished forever before its nod the great genius of enterprise with is ugly shears of com commerce mercey is clipping at the poor wings of poverty and romance till I 1 fear by and by they will only have power to flap along the ground their ethereal faculties chained down to stock stocktaking taking and invoices I 1 I 1 am sorry the house has gone for there are some recollections connected with its history for the sake of which it would be pleasant could it have been spared snared an old farmhouse farm house surrounded by fields of waving iraln grai and corn in the autumn time and over u ung by the branches of 0 various trees golden with the fullness of time is a sight of picturesque beauty in i a rich valley especially if a fine old mountain looms up in the background back ground or a deep shade of forest trees stretches away into the clear mellow atmosphere beyond in that one before us 1 I am now speaking as if it stood in the old spot the widow of the noble captain pierpont lived some twenty years ago the lady was a fine specimen of old time women dignified even cornuand corn commanding mand in I 1 in manner with a fresh tresh bloom upon her cheek artist artistically cally caily forehead and a deep earnest expression in her bright eyes she was a woman of refined and cultivated intellectual powers a woman who in youth had bad known no stint of wealth whose mind was stored with classic lore who bad never till she emigrated to the tle wilderness of the new world soiled her fingers with even household work father and husband were both dead the 11 e bones of the former reposed in another country p beneath a marble monument the latter had now slept two years in the little burying bur mg ground beside the wooden church in sig sight t of the red farmhouse farm house and a small grey stone ston e marked the spot where his ashes mingled with the dust one day during the hardest campaign of our soldiers madame pierpont pier pont was alone at the farm pomp a negro servant had bad gone on some errand which would detain him until nightfall night fall and alek the hired man had wounded his band in the morning with an ax so that he was quite disabled and obliged to return to his bome borne about a mile distant which by the way was the nearest homestead home stead to the old red farmhouse farm house bouse the widows four brave sons of age varying from eighteen to twenty six had bad started but two days previous for the field of their count rys battle while the widow realized that in all probability some perhaps all of her treasures would be smitten with the ruthless hand of war her cheek was still and holy hope sat in the repose of her beautiful fea tures only now and then she turned to open the bible bibie before her and read afew consoling passages and straightway resumed her with i a trusting smile ahl patriotism found an endearing home in many such gentle breasts 1 hud denly from the distance came a sound like the trampling tram plin of boises feet and a great cl cloud ud of dust beto betokened bened the approach of travelers hurrying to their destination the widow moved to the door and shading her eyes from the th intense sunshine watched their progress they drew nearer and in another moment three horsemen drove dp tip before the door they wore military costume and were allaine all ail hine fine looking men the foremost genelen an by far exceeded the others by hi his S imposing figure and the greatness of his countenance coulte couite nance nce it needed no introduction to assure the widow that this was george washington with that character which always characterized him he bowed gracefully to madame pierpont as he blandly asked if it he could find aind rest and refreshment f our are wearied we have ridden since this morning and would fa fain in recruit he be added certainly gen gentlemen tiemen and welcome 12 she replied smilingly throwing pen the inner door as they dismounted anted our poor beasts said one of the officers patting his smocking oking ilig horse 1 I would they could be se attended to immediately Is there a groom or sen seri ant about your house madame who could rub rubdown down and feed them I 1 will reward him liberally J igwe we would ask no reward in this household sir 21 rep replie liedthe dihe widow if you will lead them round they will be caret carek cared for make alake yourselves comfortable gentlemen ll 11 said the widow and excuse me while h e I 1 prepare your refreshments you must be hungry as well as fatigued in another minute the widow was in the stable uli uti saddling unsaddling the poor horses work to which she was not accustomed but which she nevertheless could do in time of need being a woman of strong muscular frame and great energy she knew it must be done b by heisele pi self seif or not at all As for men and hor hot horses Y es tb they ey were completely jaded out she with straw rubbed the animals down with her own hands led them into stalls and prepared and gave them food after changing her dres dresa the widow returned again to the parlor where the officers having unbuckled buckled un their swords and coffed doffed their caps sat conversing together evidently enjoying a delightful rest As the widow stepped oyer over the threshold of the room oge ope one of the officers was remarking to his bis companions he was one of the best men and as dine fine looking a fellow as ever volunteered do ido you speak of young pierpont asked another yes he fell yesterday pierced by three balls poor fellow it was a hard fate for such a boy 2 faione for one moment the cheek of the widow was blanched the heart of the mother shocked but she spoke almost calmly as she asked which one was it sir sit henry pierpont if I 1 am not mistaken was he known to you was he known to her oh ob the torment that followed that question henryl her noble firstborn first born he who had taken the place of the dead at their board and with a gravity beyond his years carried out the plans his father left unfinished and now his blue eves were closed forever his bright locks rolled in the dust 01 the thought was angui angul anguish shi A deathly paleness came over her but she rallied with a great effort and said as calmly as before as she turned her whitened hit ened cheek away he was my son sir 11 they did not see her face as she walked quickly and firmly out of the room now god forgive me I 1 feel as if I 1 had baa done a cowardly thing muttered the officer while hillips his lips grew pale with emotion coming here partake to of this womans comans hospitality I 1 have cru couely ely stabbed her to the heart you are not dot to blame my friend said washington in his deep tones in which was blended a sudden pathos neither if I 1 read her aright would she recall the child bravely fallen in his count rys cause this is no common woman her deiy face lace 9 speaks ka of her soups souls nobility mark me when b fo you xou u next et see her she will gie fie te adess tea iless no 0 wor word of f SO bonow ow will issue from her lips our mothers our wives I 1 am proud to say it are heroines in this trying period and this he continued poi ilg tig to the bible this is the secret of their greatness whenever you behold that volumn opened bearing evidence of constant perusal there you will find women capable of any emergency I 1 repeat it when we meet again she will be calm and tearless although a mother bereaved of her child and so it was madame pierpont pier pont had schooled her grief for the time into a sudden and sacred submission and when the officers were called into another room to partake of the smoking viands she had prepared they found her collected unchanged in her manner and serene countenance the officer from whom the news had bad so rudely burst was lost in admiration of her conduct and was often heard to say subsequently that lie he venerated women more for her sake toward night the trio departed thanking the kind woman with grateful hearts for her courtesy they found their horses ready saddled and were forced t to 0 conjecture that madame pier pierpont pont had herself performed pei formed the duty of general washington kindly took her hand before he mounted his cb charger arger and addressed her tenderly and affa affectionately tears came to the eves eyes of the officers while they listened but though an increased pallor overspread the widows face race she murmured 1 I am thankful thankful to my god sir sit that ile he has deemed me worthy of demanding my firstborn first born in ili this glorious struggle he was ready sir read re adfor for life or death but ut when they had gone and she returned to the ie silence of 0 that lone ione one house the mother wept exceedingly bitter tears draw we the curtain before her sacred anguish farewell old pier pierpont pont house with your carpet of mallows and old fashioned flowers in old fashioned pots standing upon the stoop I 1 feel sad at the thought that I 1 shall never again see bee its door wreathed in vines whereon hung clusters of luxuriant grapes nor ats windows on od the lower floor all opened with the white curtains of snowy muslin with it a dreamy undulating motion in the pleasant breeze I 1 the iron merchants of boston have unanimously agreed to continue contenul rough through tb C the tiie winter closing their p pi in on saturdays |