Lillian Elizabeth Roy

“ George consented, and as he stood on the edge of the cupola, holding the mayor's hand on one side, and leaning gracefully on the American eagle as it stood beside him on the other side, the throngs of people cheered and cheered for the great general who blew up the British army on Long Island. ”

“ George bawled out orders for his companions to follow, and at every fresh attack upon the Hessians, the four Americans whooped and fell to with renewed lust of battle.
Martha and Anne were deeply interested in hoping and watching for the Hessians—those cruel heartless fellows, who had injured and destroyed the lives and properties of the American citizens at Brunswick, Princeton, and other Jersey towns. It served them good and right to have Washington's men flay the breath out of them. ”

“ Hence, the younger children from the tenements played in this large puddle, sailing boats, or throwing stones to watch the splash.
As Jack retorted, one of the boys standing near the puddle, stooped and flung a handful of dripping mud at the fence. It struck low, but George instantly shouted:
"Don't you do that again! It's against the law to throw things in city limits!"
"Ha! Lot you know about law! Why, sissy, we're a law by ourselves!" ”

“ As the reckless driver flew downtown, George held his breath in constant fear of being smashed to atoms by colliding with a trolley or automobile crossing one of the many streets.
Down the densely-thronged thoroughfare flew the cab, the police whistling signals for it to stop, and shooting revolvers at the tires to cause a puncture, but, strange to say, the cab escaped without a single damage to windows or tires.
By the time the runaways reached Union Square, a long mob of people were tearing after them, all in hot pursuit of the villains. ”

“ Couldn't we leave the children to go to bed alone for this time?" asked Mr. Parke.
"I'll ask the chambermaid to see that they are all right and have what they want," said Mrs. Parke.
"Mother, if you all are going to have a good time, why can't we have ice cream and cake for a treat up in the parlor?" begged Anne.
"Why, you're having ice cream now!" exclaimed Mrs. Davis.
"But this is dessert—upstairs it will be a party!" cried Jack.
The elders laughed, and promised that Maggie, the maid, should be told to give the children a party as they desired. ”

“ After the elders had gone, the five children gathered in the parlor waiting for Maggie's appearance. She was having her supper, and said she would be upstairs in a short time.
"Do you know, we haven't played war in the longest time—I've almost forgotten how!" sighed George.
"That's 'cause we had so much other stuff to do," replied Martha.
"I wish we could play Nathan Hale and the British now," ventured Jack.
"You just can't in a place full of furniture—no trees, no grass, no creek to play with," remonstrated George. ”

“ Who told you about it?" asked Martha, who had felt quite sure that not one of the elders had discovered anything at all about that long-to-be-remembered escapade.
"Why, the American eagle whispered it in my ear when we came in from the theatre party that night!" teased Mr. Parke.
Then George had to tell Jim all about that battle on the roof when they were dressed in the bellboys' uniforms. And Jim sighed and sighed, and wondered why it was the lot of some folks to have all the joys of life, while others have bandy-legs and stay at home! Ah, Jim, such is life! ”

“ Along the corridor of the floor where their own suite was located, George led his army, and once safely inside that friendly door, he quickly slammed and locked it.
The five sank down on the floor, and rocked back and forth in hysterics of fun.
"Oh! That was the best fight we've ever had!" finally cried Martha.
An imperative knock at the door made them all jump, however.
"Run to your rooms and tear off these uniforms! Fire them in the closets or anywhere and jump in bed. Cover yourselves with the bedclothes before Maggie comes in with a pass-key!" ordered George quickly. ”

“ All of the loyal and patriotic American citizens of this city agreed with me, that New York needed the eagle here to keep trouble away, but who could tell to what lengths these bad men would go?—even so far as to kidnap our great and true Washington. ”

“ Not the make-believe kind we always play down here!" said Martha impressively.
"And, Jim, you can believe those Hessians knew how to fight, too. But it took Washington's army to lick them, didn't it, father?" gloated George, mentally patting himself on the back.
"Yes, and I remember the story of a great battle waged on Brooklyn Heights, when Washington had to cross the East River in the fog. That scene will never be forgotten by many of the New Yorkers who felt sure they had cornered the Black Hand and kidnappers of some very sweet little angels," remarked Mr. Parke. ”

“ Parke's sleeve.
"What's the matter there, father? Is some one killed?" worried George, watching the mob anxiously.
"No, they are merely shouting out prices, or dealing in stocks. These are called curb brokers, because they have no 'seats' in the Exchange and cannot deal in there," said Mr. Parke.
"Do any of you children know why Wall Street has its name?" asked Mrs. Davis.
"I suppose because it does a wall of money business every day," ventured Jack, trying to be wise.
"No, it was Wall Street long before any stock market was founded in New York. ”

“ We ladies will have a cup of tea."
"Yas'sam!" replied the polite waiter, leaving the car.
"But what are we going to eat? You never give us cheese at home!" cried Martha in dismay.
"You can have the consommé, crackers and milk. If you care to have a bit of cold beef, you may," replied Mrs. Parke.
"But you didn't order any pie, or cake, or ice cream!" remonstrated George, almost speechless with surprise.
"No, because they only have a buffet lunch, I find. They haven't any hot dishes, or desserts other than the kind ready-made by companies. ”

“ Parke and the ladies caught hold of the children's hands to save them from being crushed between doors and passengers, and after climbing another flight of concrete steps, they all breathed the sweet, fresh air once more, and Martha said:
"Don't let us ever travel that way again! It's awful!"
"But think of the millions who have to travel that way, up to the Bronx or Washington Heights, or over to Brooklyn. There is no other way to get there except by foot, or paying several car-fares for changes of line," said Mr. Davis, who seemed thoroughly acquainted with conditions in New York. ”

“ One after the other they appeared in the parlor, and laughingly admired one another.
"Now what? We're all ready," said John.
"Martha, twist up your curls! Soldiers can't have such hair when they fight!" scorned George.
So Martha ran to her mother's room and pinned up her hair, keeping it on top of her head by dragging her father's travelling cap over it.
The boys also got their caps, and then they stood in line while George drilled them.
"This room is too small for any fun," said Jack.
"Can't we parade down the hallway? If we hear any one coming we can hide," suggested Martha. ”

“ In marching the army from the East River to camp in New York, George found the roof and exulted in the spot.
"Just the place for an engagement! We can hide behind the palm trees and shoot at each other when one of us tries to cross the city. Two of us have to be British, though."
"John and I will be English, and the girls and you will be Yanks," said Jack, looking around to make sure no one was about. ”

“ When we think of the way he handled that great army of sick, hungry, weary and wounded men, discouraged and broken-spirited as each one was, and inspired them with enough will-power and patriotism to brace up and start in absolute silence and under cover of the fog, to cross the deep and dangerous current of the river on flat-bottomed boats, we, at this late day, but faintly feel the great praise due him ”

“ The general held a council of war with his army. What was there to do in this terrible extremity—the East River on one hand, the different regiments of the British on two sides, and Howe, with his main army, back of them?
"There's only one thing left for us—to cross the river in the fog and gain New York again," declared George.
"How can we cross, when there is nothing to cross?" asked Anne, with great lack of imagination. ”

“ And Martha wondered if Philadelphia were anything like New York, to make aunty speak of seeing such sights every day.
Before she had time to question about this interesting information, however, a cheery voice sounded outside of the large parlor they had with the suite of six rooms, and in came Mr. Davis.
After greetings were all over, Jack began: "Daddy, are we going to do anything to-day? We must not lose time, you know."
"Indeed no! Time is one of the things we can never find if it is once lost!" laughed Mr. Davis, patting Jack on the head. ”

“ At this information, George exchanged glances with Jack.
"Shall we warn them, or just fall in?" asked he.
"Did Washington send a polite letter to Howe or any of the British, when he started a fight?" was all Jack replied.
"Here you, Bob—you tackle that red-headed fellow. Dick—you take care of the fat one. Jack can fight the thin one and I'll take charge of that freckled scrawny one—I can fight better than any of you, I guess!" planned George hurriedly.
"Here! here, what about us two girls! Can't we help?" cried Martha, with deep grief at the turn events appeared to be taking. ”

“ As they turned to go up the steps of the house, the vanquished army met them.
"Well, mother, that was a great battle, and I'm sure those Hessians will know better than to attack defenceless people again," bragged George, trying to see from a swollen eye.
"Not defenceless—but 'on-the-fence' Americans," corrected Jack, tittering.
"Oh, oh! Are these our children?" wailed Mrs. Davis, backing away from the muddy, tattered group. ”

“ When Jack and George, and their two boy neighbors, caught up with the rear guard of the Hessians, they fell upon them with great gusto. The other six boys soon came up, and had not the old friendly officer hurried up to see what all the hullabaloo was about, the chances are the Hessians would have been entirely destroyed and Howe would have lost a signal battle. Even as it was, the six Hessians were carried from the field of battle with sore heads, black eyes, skinned shins and lame backs.
"My! Nothing like a little fight to give one an appetite, eh?" ”

“ Meantime, as many as could get on the elevators, did come up to the room, but the small elevator that ran to the tower would only hold five or six at a time, and there was no one to run it. The man who slept in the chair could not be roused, so Mr. Parke said he would run the lift to the top.
The two villains threatened in vain—George's father started for the balcony to save his son. Then the men lifted George upon the stone guard, and he could look down into the dizzy depths, where the people ran about like ants on the earth.
"If you step another inch, down he goes!" roared one of the men. ”

“ That fearful shaking and fear almost made George sick, but he remembered how Washington must have felt when everything seemed against him and his country. "Did he give up and let Howe get away with him and his army? No, siree! He did not. Neither will I!" thought George.
Finally the cab reached City Hall Park, and around the park it flew, while the two men wondered where they could go with their captive.
"Can't cross the bridge without being arrested, you know. They have guards there," said one. ”

“ Parke reached this point in her story when a waiter entered the car, making announcement of an interesting fact.
"Dinnah now served in th' dinin' car—foh cars ahead! Dinnah now served in th' dinin' car—foh cars ahead!"
"Oh, oh! they're going to have a dinner in the cars! We won't have to eat on the little tables brought in here," cried Jack, looking eagerly at Mr. Parke.
"Why, I don't think we'll need any dinner, do you? We will be in New York in an hour's time, and can have something at a quick lunch restaurant," replied Mr. Parke very seriously. ”

“ But Washington was too wise a general to believe everything he heard, especially when it came from such a wily man as General Howe. So he figured out just about what Howe might do now that he was out of such nice, comfortable quarters like Boston.
"New York was another fine city, with every comfort to be had, so Washington thought that the British would prefer that life to one of privation and discomfort elsewhere. ”

“ We won't eat much at this rate!" grumbled George.
"I think it is much cheaper to have luncheon served on a table in the parlor car. We had a nice lunch, and I'm sure it wasn't as much as this," remarked Jack.
"Shall we whisper to father and ask him what he can afford to pay for?" suggested Martha.
But the waiter stood right at Mr. Parke's elbow writing down some words on a pad, so the children politely waited. When he finished and hurried away, George and Martha excused themselves to the other children, and crossed the aisle. ”

“ A garrison of 1000 men was left at Stony Point, and one of 5000 men at Fort Lafayette, but Clinton determined to draw the American army, so he sent Tryon with 2600 men into Connecticut. After pillaging New Haven and destroying property at Fairfield, Norwalk and Greenfield, laying the towns in ashes, and treating the people with the greatest brutality, he essayed to treat New London in the same manner, but the people were roused to such a degree, by the reports from their neighboring towns, that they opposed Tryon successfully. Hence he returned to New York to boast of his exploits. ”