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PATRIOT PAUL. ©
CHAPTER I,
THE BOY PATRIOT.
‘‘Mother, the time has come.”
** What do you mean, Paul?”
‘*Tmean the time has come to fight.”
The person who uttered these words was
a tall youth of fifteen. The scene was a
country house not far from the village of
Lexington; time, the spring of 1775.
The widow Downs regarded her son as if
perplexed.
“Do you think there will be bloodshed,
my son? I sincerely hope not.”
‘Our people cannot tamely submit,
mother,” uttered the boy with flashing
eyes. ‘*You know that we have been stor-
ing armsand munitions of war at Concord
and Worcester; at any rate,such is the
case,and the minute-men are organizing
on ever hand.
“And it is not done for dress parade
surely.”’
“No. It means that British aggression in
America must cease. Although Ie was asmall
boy when American citizens were shot down
in the streets of Boston in cold blood, I re-
member it well, and felt on fire to avenge
the murder. I tell you, mother, if father
was living he would be even now among
the first to go to the front, to drill with the
minute-men, and stand ready to defend
our beloved county.”
‘“‘T am sure of that,” sighed good Mrs.
nd ll not
**And you will not object to my entering
the lists, mother ie ’ ¥ entering
You, my chi Goodness! wh
youdo? Youare but a boy.” at can
“Tecan use a gun with the best of them.
My pony, Nimble, will carry me out of dan-
ger if I choose to run, so I think you need
not fear
aul Downs was a remarkably precocious
boy. His father had been deac sbme years,
and the management of the little farm de-
volyed upon the boy.
Sis had Riven him self-reliance, and now
at the earliest mutterings of tromble be-
tween the colonists and Great Britain he
was anxious to join in the fray,
°
He had been to Boston many times, and —
all the roads leading thereto were vwell-
known to the lad. On this account the
patriots who had charge of affairs in Massa-
chusetts colony were anxious to secure his
services.
British spies were sent out to pry into the
secrets of the colonists and to learn where
their stores and munitions of war were se
creted.
Paul had recognized one of these, and
through the lad the fellow was captured
and the plans of General Gage made known.
‘“You’re just the chap we need,” declared
Captain Parker of the militia, as he patted
the curly head of the widow’s son.
From him Paul had gone to his mother.
Our patriot mothers of the Revolution
were made of stern stuff, and the poor
widow gave up her son to the service of his
country while tears stood in her eyes.
“You may go, Paul, remembering to do
nothing dishonorable, and God will take
care of the rest.”’
Thus was Paul Downs dedicated to the
service of his country. The ill feeling long
existing between the British and Americans |
was fast ripening into revolution. =
Already had the patriots of Boston exhib-
ited their contempt of the mother country
when the tea was spilled in the waters of
the bay. .
Seven thousand colonists met and pro-
tested against the landing of the tea, and
ordered it back to England. a
The governor refused to grant the re-
quest.
Said Samuel Adams:
“This meeting can do nothing more to
save the country.”’
Then a Wwar-whoop was heard outside, old .
1
South Church, and half a hundred mer dis-
guised as Indians went by to the svharf.
These boarded the tea ships, and smashed
three hundred and forty chests of tea and
emptied their contents into the sea.
This is often referred to as the ‘* Boston
tea party,” the ‘ Yankee tea party,”’ ete.
The date of this occurrence was December
16, 1773. .
We are in later.times when we introduce
BE ens etre canter ee IR et
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