 | Young folks' centennial rhymes |  |
89
NELLIE'S LIE.
As Nellie 'neath the oak-tree sat and sewed,
There came a Hessian
soldier up the road;
His arm was red, where blood from it had flowed.
There came a Hessian
The Hessians were soldiers whom the King of England had bought or hired from a German prince, paying him a certain sum of money for each man. They were brought over the sea to fight the Americans. In order to get enough of them to fill out the number bargained for, the German prince sent his soldiers into fields and shops where the men were working, and into churches where they were worshiping, seized, and hurried them off, without giving them time even to say good-bye to their families. The Hessians were, many of them, more to be pitied than blamed.
His arm was red, where blood from it had flowed.
Panting, he walked up at a feeble pace,
He looked the little girl straight in the face,
And said, “Please give to me a hiding-place!
He looked the little girl straight in the face,
And said, “Please give to me a hiding-place!
“From death-hounds, close pursuing me, I fly;
Five of my foemen swift are coming nigh,
And if they find me, I must surely die.
Five of my foemen swift are coming nigh,
And if they find me, I must surely die.
“I have a little girl across the sea,
About your size, and she is fond of me,
As you of your own father sure must be.
About your size, and she is fond of me,
As you of your own father sure must be.
90
“She has a heart as tender as 'tis true;
If now to her your father, wounded, flew,
I know that she would do as much for you.
If now to her your father, wounded, flew,
I know that she would do as much for you.
“Perhaps, to-day, while I from danger flee,
By our small cottage, far across the sea,
Poor Gretchen weeps, and vainly waits for me.”
By our small cottage, far across the sea,
Poor Gretchen weeps, and vainly waits for me.”
And Nellie paused; it was her father's foe;
But could she turn away and bid him go,
Bleeding and weak, to meet a mortal blow?
But could she turn away and bid him go,
Bleeding and weak, to meet a mortal blow?
And still she paused, and pity fought with fear;
She heard the tramp of soldiers coming near—
She pointed to the tree, and whispered, “Here!
She heard the tramp of soldiers coming near—
She pointed to the tree, and whispered, “Here!
“Within these branches, safe the leaves amid,
From all my playmates I have often hid;
Climb up, and do not come till you are bid!”
From all my playmates I have often hid;
Climb up, and do not come till you are bid!”
[OMITTED]
93
The soldiers dashed up, saying, “You must know,
We chase to-day a bloody Hessian foe;
We think you must have seen him; is it so?”
We chase to-day a bloody Hessian foe;
We think you must have seen him; is it so?”
She blushed—she pondered what was wrong or right—
Then looked up, with her great eyes sparkling bright,
And answered, “Yes; he just went out of sight.”
Then looked up, with her great eyes sparkling bright,
And answered, “Yes; he just went out of sight.”
“Did he go up, or down, or straight ahead?”
Pointing, meanwhile, to where a cross-road led;
“Up,” Nellie, at her sewing, faintly said.
Pointing, meanwhile, to where a cross-road led;
“Up,” Nellie, at her sewing, faintly said.
Right onward still swept the pursuing band;
The Hessian came down at the girl's command;
He humbly kissed his young preserver's hand.
The Hessian came down at the girl's command;
He humbly kissed his young preserver's hand.
She bound his arm—he bade her not to fear;
She gave him food—he brushed away a tear;
She said “Good-bye”—he sought the forest near.
She gave him food—he brushed away a tear;
She said “Good-bye”—he sought the forest near.
She thought, “Perhaps 'twas not to country true,
But 'twas what I would have his girl to do;
And Gretchen—wouldn't she thank me, if she knew!”
But 'twas what I would have his girl to do;
And Gretchen—wouldn't she thank me, if she knew!”
| Young folks' centennial rhymes | |