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Page 26
"The two boats with their respective prisoners at length set sail, and
meeting on the river, they had an opportunity of congratulating each
other on the happy termination of their imprisonment, which, thanks to
woman's wit, so fertile in expedients, had saved them from what might
have been a tragedy. With assurances of friendship they parted, the
wives soon having the pleasure of embracing their husbands. Subsequently
letters couched in terms of the warmest gratitude were exchanged
between the two ladies, for the attention paid to their respective
husbands."
"That Mrs. Sullivan was a remarkable woman," remarked Colson. "But so
were most of the women of our side at that time; and the fact is, such a
cause as ours would have made heroes and heroines out of the weakest.
Besides, what won't a woman do to save her husband, at all times?"
"A good stratagem--that of Mrs. Sullivan's," said Hand.
"Equal to some of Washington's generalship," remarked Kinnison. Each one
of the party had some remark to make upon the courage and resource of
Mrs. Sullivan, except Brown, the fifer, who was enjoying the dreams of
Morpheus, and therefore deaf to the narrative.
THE PATRIOTISM OF MRS. BORDEN.
"I heard of an instance in which a woman was still more heroic than Mrs.
Sullivan," said Ransom, "Because, in this case, the lady suffered for
maintaining the cause of her country.
"When New York and Rhode Island were quietly possessed by the British
armies, and the Jerseys, overrun by their victorious generals, opposed
but a feeble resistance to their overwhelming power, Lord Cornwallis,
commanding a large division of their troops, stationed at Bordentown,
addressing Mrs. Borden, who resided on her estate in a mansion of
superior elegance, demanded in an authoritative tone, 'Where, Madam, is
your rebel husband--where your rebel son?' 'Doing their duty to their
country, under the orders of General Washington,' was the prompt reply.
'We are well apprized,' rejoined that officer, of 'the influence you
possess over the political creed of your family, and that to them your
opinion is law. Be wise, then, in time, and while mercy is tendered to
you, fail not to accept it. Bid them quit the standard of rebellion, and
cordially unite with us, in bringing his Majesty's deluded subjects to
submission, and a proper sense of their errors and ingratitude, to the
best of kings. Your property will then be protected, and remain without
injury in your possession. But, should you hesitate to profit by our
clemency, the wasting of your estate and destruction of your mansion
will inevitably follow.' 'Begin, then, the havoc which you threaten,'
replied the heroic lady: 'the sight of my house in flames, would be to
me a treat, for, I have seen enough of you to know, that you never
injure, what it is possible for you to keep and enjoy. The application
of a torch to it I should regard as a signal for your departure, and
consider the retreat of the spoiler an ample compensation for the loss
of my property.'
"This was one of those threats which the British never failed to carry
into execution. The house was burnt, and the whole property consigned to
waste and desolation. But, as had been foreseen, the perpetrator of the
ruthless deed retreated, to return no more."
"Just like Cornwallis and his red-coats," said Kinnison, "burning
people's houses and wasting their lands was a way of making converts,
which they discovered and practised with a vengeance. Mrs. Borden was a
strong-minded woman to have endured all this."
THE ESCAPE OF CAPTAIN PLUNKETT.
"Yes," said Warner, "Mrs. Borden was a heroine as wouldn't have
disgraced the Romans. But what would you think of a mere girl, whose
family was opposed to our cause, exerting herself to procure the freedom
of one of our officers, who had been taken by the British?"
"I should say it's what young girls in love have done many a time," said
Kinnison.
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