Another sad fact about the death of Hale is that to this day no one knows where his body was buried. How gladly we would raise a monument over his grave if we knew where to build it. It is thought that it was dug beneath the gallows, but it was never marked and the truth can never be known. The 25th of November, 1893, was crisp and cold. On that day thousands of people gathered in City Hall Park, New York, where a statue of Captain Nathan Hale was unveiled. It is an impressive figure, showing the martyr patriot with the thongs upon him, and with an expression of calm nobility and dauntless courage on his countenance. Edward S. Ellis THE TRUTH SPEAKER "ONE, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine. Three more rows, and then I must knit the heel," said Hetty Marvin to herself one bright summer day in the year 1777, as she sat knitting for the soldiers. War was going on in this country, for King George the Third had made laws for America which the people had thought very unjust, and they had refused to obey them. "I was knitting these for Brother Jack," said Hetty to herself; "but I pity poor Cousin Griswold so much that mother says I may give them to him; that is, if I get them done before he goes away. Poor man! how he must feel, shut up in that little dark attic all the time, and expecting every minute to hear the British soldiers knocking at the door, and demanding entrance to search for Governor Griswold. Oh! I am glad I am not a Governor! If I were, I suppose the Redcoats would be after me; and then I should be hung or shot unless I promised to obey King George. But I would n't promise any such thing, any more than Cousin Griswold would, and -- he would die first! I wonder if my linen needs sprinkling again!" Putting down her knitting, she took a pail of water and began to sprinkle the linen which had been spread on the grass near her. She was startled to see a man leap over the fence, but in a moment recognized her Cousin Griswold. "Hetty, I shall lose my life unless I get to the boat before the soldiers come. You see where the roads part, close by the orchard; I want you to run down towards the shore, and meet the soldiers who are sure to ask for me, and then you must tell them that I am gone up the road to meet the mailcart, and they will turn off the other way." "But, cousin, how can I say so? It would not be true. Oh, why did you tell me which way you were going?" "Would you betray me, Hetty, and see me put to death? Hark! they are coming. I hear the clink of the horses' feet. Tell them I have gone up the road, and Heaven will bless you." "Those who speak false words will never be happy. But they shall not make me tell which way you go, even if they kill me, so run as fast as you can." "It is too late to run! Where can I hide myself?" "Be quick, cousin! Come down, and lie under this cloth; I will throw it over you, and go on sprinkling the linen." "I will come down, for it is my last chance," said the man. Hetty quickly covered him with the folds of the long cloth and went on with her sprinkling. In a few minutes a company of soldiers on horseback dashed into the yard. One of the officers called out to her, "Have you seen a man run by this way?" "Yes, sir." "Which way did he go?" "I promised not to tell, sir." "But you must tell me this instant, or it will be worse for you." "I will not tell, for I must keep my word." "Let me speak, for I think I know the child. Is your name Hetty Marvin?" "Yes, sir." "Perhaps the man who ran past you was your cousin?" "Yes, sir, he was." "Well, we wish to speak with him. What did he say to you when he came by?" "He told me that he had to run to save his life." "Just so; that was quite true. I hope he will not have far to run. Where was he going to hide himself?" "My cousin said that he would go to the river to find a boat, and he wanted me to tell the men in search of him that he had gone the other way to meet the mail-cart." "You are a good girl, Hetty, and we know you speak truth. What did your cousin say when he heard that you could not tell a lie to save his life?" "He said, 'Would you betray me and see me put to death?"" "And you said you would not tell if you were killed for it?" "Yes, sir," she cried, as her tears fell fast. "Those were brave words; and I suppose he thanked you, and ran down the road as fast as he could?" "I promised not to tell which way he went, sir." "Oh, yes, I forgot; but tell me his last words, and I will not trouble you any more." "He said, 'I will come down, for it is my last chance."" Hetty was now very much frightened, and cried aloud as she hid her face in her apron. The soldiers thought they had all they wanted and rode off to the riverside. While Griswold had been in hiding in the attic he had agreed to signal his boatmen, if he needed help, by hanging a white cloth in the window if it was daytime or a lantern if it was at night. They were to be on the watch and ready to help in case of need. As soon as the soldiers rode away, his friends hung out a white cloth to warn the boatmen and they pulled away from the shore as they saw the red coats of the British. By the time the soldiers reached the shore the boat was almost out of sight and this made them think that Griswold had escaped. Hetty, who had been watching, came towards where he lay under the cloth, clapping her hands. "Safe! Safe!" cried Griswold, "and all through you, my brave Hetty! Now go in and get your supper, and when it is dark, put a light in the attic window. My men will see it and come back in the boat for me, and I shall get beyond the reach of the Redcoats." "Come with me and have something to eat, cousin, said Hetty. "I will watch and tell you if any one comes." "No, Hetty, I must not do that; I will stay here. When it is quite dark, bring me my little bundle of clothing and something to eat. I shall quietly make my way down to the boat when I hear the oars." "Well, good-bye, cousin," said the brave little girl. "Good-bye, Hetty! If all our soldiers were as brave and true as you are, we should not have to fight many years before we should say in truth, AMERICA IS FREE!" Needless to say, the little girl did as she was told. The signal was seen, and Griswold soon reached a place of safety. When the war was over, he named his first child Hetty Marvin, so that he might have always before him the name of the brave little cousin whose truth-speaking had saved his life. Sarah Crompton (Adapted) A WINTER AT VALLEY FORGE DURING the Revolution the British had the idea that it would be a great thing if they could take Philadelphia. They called it the "rebel capital," because Congress had met there; and they did not seem to realize that Congress could easily meet somewhere else. They marched into the city with colors flying and bands playing, and Washington could not prevent them. When they were once in, the best thing for him to do was to see that they did not get out or do any mischief; and so he chose for his winter quarters Valley Forge, a place only a few miles from Philadelphia. There he could easily defend himself if he was attacked, and he could keep close watch of the British. It would have been easier to fight many battles than to spend that winter in Valley Forge. It was December, and there was no shelter of any kind. Men and officers set to work bravely to build huts for themselves. These huts were of all sorts. Some were built of heavy logs. Their roofs were made of small trees wrapped with straw and laid side by side. Clay was laid on top of the straw, and splints were laid on top of that. The windows were simply holes cut through the logs and covered with oiled paper. A house like this was looked upon as the height of luxury. Most of the huts were made of sods piled up, or fence rails or poles held together by twigs twisted in and out and daubed with clay. The snow sifted in at every little opening, the rain dripped through even the best of the roofs, and the wind howled and roared and blew in at every crevice. There were few blankets, and many brave defenders of their country lay on the frozen ground because they had not even straw to put |