have returned to the city--charming news this!" They reached
Philadelphia on that evening, plundering farms on their way, as they
marched in. Sally devoutly adds, "May we ever be thankful to the
Almighty Disposer of events for his care and protection of us while
surrounded with dangers.

"Major went to the army. Nothing for him to do so he returned."

On the following day she writes, "Our Army moved, as we thought to go
into Winter quarters, but we hear there is a party of the enemy gone
over the Schuylkill, so our Army went to look at them.

"I observed to Stoddard: 'So you are going, to leave us to the English.'

"'Yes, ha, ha, ha! Leave _you_ to the English!'" was his answer, and the
glance that accompanied it spoke volumes.

At noon he was gone again, leaving Sally pining for new fields to
conquer. She did not have to wait long as there were already at the farm
two officers, whom she now deigns to notice, and describes as "A Captain
Lipscomb and a Mr. Tilly;" the latter she calls, "a wild noisy mortal
who appears bashful with girls," and she adds, "We dissipated the
Major's bashfulness, but I doubt we have not so good a subject now. He
keeps me in perpetual humour but the creature has not addressed one
civil thing to me since he came." An incentive to exert all her charms
and force a victory, Mistress Sally!

It was now nearly the Christmas season, and Stoddard was again at the
farm, for a brief visit, when an amusing incident took place. Sally was
sitting in her aunt's parlour with the other girls, darning an apron
when Major Stoddard joined them, and began to compliment her on her
skill, with the needle.

"Well, Miss Sally, what would you do if the British were to come here?"
he asked.

"Do!" exclaimed Sally, "be frightened just to death!"

He laughed and said he would escape their rage by getting behind the
figure of a British grenadier which was upstairs. "Of all things I would
like to frighten Tilly with it," he said. "Pray, ladies, let's fix it in
his chamber to-night."

"If thee will take all of the blame we will assist thee," said wary
Sally.

"That I will," he replied, and then they made their plan to stand the
life-size figure of the grenadier which was of a most martial
appearance, at the door which opened into the road (the house had four
rooms on a floor with a wide entry running through), with another figure
which would add to the deceit. One of the servants was to stand behind
them, othe