changed to smiles.

Time passed on, the town gaining in wealth and numbers, and a
comfortable, prosperous future was the reasonable hope of the
inhabitants; but other scenes than those of peace and quiet were
preparing; the opening scenes of the Revolution were just at hand, and
the curtain was about to rise on the drama of seven long years, so
frought with great results, but so wearisome, painful, and discouraging
to the actors, from whom the future was withheld.

As early as September, 1768, the selectmen of Fitchburg received from
the selectmen of Boston a letter requesting them to call a town meeting
to take into consideration the critical condition of public affairs, and
to choose an agent to meet them in Boston and show there the "views,
wishes and determinations of the people of Fitchburg upon the subject."
A town meeting was accordingly called, and the Honorable Edward Hartwell
was sent jointly by Fitchburg and Lunenburg to be their agent in Boston.

In December, 1773 the selectmen received another letter from the town of
Boston, requesting them to meet and pass such resolves concerning their
rights and privileges, as they were willing to die in maintaining, and
send them to the Committee of Correspondence. A town meeting was held
accordingly, and a committee appointed to draft resolutions. The report
presented by this committee at an adjourned meeting, after expressing
full sympathy in all efforts to resist any encroachments on the rights
and liberties of the American people, concluded as follows:

"And with respect to the East India tea, forasmuch as we are now
informed that the town of Boston and the neighboring towns have
made such noble opposition to said teas being brought into Boston,
subject to a duty so directly tending to the enslaving of America,
it is our opinion that your opposition is just and equitable, and
the people of this town are ready to afford all the assistance in
their power to keep off all such infringement."

The time had now come when the talk at the tavern, the town meeting, the
Church, and at the daily meeting of neighbor with neighbor, was of the
rights of the colonies, and of the tyranny of the English Government.
The fires of Liberty were already kindled from the North to the South
and from the seaports to the frontier. Fitchburg was not behind in
preparation for the coming storm. In the store building of Ephraim
Kimball, which was near the c