Samantha at Saratoga [88]
General Gates, bigger than life considerable, but none too big; for his deeds and the deeds of all of our old 4 fathers stand out now and seem a good deal bigger than life. Yes, take 'em in all their consequences, a sight bigger. Wall, there he stands, a leanin' on his sword. He'll be ready when the enemy comes, no danger but what he will. On the east side, is General Schuyler a horsback, ready to dash forward against the foe, impetuous, ardent, gallant. But oh! the perils and dangers that obstruct his pathway; thick underbrush and high, tall trees stand up round him that he seemin'ly can't get through. But his gallant soldiers are a helpin' him onward, they are a cuttin' down the trees so's he can get through 'em and dash at the enemy. You see as you look on him that he will get through it all. No envy, nor detraction, nor jealousy, no such low underbrush full of crawlin' reptiles, nor no high solid trees, no danger of any sort can keep him back. His big brave, generous heart is sot on helpin' his country, he'll do it. On the south side, is the saddest sight that a patriotic American can see. On a plain slab stun, lookin' a good deal like a permanent grave-stun, sot up high there, for Americans to weep over forever, bitter tears of shames, is the name, "Arnold." He wuz a brave soldier; his name ort to be there; it is all right to have it there and jest where it is, on a gravestun. All through the centuries it will stand there, a name carved by the hand of cupidity, selfishness, and treachery. On the west side, General Morgan is standin' up with his hands over his eyes; lookin' away into the sunset. He looked jest like that when he wuz a lookin' after prowlin' red skins and red coats; when the sun wuz under dark clouds, and the day wuz dark 100 years ago. But now, all he has to do is to stand up there and look off into the glowin' heavens, a watchin' the golden light of the sun of Liberty a rollin' on westward. He holds his hand over his eyes; its rays most blind him, he is most lost a thinkin' how fur, how fur them rays are a spreadin', and a glowin',way, way off, Morgan is a lookin' onto our future, and it dazzles him. Its rays stretch off into other lands; they strike dark places; they burn! they glow! they shine! they light up the world! Hold up your head, brave old General, and your loyal steadfast eyes. You helped to strike that light. Its radience half-frights you. It is so heavenly bright, its rays, may well dazzle you. Brown old soldiers, I love to think of you always a standin' up there, lifted high up by a grateful Nation, a lookin' off over all the world, a lookin' off towards the glowin' west, toward our glorious future. On the inside too, it wuz a noble seen. After you rose up the steps and went inside, you found yourself in a middlin' big room all surrounded by figures in what they called Alto Relief, or sunthin' to that effect. I don't know what Alto they meant. I don't know nobody by that name, nor I don't know how they relieved him. But I s'pose Alto when he wuz there wuz relieved to think that the figures wuz all so noble and impressive. Mebby he had been afraid they wouldn't suit him and the nation. But they did, they must have. He must have been hard to suit, Alto must, if he wuzn't relieved, and pleased with these. On one side wuz George the 3d of England, in his magnificent palace, all dressed up in velvet and lace, surrounded by his slick drestup nobles, and all of 'em a sittin' there soft and warm, in the lap of Luxury, a makin' laws to bind the strugglin' colonies. And right acrost from that, wuz a picture of them Colonists, cold and hungry, a havin' a Rally for Freedom, and a settin' up a Town meetin! right amongst the trees, and under-brush that hedged 'em all in and tripped 'em up at every step; and savages a hidin' behind the trees, and fears of old England, and dread of a hazerdous unknown future, a hantin' and cloudin' every glimpse of sky that came down on 'em through the trees. But they looked earnest and good, them old 4 fathers did, and the Town meetin' looked determined,