Harper's Round Table, November 5, 1895

A sun‑drenched June day in 1772 frames a vivid tableau of colonial New Jersey, where a sparkling brook winds through meadow and woods, and the hum of everyday life mingles with distant charcoal‑burner noises. Amid this pastoral peace, two children—an imaginative eleven‑year‑old girl weaving oak garlands and a curious teenage boy dreaming of England and the army—play along the water’s edge, their innocent banter echoing the world’s larger hopes.

Their simple games are interrupted when a mysterious, brightly dressed stranger appears, clutching a bundle of freshly cut switches. His flamboyant attire and enigmatic presence hint at hidden motives, setting the stage for the looming tensions of a coming revolution. Listeners are invited to follow these young protagonists as their quiet valley becomes a crossroads of personal ambition, loyalty, and the early rumblings of a conflict that will reshape their lives.