The ransom of Mercy Carter [antikvár]

Deerfield, Massachusetts February 28, 1704 Temperature 10 degrees below zeroDwf Lord, prayed Mercy Carter, do not let us be murdered in our beds tonight.Mercy tucked her brothers in, packing them close. Or any night, she told the Lord, shifting her weight from foot to foot. Even though she wore both pairs of stockings to bed, the cold of the floor came through the heavy wool. It was the coldest night she could remember during a winter when every night had been colder than it ought to be. Downstairs, where the fire was blazing, one of the soldiers had tried to write a letter to Boston and his ink had frozen.She kissed each brother good night. The boys were wearing most of their clothes, which made them fat and funny under the quilts. She dreaded getting into her own bed, because she slept alone, and only body heat could keep anyone warm tonight.Before she shuttered and barred the window, Mercy