Boston Tea Party December 1773/ Patrick Milo

Happy Independence Day! I figured it was appropriate to put my first My American History Short Story on my blog on this special day!  So...here it is! It took me months to get all the information and write it! I tried my best to make it realistic. I hope you enjoy it! Well, enough chit chat! Here it goes...

                       Boston Tea Party December 1773/Patrick Milo
 
                                                         December 15, 1773
Seventeen year old Patrick hurried down one of Boston's streets. He dodged around a wagon and winded his way through the crowds. His black leather shoes slapped on the cobblestone street. Nearing a stable he slowed and peered inside.
    "Rob? Are you in there," Patrick asked through the door.
  "Yea. Hurry up! We're waiting," Came the soft answered from within.
     Patrick threw a quick glance behind him before dodging inside. A horse snorted at him as passed and shook its mane. Patrick reached out and rubbed its nose.
"Hey, you coming, Pat?"
  "Yes. I'm coming," Patrick turned and followed Rob up the ladder into the hay loft.
 Two other boys were laying in the hay talking. They sat up when Rob and Patrick entered through the square hole in the floor. "Hi, Durk. Lem," Patrick greeted them with a nod.
  "Pat! Where have you been," Lem asked.
  "You were supposed to be here yesterday! And Now you are late today." Rob said sternly.
  "I know. I couldn't make it," Patrick said slumping into the sweet smelling hay.
 All three boys crossed their arms and waited for an explanation.
  "Well," Durk asked.
 "Mr. Gel doesn't want me being with you people any more," Patrick said.
 (In 1700's boys were often hired out as Apprentices. As Patrick is in this story. Mr. Gel would be called Patrick's "Master". Apprentices wouldn't be paid, but were taught their "Master's" trade. They  would live with and be fed by the masters family.)
  "What! Why not," Durk asked.
  "Because you're, quote: Unreliable and a bad influence on me." Patrick answered. "He's a wig you know. 'Don't like the rebels nor them Sons of Liberty'," Patrick said copying his Master's way of flourishing his hands.
 (People who supported King George III, were called "wigs" or "Tories" by the patriots.)
 "He knows about us," Rob asked worriedly.
  "No. He does not know about the Sons of Liberty. He just thinks you're mixed up with trouble makers," At this all the boys chuckled.
 "Good. How did you get here," Rob asked.
 "I sneaked out. You don't think I'm going to let him keep me from coming, do you?"
 "Naw," Durk said shaking his head.
 "So, what's going on," Patrick asked.
  "There might be action," Lem blurted out.
 "Shh!" Durk and Rob hushed Lem quickly.
 "Really," Patrick asked in a hushed whisper.
"Yea. Let's go over every thing from the start," Rob said.
 "All right," Patrick said. "Parliament unfairly forced The Tea Act."
  "Don't forget the Townshend Act of few years ago," Durk said.
 "That don't really matter," Patrick said. "The government repealed the tax. Well... on every thing except the tea."
 "Which is still taxing us unfairly," Durk said.
"I guess," Patrick said shrugging. "The taxing is not the main thing. You know that as well as I do."
  "Of course I know it. You're not the only smart one, smarty," Durk answered.
  Now Patrick and Durk were best friends. Rob and Lem were used to these little toss-ups. Rob sighed and shook his head. "Come on you two! Don't start that up. Skip the argument and the pushing about. Apologize and then can we please get back to the Tea Tax," Rob asked.
  This made Patrick and Durk burst out laughing and both pretended to cry. "Oh, Patrick, please, please, forgive me," Durk bawled.
  "Of course, Durk! But can you ever forgive me? I know I don't deserve to be but. Oh, please, can you not forgive me," Patrick said trying to keep his face serious and morn full. He didn't succeed to well.
  "Oh, stop it," groaned Lem covering his face.
  Patrick fell back in the hay laughing and Durk punched him in the arm playfully. Rob rolled his eyes. "Back to the Tea Tax," He said. "In November, when the Dartmouth arrived with East India Company's tea, we refused to let it be unloaded off the ship."
  "There was a message sent to the Custom house asking them to send the ship away without any payment for the tea. They, of course, refused," Lem added.
 He kicked Durk hard in the leg, to tell him it was his turn to talk and to quit laughing
   Durk got his laughter under control and said, "At the first meeting last November, it was agreed that the tea should be sent back. They put twenty-five men on guard at docks, so the ships of tea wouldn't be docked, while there was another meeting held the next day." Durk said.
  "The next day, John Copley delivered a message from the tea company." Lem said."Which suggested storing the tea in a warehouse until further instruction from Parliament."
  "That was immediately turned down because we would still pay the tax on the tea once it landed," Patrick said sitting up from the hay.
 "Governor Hutchinson order us to stop blocking the ships from landing. We colonists refused. In the beginning of this month two more ships have come. The Eleanor and Beaver," Rob added. "We have held many more meetings trying to find a way to prevent the ships from docking."
 "We still haven't found a way," Patrick said.
  "Maybe not, but the Sons Of Liberty know what we're going to do," Rob told the others, while the boys leaned so close their heads almost touched. "Tomorrow is the last meeting. A message is going to be sent to the governor asking him to allow the ships to return to England without payment."
  Rob lowered his voice. "If he wont, the Sons of Liberty are going to turn Boston harbor into one giant pot of tea," He said in a excited voice.
 "Do you think you can make it, Pat," Durk asked.
"I'll try. What do I bring,"Patrick answered.
 "A tomahawk and a Mohawk Indian disguise," Rob answered.
 "A what," Patrick gasped in surprise.
  "We're all going to dress as Mohawk Indians so we wont be recognized. Don't put it on until the answer from Governor Hutchinson comes. If the answer is no, we all run to the dock. Then, you know what," Rob answered and they all smiled.
                                           _________________________________
                                                          December 16,1773
Patrick dropped to his knees next to his cot in his small room he shared with one other apprentice. He pulled out the package that hid his disguise. The other apprentice sat on his cot watching.
  "Don't you say one word. You understand? Mr. Gel can not know I've snuck out," Patrick said as he opened the window.
  The younger boy nodded. "Where are you going," He asked.
 "I told you! I can't tell," Patrick answered as he ducked through the window. "Remember. Not one word."
  The other apprentice nodded a second time. "Can I come with you?"
 "No!"
 Patrick ducked out of sight in the fading day light. He reached the ground and crouched under the kitchen window. He glanced around and then he sprinted down the street.
  Rob, Lem, and Durk met Patrick and together they rushed to the Old South Meeting house.
  They arrived just as Francis Rotch, who owned one of the ships which held the tea, was leaving to give the governor the message. The boy crammed into the back of the large room. As they waited for the governor's answer, Patrick studied everything around him.
  Men, woman, and children all crowded together waiting to see if the governor would send the tea back to England. The room was full of hushed whispers. It was stuffy with so many people in it. Patrick spotted a few of the Sons of Liberty but most of the people were just people who also wanted to know Governor Hutchinson's answer.
  Durk shifted his position. "What's taking so long," He asked impatiently.
 "He hasn't been gone long. He will be back," Rob answered.
  It seamed like an eternity before Rotch hurried back into the Old South Meeting House.
 Patrick licked his dry lips. The room grew deafeningly quiet. The whole room seemed to lean forward in anticipation.
  "The Governor's answer has arrived," The man said loudly so everyone could hear. "The Governor's answer is a definite "no".
  There was loud groans. Patrick inwardly sighed. Why couldn't Governor Hutshinson just send the tea back! Then he was filled with excitement as men started shouting "Boston Harbor a Teapot Tonight!"
  "Come on boys," Rob shouted as he threw on his disguise.
 The doors were crowded as the boys rushed out. As they marched to the docks other people from the crowd joined them.
   The group reached the dock and split into three groups and boarded the ships.
  Patrick and Durk ended up separated from Lem and Rob, but they we're to excited to care. Patrick looked out a cross at the British armed ships with a pounding heart. "Hope they do nothing," He grunted to Durk. Everyone was talking Indian that night.
  Durk nodded. "Wouldn't be good," He grunted back.
 The commander had gotten the keys from the boats captain with no problem.  "Remember, don't harm anything but the tea. We're just after the tea! All right open the hatches," He said in a low voice.
  Then they all got down to work. It was done in silences except from the sound of the lapping water, a grunted order, splintering wood, and the splash as chests of tea were dumped over board. No resistance was made.
  A crowd had gathered on the shore and watched the tea being dumped over board. They also were silent.
Patrick's muscles were sore as he lifted which seemed like the thousandth chest between him and Durk. After they emptied it, they dropped the empty chest into the water with a splash. Durk grinned at Patrick, and they turned to get another chest.
  After every single bit of tea was dumped over board, their commander gave them a new order, "All right. Clean up the deck!"
  Brooms and mops were passed out and again they got down to work. The scrubbed that deck until it shined. Patrick stood still a moment admire their work. He was tired and his muscles begged to lie down. But it made their work all the more satisfying.
  They had the captain inspect the ship and he had to admit that no damage had done to the ship. Then Patrick followed everyone off of  the ship.
  Patrick and Durk found Rob and Lem, and they all walked into the raising sun. Patrick knew this wasn't the end. Things wouldn't stop here. There would be many more arguments, more fighting, more bed feelings. But he wasn't going to think of that now. He put his arms over his friends' shoulders and said, "Who's ready for bed?"
  All three answered in unison, "I sure am."
                                 The End. Or is it?
Note: As I made Patrick say in the story, taxes were not the only reasons for the  Colonies' separation from Great Briton. Click the link to read the Declaration of Independence, which states the many reasons! http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/
  I encourage you to study the Boston Tea party for your self! One tip: Read original documents!  You can't get more accurate reports on history then the original documents! Have fun! There is so much to learn!

What did you think?
Would you like to read more of these? If not, why?
    Was the story boring or interesting? I'd like your true opinion.
 I hope to write many more American History Short Stories in the future, but I may never write more. We will see.
 
                                                                                                  ~ Kylie Nancy