A Revolutionary Adventure

By Sherry Walraven

The merrymaking cousins are traveling again, but this time they are in the beauteous city of Boston, where there will be no place for disaster to find them, or could it? Their intentions were to see everything they could before going home, and they were going to take advantage of it all. They were hopeful this would be a vacation free of distress, unlike some of their other vacations of the past. The cousins were titillated to observe all the sights the city of Boston had to offer. They could barely wait to stand by the Paul Revere statue, see the replica of the Mayflower and their Village, and grasp everything on the "Freedom Trail." They traipsed the sidewalk that would take them to the museum for the appointment they had made earlier. Everything was going great, until something happened that took them away to a locale they never thought would be attainable to them. While in this place, the variant group of friendly people they met, and the things that happened, will never be forgotten.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Proisle Publishing Services
• Release date: Jan 20, 2024
• ISBN: 9781961526952

Book preview

Prologue

As a group of sprightly cousins leave their hotel on their yearly vacation, they were astounded they had come to such a lovely city. They couldn’t wait to see all the sights this city had to offer. They knew there was an abundance of historic sights to see here in the country of the American Revolution. Before leaving the hotel, they saw someone they thought could help them on their journey around the city.

I see the concierge at his desk. We can ask him where we should go, Jas gave a huge smile as she walked toward the desk of the concierge. The others noticed she was already half-way to the desk, so they walked faster to catch up to her. The others, who traveled with her, thought she must be excited to see the sights.

The concierge seemed to be an easygoing person and so polite, so they knew they would like him. He told the girls many places to go and things to do. The cousins were adventurous, and this city seemed to be full of adventure. The group could barely contain their enthusiasm as they went out for their day of touring.

Everything was going magnanimously until all the cousins had an extraordinary accident, and that was when the day began to become somewhat complicated. They liked a good escapade, but they didn’t even know where they were right now.

Chapter One

The roar of airplane engines was a strong stimulate for the group of crazy cousins who were waiting patiently for their flight to Boston to begin the boarding process. The eight cousins journeyed on their annual vacation to different locations for fun and relaxation every year. Fun and laughing were their favorite pastimes, and they were planning on doing a lot of both. Two of the eight cousins, Phoenix and Houston, were flying to Boston from a different location and would meet the others when they landed in Boston. These trips were usually made in the summer, so this will be their first winter vacation in December, and they were looking forward to viewing the sights in Boston, although some of the cousins didn’t like cold weather, but they would endure it just to get to see the history this city had to offer. Those were the ones who couldn’t believe they were actually going on a vacation where they would, most likely, be snow and lots of cold weather.

Finally, the call was being made for their flight to board. Astronomical smiles were adhered on the faces of the elated cousins, who were named after cities or states, which their parents thought would be a funny joke. Most of the cousins shortened their names to make it easier to say when they were small, and the names stuck throughout their lives.

Last year’s vacation was a resort in Louisiana near New Orleans. It was decided as they were leaving the resort parking lot last year, by Olive’s suggestion, they would go to Boston because of the historical locales. It never hurt to have a teacher along with them either. It just so happens that Callie is a retired teacher, and they were expecting her to know everything about where they were going. Callie often wondered why they thought she knew everything, because your brain can only hold so much, and there sure are an extensive collection of historical events in this country.

Callie and Grandee were the only ones who had been to Boston before, and they were excited to see the different sights. When they traveled here before, they didn’t get to view all they wanted to see. They had watched shows on TV about Boston, but they knew it would be different to see the beauty of it in person. It would be grand to stand on spots where people like John Adams and Paul Revere stood so long ago. Callie loved history and couldn’t wait to see everything she could in two days. She wished they could stay longer, but most of the girls still had Christmas presents to buy.

The flight went smoothly as they made their way toward the city of Boston to land at Logan Airport. The decision was made to meet Phoenix and Houston at the baggage claim, so they could begin their vacation of fun with some history thrown in the mix. They didn’t get more than three feet into the baggage claim area when they noticed Phoenix and Houston standing beside their luggage with bright smiles, making them look like circus clowns, but they knew those clowns liked to have fun with the rest of the cousins.

After the luggage was found, they were ready to meet Boston. The hotel needed to be the first stop of the day to store luggage and anything else they didn’t want to take with them as they walked the sidewalks of Boston. They had not been on a vacation where they had to bring a warm coat and boots before, but they were up for almost anything. Even the snow may be a treat. Usually, their vacations took place in the spring or summer, so this would be a good change of pace.

They were somewhat tired because of waking at such an early hour to begin their trek to the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta. After arriving there, they were faced with even more walking since Atlanta was a huge airport, but the cousins didn’t mind, because they were high on adrenaline and ready to get to their destination and have some excitement.

Suitcases had been stored and the fun-loving gals were ready for more walking. They walked to a place called Boston Common. They looked around at everything in sight, taking it all in as they slowly ambled along. Callie glanced at the girls and shared that several hundred years ago Boston Common was used for public hangings.

We need to look around and see if we can find a plaque or something that tells some history about this place. said Callie, who always researches every place they visit. The cousins did not have a clue she had to research everything. She had been a teacher, and they thought she knew it all already. Callie didn’t tell them any differently.

When are Stonewall, Beauregard, and Forrest getting into Boston? asked Berm with a look of inquisitiveness on her face. She was talking about some of the brothers to several of the girl cousins in the group. They insisted they go to take care of the girls. The girls laughed at that, because they knew the brothers must think they could not take care of themselves. The guys had no idea exactly how well their sisters could take care of themselves in unusual situations. The girl cousins faced some challenging situations on previous vacations, but they handled them like professionals.

They arrive here in Boston around ten tonight, but we will meet up with them at breakfast in the morning, said Houston. I gave them all the information they would need to get to our hotel. There shouldn’t be a problem. They are big boys and can take care of themselves.

Did they hang witches here? asked Olive with a huge smile.

You’re thinking about Salem. They did their share of hanging witches, but later decided they shouldn’t do that, so they stopped. It could have been a place like Gallows Hill or another place where they hanged them, smiled Callie. Eventually, the colony admitted the trails were a mistake and compensated families of those convicted.

Jas suggested, How about we find dinner and get in the bed early, so we can get a good start in the morning? We need to meet the boys in the hotel dining area first thing in the morning. They won’t get to the airport today until later. It had been a tiring day, so everyone agreed with her idea. Jas is really Jasperrilla. She sure was happy when her parents let her be called ‘Jas’ instead of something that sounded like a fruity drink.

You think we could go see the replica of the Mayflower tomorrow too? said Berm who couldn’t wait to get started. They all wanted to see the Mayflower and the village where they lived that first year.

Did you know on my dad’s side his tenth great grandfather’s nephew signed the Mayflower compact? Isn’t that cool, said Callie with a smile so bright it was blinding. She didn’t have a clue the others even believed what she just said, but Callie smiled because she knew it was true.

"We can if we finish the Freedom Trail and the museum in time. We have an appointment for the museum. On the Freedom Trail we will get to see the Old North Church and the statue of Paul Revere on his horse, plus a lot of other cool stuff."

Chapter Two

After hearing five alarms sound off from different iPhones, the cousins knew it was time to get out of bed and start their day. They talked over their plans before going to bed the night before and decided after breakfast to walk the Freedom Trail to see the Old North Church, statue of Paul Revere on his horse, and other historical sites on the trail around the city of Boston.

We need to go meet the boys. You know how hungry they can get, and we don’t want them fainting from lack of their two pounds of food, said Jas who had grown up with four brothers and knew how they ate. Berm agreed with Jas, because she had grown up with four brothers, also.

When they walked in the door of the colorful café, they noticed the boys already had ordered their food and were eating. The ladies sat down and ordered their food. While they were waiting, they told the boys what they had in mind to see today. The boys agreed, so that wasn’t a problem. The boys thought their only job was to protect the girls.

It’s cold out here. Whose idea was it to take our vacation in December to a place that is this cold? asked Alaska, who didn’t like cold places at all. She would have been in favor of having their next vacation in the spring or summer at a warm location, maybe a beach somewhere.

Don’t worry. I see a Walmart. We can go buy some long underwear. Problem solved. Houston smiled, because she thought that was a genius idea, and as it turned out, it was a good one, and it helped their cold problem.

Good idea, smiled Olive. That will be a good fix to the cold problem. Now that we have fixed the problem with our warm duds, I’m ready to go, ladies and see history stuff.

After buying long underwear, they took off for the Freedom Trail, which was awesome. They loved seeing the church where they watched to see if the British were coming by land or by sea. To know that really happened here was great, and them standing in front of the church was more than amazing. The cousins stopped and made their picture in front of the church, and then again at the Paul Revere statute when they arrived in front of ole Paul. There were sure there would be many more sights for taking pictures, and they couldn’t wait. They all checked their phone to make sure they had enough room for a bunch of pictures and enough power.

They had to leave the trail because it was almost time for their museum tour. I see the museum up ahead, and we have reservations for a tour about the history of Boston, said an excited Callie, who loved history and could not wait to go on the tour. She said, Come on, ladies and gentlemen. It should be warm in there. That’s all it took to make the rest of the happy group smile and walk faster. Alaska took off running and was the first one through the door of the museum.

They paid their admittance fee and were told to follow the lady standing silently and smiling at them. The lady, dressed in clothing of the 1700s, told stories about the Pilgrims arriving on the Mayflower in 1620. There were around one-hundred-two passengers on board, and she told them where to go to see a replica of the Mayflower and the village where a good deal of them died that first year. The cousins glanced at each other and began nodding their heads and smiling in approval. This was interesting and the cousins couldn’t wait to see the rest of the historical places.

We really need to see the Mayflower replica and the village where they lived when they arrived, even though a bunch of them died that first year, said Grandee. She was excited because on her previous visit to Boston, when she came with Callie, they didn’t have an opportunity to do many things, but they would make up for it now. She wanted to see it all if they had the time before they had to fly back home. She liked the trip so far and knew she would love to see everything.

The overeager tour guide told them about the Puritans who also came to Massachusetts ten years later in 1630m and the lady was informative with her information. They all walked further when the tour guide told them to be extremely careful as they walked further along because there would be some construction to the right, and they should remain behind her. She did not want anyone being hurt, and the museum wanted to avoid any lawsuits.

There were fifteen more people in the tour, so no one noticed when Jas left to find a restroom. She searched but didn’t see one to the left, so she went to the right. Surely, there would be one there. The rest of the cousins finally noticed she was no longer with the group, but they noticed one of Jas’s gloves in the floor to the right of where they were standing, so they followed in search for Jas. It would be awful to lose their cousin. How would they tell their aunt and uncle about losing their daughter? It’s not every day you lose a relative while on vacation.

They caught up with Jas not noticing the huge hole in the floor where the construction was being done. Jas, wait up, cried Callie who was afraid Jas would fall through the hole. As they were running to catch up with Jas, all eight of the girl cousins and three boy cousins fell straight down into the huge hole in the floor at the construction site. It was a wild ride to the bottom of that hole, and somewhat scary.

Chapter Three

It was a groggy group of confused ladies and gentlemen as they awoke from their stupor and noticed strange people were bent over them, staring. The cousins were coming back to life from their accident after falling through a hole in the floor, just like Alice in Wonderland, except it looked nothing like a Wonderland. The people bent over them, were wondering why these people, with the strange clothing, were on the floor of the tavern and how did they get in the tavern without someone seeing them. The owner usually sees everyone who enters his establishment. The men looking down on the group of strange people had confusion written all over their face and were clearly flabbergasted.

Levi, where do you think these people came from? hollered the one with a front tooth missing as the group continued staring at the groggy cousins on the hard floor. He had never seen women wearing breeches before, and he could not decide if he liked it or not. It sure was different. He thought breeches were made for men, not women, but these ladies’ breeches were somewhat different than usual. They normally come down to the knees on the men, but these ladies’ breeches came down to their ankle. He had never seen women wear trousers.

I don’t know, but they sure are dressed differently than anyone we know. What do you make of that? The men are wearing funny clothes too, said Josiah with a look of amazement on his baffled face as he gazed in wonder at the blue jeans and cowboy boots on the boy cousins.

Levi looked at Josiah and said, Maybe they are British, or maybe they are from one of the southern colonies. If so, this is strange clothing to be wearing, for sure. Levi couldn’t imagine women wearing such clothing. It just was not done around here. This was strange indeed. They thought they needed to get to the bottom of this odd situation.

Josiah shook his head in bafflement, I don’t think the British dresses this way, and the ladies for sure don’t wear trousers in England or the colonies. I first thought they were spies, but that doesn’t seem likely, because they seem friendly enough.

Maybe they are friendly spies, smiled the one called Levi, although he did not really know how to take having strange people sleeping on the floor of his tavern. He didn’t know what to do with them or how they even got here without him knowing it. It was turning into a strange mystery.

Whoa there, mister, we aren’t spies. We come from a colony called Georgia which is south of here, explained Alaska, who sure didn’t want to be hanged for being a spy. We are just visiting. Alaska thought that would explain everything, but she couldn’t be sure because the men gazing at them still had a confused look on their face. She thought, to these colonial men, they probably did look out of place. They sure felt out of place.

Levi, with a look of disbelief on his confused face said, How did you get here if you are visiting. I don’t see your horses or a wagon outside. All this was making Levi wonder if this was a dream. He started shaking his head to get himself out of the dream, but it didn’t help, so it must not be a dream.

We flew here, Grandee said, thinking that would clear things up for the men until she realized how that must have sounded to men who look to be from a much earlier time period. She held her breath as she gazed at the