Sleepy Hollow: Children of the Revolution Read Online Free PDF Page A

could’ve stood like that in the boat without falling into the river.”
    The crowd laughed at that. So did Macey as they went into the next gallery over, which had paintings by Ralph Earl, Charles Willson Peale, John Trumbull, Gilbert Stuart, and others, many of whom had studied abroad and then returned to the newly formed United States to provide portraits of the heroes of the revolution.
    A part of Irving half expected to see a portrait of Crane present, but he was spared that.
    “Okay, that’s just
weird
.” Macey was staring at another portrait of George Washington, this one just of the first president standing near a tree.
    “What is it?”
    “He’s pointing at the door.”
    Irving laughed. Washington was, indeed, pointing across his body with his right arm toward the entrance to the gallery. Perpendicular to that portrait was one of someone named Marinus Willett. Irving had never heard of the man who, according to the placard that he bent over to read, was a leader of the Sons of Liberty, negotiated treaties with the Muscogee tribe, and was appointed mayor of New York in 1807.
    Macey followed Irving’s gaze to the placard. “They appointed mayors? That isn’t right.”
    “Aren’t they teaching you stuff at school?” Irving asked with a chuckle. “New York mayors were appointed until 1834.”
    “That sucks.”
    “That’s the great thing about this country, Little Bean—we adjust. Remember, you and I wouldn’t have been considered people when the Constitution was signed.”
    “Yeah, I
know
, Dad,” Macey said in her best
duh
voice. “They do teach us
some
stuff.”
    Irving smiled at his daughter, then read the rest of the placard. “Looks like Willett got two awards from the Continental Congress before they made him mayor. That sword he’s holding in the painting is one.”
    Pointing at the display case to the left of the portrait, Macey said, “Not
just
in the painting.”
    “Yeah, that’s the same sword.” Irving was impressed with the level of detail that Earl, the artist, had put into the painting, as the sword Willett held on the canvas was a perfect match for the short sword in the case Macey was pointing at.
    Now Macey peered at the placard. “What’s the other one he won?”
    “Something called the Congressional Cross.” He straightened. “Says they’ve got that one, too, but it’s on the mezzanine with the other decorative arts stuff. Wanna check it out?”
    “Sure!”
    Irving hadn’t expected the enthusiasm, but thenhe realized that it required a trip to the mezzanine, which meant another ride in the “totally awesome” glass elevator.
    Unfortunately, the Luce Center, which housed Willett’s Congressional Cross, was made up of forty-five floor-to-ceiling glass cases crammed fairly close together. It was hard for Macey to navigate through them. They also got sidetracked by the many different objects on display, including some very interesting everyday items. Macey in particular found it fascinating. “This is really cool. You don’t think of historical people as having
stuff
, y’know?”
    Thinking about Crane and his aversion to ever changing his clothes, Irving decided not to comment.
    Eventually, they found where the Congressional Crosses were supposed to be. The case itself was empty, though the placard said that there were supposed to be two such, which were awarded to ten heroes of the American Revolution who’d displayed conspicuous bravery. A second placard in a different typeface claimed that the two crosses were being cleaned.
    A fist of ice clenched Irving’s heart when he read the name of the other person besides Willett whose medal was supposed to be on display: Abraham van Brunt.
    Once, Irving knew, van Brunt had been Crane’s closest friend. Both were aristocrats who sided with the colonies over the crown. Both also loved thesame woman. Katrina van Tassel was engaged to van Brunt, but she loved Crane. When van Brunt found out, he went a little crazy,