earlier remark,” Rush replied.
“Well that is two votes for hanging then?” Franklin replied. “Will you gentlemen make it unanimous?” Franklin’s eyes seemed to twinkle with merriment, Victor thought. His mother would have called him an odd old duck. “Say this about King George: The greatest monarch on the proudest throne is obliged to sit upon his arse.”
The delegates erupted in laughter.
Suddenly a courier interrupted the men, handing Dr. Rush a note.
“Gentlemen, forgive me,” Rush said, pocketing the note. “A patient needs my services.”
Franklin waited for Rush to be out of hearing range, then quipped, “He’s the best physician that knows the worthlessness of the most medicines. That is why Dr. Rush is held in such high esteem.”
The other men laughed at Dr. Rush’s expense.
“Rush is a good man though,” Franklin added. “He knows the ‘cause’ if not a cure.”
Cause, Victor thought, and realized Franklin was speaking of liberty with his play on words, and yet he was dismissing Rush, the physician, with his inability to “cure.” Of course, Victor remembered that Franklin had once written: “God heals and the doctor takes the fee.” But then, physicians were not held in high esteem in the 18 th century as they were in the 21 st . What had Mr. Greene told them? The 1911 Carnegie Commission study on doctors was the turning point in perception of physicians, as the study showed doctors in a favorable light for the first time. Look how far physicians have come, Victor thought. Still, it was interesting a physician would be so active in politics. Like Dr. Warren in Boston, who was a member of the Sons of Liberty and was killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Victor wanted to learn more about Benjamin Rush, but the men directed their conversation back to Caesar Rodney.
“What of Rodney?” Adams persisted.
“We shant see him until the afternoon, with the roads being what they are, I would guess,” Franklin said. “Past dinnertime I would think.”
One-thirty, Victor thought. That’s what Mr. Greene said. Mr. Greene was here before. Victor looked around. Minerva and Bette Kromer seemed to be getting along. He never understood girls. One moment they were mortal enemies, the next instant they were chatting away. What was that all about? And where were the Anderson twins?
Chapter 4
Mr. Greene, who had been listening to the banter among the Founding Fathers, suddenly asked in a plaintive voice, “Where are the Anderson twins?”
Minerva knew where they were, but she wasn’t about to tattle. The Andersons had drifted away from the group to pursue Betsy Ross after the seamstress winked at them.
“Victor, where are the Anderson twins?” Mr. Greene asked.
Minerva wondered if Victor was a tattletale, but then he had been so busy polishing Mr. Greene’s apple, she thought, that he hadn’t paid any attention to anyone else. Victor was such a teacher’s pet, she decided. She was jealous.
“I don’t know where they went, Mr. Greene,” Victor said.
“Minerva?” Mr. Greene asked.
Oh no, Minerva thought. I’m on the spot. Help me, Lord, she prayed quietly.
Bette Kromer came to Minerva’s rescue. “They followed that trollop Betsy Ross,” Bette said.
“Trollop?” Victor wondered aloud.
“This is the 18 th century, Victor,” Bette said. “Trollop was a perfectly acceptable word in this time. Would you prefer ‘strumpet?’”
Minerva looked at Bette Kromer as if she were her new best friend. She was thankful Bette had intervened. She looked at Mr. Greene. He appeared agitated. They moved out of earshot of the delegates to Congress.
“Victor,” Mr. Greene said finally, “I’m putting you in charge. Not because you are a male,” he said, looking directly at Bette Kromer as he said this, “but because you are the president. I’ve got to find the Anderson twins and bring them back. City Tavern on Second Street. It is close to the Ross house on Arch Street.
“Well that is two votes for hanging then?” Franklin replied. “Will you gentlemen make it unanimous?” Franklin’s eyes seemed to twinkle with merriment, Victor thought. His mother would have called him an odd old duck. “Say this about King George: The greatest monarch on the proudest throne is obliged to sit upon his arse.”
The delegates erupted in laughter.
Suddenly a courier interrupted the men, handing Dr. Rush a note.
“Gentlemen, forgive me,” Rush said, pocketing the note. “A patient needs my services.”
Franklin waited for Rush to be out of hearing range, then quipped, “He’s the best physician that knows the worthlessness of the most medicines. That is why Dr. Rush is held in such high esteem.”
The other men laughed at Dr. Rush’s expense.
“Rush is a good man though,” Franklin added. “He knows the ‘cause’ if not a cure.”
Cause, Victor thought, and realized Franklin was speaking of liberty with his play on words, and yet he was dismissing Rush, the physician, with his inability to “cure.” Of course, Victor remembered that Franklin had once written: “God heals and the doctor takes the fee.” But then, physicians were not held in high esteem in the 18 th century as they were in the 21 st . What had Mr. Greene told them? The 1911 Carnegie Commission study on doctors was the turning point in perception of physicians, as the study showed doctors in a favorable light for the first time. Look how far physicians have come, Victor thought. Still, it was interesting a physician would be so active in politics. Like Dr. Warren in Boston, who was a member of the Sons of Liberty and was killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Victor wanted to learn more about Benjamin Rush, but the men directed their conversation back to Caesar Rodney.
“What of Rodney?” Adams persisted.
“We shant see him until the afternoon, with the roads being what they are, I would guess,” Franklin said. “Past dinnertime I would think.”
One-thirty, Victor thought. That’s what Mr. Greene said. Mr. Greene was here before. Victor looked around. Minerva and Bette Kromer seemed to be getting along. He never understood girls. One moment they were mortal enemies, the next instant they were chatting away. What was that all about? And where were the Anderson twins?
Chapter 4
Mr. Greene, who had been listening to the banter among the Founding Fathers, suddenly asked in a plaintive voice, “Where are the Anderson twins?”
Minerva knew where they were, but she wasn’t about to tattle. The Andersons had drifted away from the group to pursue Betsy Ross after the seamstress winked at them.
“Victor, where are the Anderson twins?” Mr. Greene asked.
Minerva wondered if Victor was a tattletale, but then he had been so busy polishing Mr. Greene’s apple, she thought, that he hadn’t paid any attention to anyone else. Victor was such a teacher’s pet, she decided. She was jealous.
“I don’t know where they went, Mr. Greene,” Victor said.
“Minerva?” Mr. Greene asked.
Oh no, Minerva thought. I’m on the spot. Help me, Lord, she prayed quietly.
Bette Kromer came to Minerva’s rescue. “They followed that trollop Betsy Ross,” Bette said.
“Trollop?” Victor wondered aloud.
“This is the 18 th century, Victor,” Bette said. “Trollop was a perfectly acceptable word in this time. Would you prefer ‘strumpet?’”
Minerva looked at Bette Kromer as if she were her new best friend. She was thankful Bette had intervened. She looked at Mr. Greene. He appeared agitated. They moved out of earshot of the delegates to Congress.
“Victor,” Mr. Greene said finally, “I’m putting you in charge. Not because you are a male,” he said, looking directly at Bette Kromer as he said this, “but because you are the president. I’ve got to find the Anderson twins and bring them back. City Tavern on Second Street. It is close to the Ross house on Arch Street.
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