The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1854-07-08

""' taken an apartment in house opposite.
OCCUPIED t" a Quaker family bv the name Of
lianah. This was back room in tbe socord
story. The family consisted of William and
LYDIA iianah-tl,e husband and wife-and
TWO or three children. They had one son in
the American army.
I'm the second of December, III. the Ad-
lnfan'-''cnrral came to lydia and told hcr
'h'f they should be in the room bv seven o.
clock that evening; that he desired she
w"n.d see that there was fire. and he sbo,,a
expect the family TO retire early.
lh'S. OF course, was readily accetlcl 10. tho
room gotten ready. the fire made. and every
thin" arranged for the comfort Of tI,o occ,.
pants; int the evident secrecy which seemed
to to surround the arrangements. amaz;,o,,.
puzzle. the womanl V curiosity of lydia. and
she at on"c conceived suspicion that some
thInG terrible was plotting. These snsr;c-
IONS She communicated to Ter husband who
"h'v laughed at her apprchcnSions. and h,de
her think no more Of them. No.witbs.,,J-
IN" these objections. however sbe d,.or,,;,
cd to keep watch upon their proceedings.
AZ this time. Washington with his army
was lying AZ White Marsh. on the Wi<ss-
ch'ckon creek, about twelve miles from Pill.
adrirhia. to w'irh place h" hal advanced az
ter 'h" abandonment, Of Forts Nifl,in and
Mercer. whore several unsuccessful at,cmr.s
wcr" made bv How" to draw him to an
engagement. Determining however. that
no effort should l." left untricd TO DESTROY the
army .thr American commander. Howe ON
the second of December. communicated or
!rr> 10 the AIiu.an.-t,cn,ra for all IN.
troops 10 march out Of TIE city on the cycnino
Of the fourth. and attack Washinr,on by su--
prise. This mrnTlvrr was intended 10 be 4
bold one. and. had It's success been complete
III" results are painfil to contemplate.
~ III" hour appointed, the Adiutan; Gen
cral. accompanied lv two other officers. took
To>>c>>l"n II their room In short time at.
t"rwarf'. Lvdi;. succcclcl in rrttin, her fam
Ilv of to led lut her own cr-;o>fy h,;no
naturally excited. she framed some cxcuSc 70
her husband for hcr absence alout the house
~ 4 : inc and ,.t him. Erinr noy 4
lone. She took oil her shoes and with the ut-
most canton crcit softly III, the stairs :
door - the room in which wcr,. the officers
and putting her ear 10 The kcv-hole heard ~,
Al diu.ant General rral tie order from Lord
Howe for the night aiacl, upon the camp Of
" NashlnGton. Sh" could Scarcely maintain
herself Surh WIS her agitation and her
heart beat 80 loudly the meanwhile. that she
was compelled for moment to sustain her
>rli ilv the casing of the door. lest in her trcr
l,'ion She should fall and thereby bring ru-
in upon her faulty, lv an untimclv dis
discovery OF her position by those within. As
ii was. She barely escaped detection: for. in
her confusion and alarm. >hc had tonclrd the
la,rh OF the door. the noise of which had az
tractcl the notice Of one o;' H." Aliutan,'>
companions. who called his attention to it.
Then She was obliged 20 listen to the io!-
lowing conversation, ior 10 move al this inn,.-
turc would have nicrl been critical.
'IIark " SAYS the officer referred TO. we
are overheard .or am sure there's some one
at The door
i think not. Colonel replied the Alinan,.
ii is only the wind wlich You know some
times plays m"riil, with the door iatchcs in
this miserable country
some finger. diicrcn, from the winds tip
ped the latch of rha. door said the Colonel
i would no, for hundred guincas that We
had been overheard
Nor |. tor a ,hou>anI.' said the Adiutant-
General. The family are Trustworthy. and
can !c depended upon. assure vou.'
Nevertheless commenced the Colonel,
Nevertheless resumed the Adiu,ant-
General. ii you are suspicious, | will open
the door to convince Won but if there be a
listener woe be unto Linn
These words increased the agitation ofT.vd-
Ia and She hal scarcely strength left 20 screen
herself h"hirl large chest that stood near
t!c door before it was opened, and the A1iu-
tan: General and his fri, nd. the Colonel. step
ped forth ~ rcconnotrr. They examined
the hall pretty thoroughly. looked down the
stairway. and in every nook except lchind
the chest and satisfied at length that their
secret was safe am, that the Coloncl's ears
must have deceived him. they again retired
to their room and closed the door The sit
uaton of lydia during these few moments
was most painful. and twice or thrice 50 near
had they come 10 her, that she was about to
throw herself upon their mercy, and avow
the whole; but the danger passed and she
retired noisrlc>>>lv to her own room. to await
their departure from The house, before She
could determine upon what step She could
take in reference to the information she pos
scsScd As she departed from The door. she
heard the Adiutant General laughing at the
Colonel for his suspicious !; and the remarks
which followed convinced her that these sus-
picions were aIlaved.
She had not been hv the side of her hus-
band, who was asleep. more than an hour,
when she heard the officers descending the
stars-onc Of them pau>in- at her door and
knocking. FciCninc to he asleep, She did
not answer to the first spnmonS. nor TO Che