Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1855-03-29
John Putnam, the Spy.

liOaC ulioooly INV sh"6S " A'SAaS
dozen rude dweHings,in the norther
n part Of New York, and hailing tb
n decrepit inn-keeper, cried out, simu
e taneouslv, with many barbaric. .oath'
e 'Halloa! old wine bibber! have yo
E noted any cheating, lying, and sneak
ing pedlar at thy door today.
y BY my spursr pompously adde'
: Captain Dick, the elder of the two
$ I'VE have ridden these last sthirt.
miles in vain, if the scoundrel b
e not caught lurking in this ham
: let. Hast thou seen him, Boniface
!. Speak, man; we be in haste. ] biz
J; thee answer, by the Kings com
;;4mand.'
The hesitatipg landlord held on te
the horse-post, and replied, 'Sirs,
be half deaf, yet methinks ! guess
your meaning. Be ye gallant troop
ers Of his majesty, after a stray ped,
lar, eL?- What would you do With
ihim?'
Death! the rascally grey beard
Lquestioneth us! interrupted the
younger horseman, a braggadocial pri-
! vate. and wheeling his steed around,
he touched the tavern-keeper rather
roughly with his gloved hand' and
continued, I'VE desire noquestioning,
old dotard. We would know this,
and quickly, too.
/ oh, be not rough, | prithee. A
pedlar, sayest.. thou? Had he a a.
pack?'
Pack or no pack, hast thou seen
him?' fercely cried Dick.
Patience, masters, butmy memo
ry is treacherous, and | mustreaect.
t A pedIar:-with a staff, did ye sayY
.I'n break thy skull with staff,
if YOU befool us!' said the bully, ,stri-
king at the old man, who rather nim-
bly, for his looks, leaped out oil the
troopers reach.
The Captain then seriously threat
ened violence, and stvrnly demanded
a reply. As if frightened into sub
mission, he then hesitatingly said,
.Oh-yes-yes--now | bethinks my
self / did observe sneaking ped
lar pass here this morning, on foot,
and in extreme haste.
which way--which road took he?
exclaimed both the others.
That deliberately answered the
man, pointing to a travelled lane, that
led from the one in which they stood
Art sure! If thou lest to US,
by st. George. thou shalt be hung,
at thine ewn door Ikea sigpess2 )
SAY, an that he not the road, thon
mayest hang me, observed Boni,
face. e ss bsj.,
TO horse! be is SIX. hourssinf adj
vance. to horse! and brevet to the.
one Of us that catches the. FIRST sight
of the spy shouted Captain Dick,
and rapidly they dashed away, leav-
ing clouds, of dust behind them
Ere they had gone. twenty yards, the
inn .lseener shook. his frame like. a
strong man, and mpttered-'Ay,
when they catch me- they may hang
MEL He then glanced around eau
tiously, aud quickly entered the
house. ai.ieF,s) esas5 d. 49sIY.
Meanwhile, CaptainiDick aEdcom-
panions spurred their beasts to sa
race that would have injured animals
unused to their hardy lifa. Mile af-
ter mile was left bebind,a until 10
three hours they had covered every,
step that man couldnhaye walked
in a whole day. Then, unsuecessful-
Iy, they thought offreturning. =
The internal rebel hath deluded
us. we calculated that he would
hasten directly tothe camp Of Wash
ipgton. We are misled, or have
passed him, secretedin the forest.
perhaps that inn-keeper deceived
US. Methought be was not SO lmOe-
Gle as he pretended. 'Sii'f"
by my souls salvation, thou hast a's'E
! hit il! Dolts! asses that We are!--
Did you not note the nimbieness OF
his leap, when thy hand was chtted
against hing judas, how this vii
lain m tmriumphed.' Ride back--for thy
| lie, ride ike lightning!
| sNay,not back! if be. be the SPY,
| he hath taken the other road, and q %
| sent us fools err;.nd op this. a
League hence we passed by.paitlh s., p b
THAT doubtless iptersects the his hway