Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-05-20

Ieaeeu as any osner genuemAn OF my merit.
This is to say, far better than you British
know how to treat an honest man and q meek
hearted Christian, captured in honorable war,
by =! Every one tells me, as yourself just
told me, as crossing the ses, every billow
dinned in my ear-that /, Ethan Allen, am 10
be hung like thief. If I am, the great Je-
hoyah and the Continental Congress shall
avenge me, while 1, for my part, will show
You, even on the tree, how q Christian gen
tlemsn can die. Meantime, sir, If you are the
clergyman you look, act out your eonsOlatory
function by getting an unfortunate Christian
gentleman, about to die, glass Of punch
The good natured stranger, not to have his
religious courtesy appealed 10 in vain, immo-
diately dispatched his servant, who stood by:
to procure the beverage.
AT this juncture faint rustling sound, as
If the advancing of an army with banners,
was heard Silks, scsrfs, and ribbons Gut
tered in the background. Presently bright
squadron of fair ladies drew nigh, escorted by
certain outriding gallants of Falmouth,
tAh," said a strange voice, 'what a strange
sash, and furred vest, and what leopard-like
teeth, and what fsxened hair, but all mil
dewed; is that he %
Yes, it is, lovely charmer," said Allen,
like an Ottoman, bOwing over his broad bo.
vine and breathing the words out like lutte
cit is he-Ethan Allen, the soldier; now,
since ladies' eyes visit him, made trebly a
captive"
"why, he talks like q beau in the parlor-
this wild-mossed American from the wood"
sighed another fair lady to her mate "but
can this be he We came to see? 1 must have
lock Of his hair I"
"It is he, adorable Delilah and fear not.
though excited by the foe, by clipping my
lock to dwindle my strength. Give ne your
sword, man, turning to an officer" ah, I'm
fettered. Clip it yourself, lady"
"No, no-I am"
Afraid, would you say? Afraid of the
swOrd-friend and champion of all the ladies,
all around the world Nay, nay, come
hither.''
The lady advanced and soon overcoming
her timidity, her white hand shone like
whipped foam among the waves Of faxen hair.
:" All, this is like clipping tangled tags Of
gold lace" she cried; "but see, it is half
straw"
. But the wearer is no man Of straw, lady;
were free, and you had ten thousand foes.
horse, foot and dragoons-how like friend
me Of my hair; let me rob the dainty hand Of
Its price. What, afraid again ''
Ono, not that, but
+" L see, lady; may do it by your leave,
but not by your word-the wonted way Of all
ladies, There, it is done. Sweeter that kiss
than the bitter heart of the cherry"
When at length this lady left, no small talk
was had by her with her companions about
some way Of relieving the lot of so knightly
an unfortunate, whereupOn a worthy, Judi
cious gentleman, of middle age, in attend
ance, suggested bottle Of wine every day.
md clean linen every week. And these, the
English women-too polite, and too good to
be fastidious-did actually send to Ethan
Allen, SO long as he tarried a captive in their
land.
The withdrawal Of this company was fol-
lowed by different scene. A perspiring man
in top boots, riding whip in hand, and hav.
ing the air of a prosperous farmer, brushed
in like stray bullock, among the rest, for a
peep at the giant-ha7ing just entered through
the arch as the ladies passed out
" Hearing that the man who took Ticonder-
ga was here in Pendennis Castle, I've ridden
twenty-five miles TO see him, and tomorrow
my brother will ride forty for the same pur-
pose. So let me have the same look. Sir"
he continued, addressing the captive, "win
you let me ask you few questions, and be
free with you ?"
"Be free with me? With all nv heart
love freedom above all things; I'm ready to
die for freedom; L expect to. So be as free
as You please. What is it ?''
''Then, sir, permit me to ask what is your
occupation in life in time of peace, L mean"
You talk like a tax gatherer,' replied
Allen, squirting diabolicslly at him. What
Is my occupation in life Why, in my younger
days, L studied divinity, but at present an
a conJurer by profession +"
Hereupon every body laughed, as we'll at
the manner as the words, and the nettled
farmer retorted.
"ConjurOr, eh? Well, you conjured wrong
that time you were taken.'
" Not so wrong, though, as YOU British did
that time took Ticonieroga, my friend
At this juncture the servant came in with
bewl of punch, which his master bade him
give to the captive
No. give it to me, sir, with your own
hands, and pledge me as gentleman to gen.
tleman."
q cannot pledge a state prisoner, Colonel
Allen, but will hand you the punch with my
own hand, since you insist upon it."
"Spoken and done like a true gentleman
l am bound to you
Then receiving the punch into his manacIed
hands, the iron ringing against the chain, he
put the bowl to his lips, and saying, " here
by give the British nation credit for half
minutes good usage" at one draught emptied
il to tho bottom
The rebel gulps it down like swilling
hog at the trough" here scoffed a lusty pri-
vate Of the guard, of duty.
+" Shame on you," cried the giver Of the
bowl
"Nay, sir, his red coat is blush to him.
as it is to the whole scarlet British army
Then turning derisively upon the private, s.you
object to my way Of taking things, do you ?
fear l shall never be able to please you
You objected to the way, too, in which took
Tieonderoga, and the way meant to take
Montreal. Selah! but pray, now look at
you, are you not the hero / caught lodging
around in his shirt, in the cattle pen inside
the fort? 1t was the break Of day, remem-
ber."
Come, Yankee, !" here swore the incensed
private, 4" cease this, or I'm tan your old fawn
skin for ye with the fat Of this sword for q
specimen - laying it lashwise, but not heav-
lily, across the captive's back.
Turning like a tiger, the giant, catching the
steel between his teeth, wrenched il from the
private's grasp, and striking it with his man
acles, sentit spinning, like a juggler' dagger,
into the air, saying, Lay your dirty cow
ards iron on tied gentleman again, and
these, lifting his handcuffed fists, +" shall bc
the beetle of mortality to Won y,