Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1858-05-04
CITY OF POINT, WISCONSIN TUESDAY NAY 1855

blue eyes of his masters daughter Mary
though she had always treated his caus
eoolly, that any one else but a genuin.
Yankee wooer would have left the fiel
In despair. No girl can bear to have
SAID that her lover is an object of ridicule
and Mary was well aware that tall Nal
achi-the name by which her fathers ap
prentice was generally addressed-wa
the sport of all the young girls in the
neighborhood. Yet she might have made
good choice, fer he bid fair to become a
| first rate mechanic, was crack shot with
the rifle, and could rui-run, or out-iump
as he expressed j, himself, any thing thai
stood In TWO shoes. He was a firm ad.
, voeate of the American cause. and when
his boss was not by, and he could gain a
listeners ear, he would express his ad-
miration for Washington in the highest
II was in the latter part Of December,
and close upon dusk, when Young man,
attred in the uniform of an ensign in the
Continental army, and mounted upon a
powerful grey horse, rode up TO Squire
E.tton's smithy, and requested that lis
animal might be shod Immediately.
Friend, thou seemest TO be in some
what of a hurry" was Squire Hutton re-
ply, glancing at the stranger; {" and as
Malachi is busy foddering the cattle, and
| have promised to have neighbcr Park
er's wheel tired in half an hour, perhaps
thee had better apply at the next shop,
which thee will find about mile and a
half further along on the straight road to
Brunswick. and"
"A plague on neightor Parker and
his wagon Wheel said the young man,
mpa,iently. ''As you have stated, how
ever. am in hurry, and bear import
ant dispatches TO Washington, whom
understand is on his way to attack our
enemies at Princeton. May Heaven ia
yor the right cause.'
Amen said the smith, earnestly
" But as have informed thee before, it
will be impossible TO attend to the shoe
ing of thy beast tonight 1t is nearly
dark, and | seldom protract my iabors af-
ter nightfall."
The stranger mused a moment, and
then muttering to himself: 9. 1t is not pos
sible that | can have been misinformed;"
drew paper from his pocket, and hand
ed it to Squire Hutton.
f' What is this 2" he exclaimed
g Something that i, would not be polite
70 let every one peruse in these Zines
bat have heard that you are a staunch
man III the cause of King George, and |
can trust you. The exigencies of nv
case will not admit of delay. NY horse
must be shod, and | must be within the
British camp, at Trenton, by tomorrow
The old smith, with an air of surprise,
wiped his glasses to peruse the document.
and by .he last fading light of day, recog-
aized the well known signature OF Lord
CORVALLIS.
He instantly grasped the stranger by
he hand, and sa id that for the cause of
King George, he would neglect every
other job of work in The shop.
g But thee will have rough ride of it,
friend; the roads are in tad condition,
and the wind will blow cold and bitter in
thy face. observe the whole of thy Jour-
new"
The stranger remarked that he had
learned 10 laugh at such adventures in
The camp of the soldier.
"Ay, friend, lut the night will be black
as pitch an hour later, and if thy beast is
not sure-footed, thee will scarsIy reach
Trenton by sunrise. However, will see
that thou art we'll prepared for thy jour-
ncy. A good cup of tea, equal to thatthe
foolish rebels wasted in Boston harbor,
made by my wife Dorothy. and few
warm biscuits prepared by my daughter
Mary, viii refresh thee greatly, previous
TO thy long ride"
:. Thanks, kind sir, for thy hospitality,
and be assured that it will be remember
ed to our commander -in-chief. Ny busi-
ness is urgent, for if | reach Trenton by
sunrise, the plan now bear about my
person viii place the rebel army wholly
IN our power"
Sayest thou so p said the smith, rub
bing his hands joyfully; "then indeed
we have no time to lose Halo, Malachi;
ah, here thou art. Run up to the house,
and tell Dorothy that my friend Ensign
Spencer of the Continental army is going
to sup with lis. He has important docu-
nen;s for the benefit of the American
cause, and must be in the American camp
by tomorrow morning. Thou canst shoe
this horse, while l extend 10 him the hos
pnalitles and Squire Hutton, taking the
Young man by the arm, ushered him in a
few momsn into the presence of his
wife and charming daughter.
Meanwhile, Malachi, who had eyed
The stranger very closely, lit lamp, and
began to ply the bellows.
We'll" he exclaimed TO ohimself, "if this
don't beat all natur | ihonght there was
spmthiG "a the wind, when that critiur
halted al our place; so | just stopped fod-
dering the caule, and sneaked up to the
back side of the shop TO listen. So if he
gets to Trenton by sunrise tomorrow NOR
ming, the American party will be in the
hands Ct the British. If you are there By
hat time, by Judas, Malachi Doolit,le
don't know nothing about Shoeing. Whoa
you crltter; can't you stand still mo-
ment, while the irons are getting hot 81
II : no roDdar your 81 RESTLESS vIrh speb