The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-01-20

, Occasionally his rider would rein IN aud pause to list
en- if he could hear the clattcr of Il h 'rses hoofs in the
distance. and when be could hear no sound but the moan
ing of the wind as it whistled through the forest trees,
he would shout Ga Lang, you critter, the game ahead
somewhere and the horse would resume bis old pace
But this perseverance was not to go long unrewarded;
for be had scarcely put the village Of brunswick nv.
miles behind him, when he deserted the object Ut his
search a short distance ahead, and travelling at such a
gait as convinced HIM that Ensign Spencer had little t.
thank Malachi Doollttle tor his handlcratt: AS the mat
ter stood, it was no great feat for the sorrel or the ap-
prentice to rein up by the side Of the officer IN the space
of a few moments. t+ i#! -" ""F 81
1t was too dark for Spencer to recognize his new ac-
quaintance OF the %smithery. nr..+ ~ -.
Fine evening, SQUIRE said Malachi, '~sleighing will
be first rate to morrow, If it continues TO come FOWL this
way ," +a ~ t'-'.f E.'sf%% ~
There we don t agree, FRIEND said Spencer, placing
his hand, by way OF precautlon' upon one o. MS pls,'
tolls : for the night, to my mind, Is = cursed dark and
stormy one.' srs .u4ybisr. $3.50 a.,
Well, tits something dark, that's a fact was
Malachi's response, for a man that's got a considerable
distance to tide. Got a line horse, | can't see for GER
tain. Crittcr goes kind a lame don be-
Yes, thanks to "a ~bungling fellow who shod him about
two hours ago, | shall not BE- able to reach my destina-
ton by daylight ~ ars r.a .a
Rather guess you won't squire, at the gait you are
travelling now. Trenton is "a long way Of yet. and its
a rough road to travel. Now, squire, seein' its you, |
wouldn't mind swapping horses, od surrel is shure foot
ed, aud only ten years old come next grass though l
should require u little to boot, under the circumstances,
not in Continental, bnt in hard Spanish, and
Hold on friend for Heavens sake. | have no wish
to trade horses on any terms, and your loquacity is per.
fectly overwhelming. have but one question to ask,
and .yoae4 can act your own pleasure IN answering It.
Who gave you the information that | was journeyiNg %
Trenton 2 s.-..-.t
jest as slick as grease, squire. You are on our side.
God save King George and down with rebels. | am
Malachi Doolittle, jones Hutton's prentice buy, who
shod your crltter this very night; aud, it appears, it
was so confounded dark in the shop, that l made "a pesky
job of it.
'Pesky job, Indeed said Spencer. why, my horse
is going dead lame, and | must be in Trenton by to NOR
row MorniDy-my business is OF the most vital Import
ance.' .-t. -..s
Gould | not do the business for you ! , said Malachi
You can 20 back to Squire Hutton's while | will carry
the dispatches you bear about you to the British camp
No. said Spencer, with u laugh, that would hard
ly 10. n British officer placing important dispatches
in the hands of u b!acksmitb.s apprentice is altogether
out of the question: e e"4 s4
'By Judas, Pve got it! i exclaimed Malachi, if struck
by a sudden thought. 'We will swap horses for the
present. I'll take your critter back to Huttonts and
doctor him till you call for him, and lend you old sor-
rel, he Is just rs fresh now as when he left the stable,
and lie can keep the same gait for four .and-twenty hours
to come ~. a@@a -tr rat.l tsa.
Ensign Spencer was delighted with the proposition,
and hating at a favorable place, they both dismounted
to nj Ike the exchange. But 10 sooner had the officers
feet touched the ground, than he found himself in the
close embrace Of tail Malachi. H1 -
Now, squire he exclaimed, before it comes to a
worse .ust!e, I'll trouble you to fork over them papers.
why, what do ysu mean, you plebean hound. said
Spencer, by thus insulting an officer of King George!'
struggling to free himself from the iron grasp of the
blacksmi'h's apprentice. 49,.
tAF,., :.,k rb.k r ,.u va, oo,l Aorro1 oonkop1.roy,o
tory varmint. Hurrah for George Washington and the
Continental Congress. Kiss Mary again, will you ?
Well, Im not going to be cruel, but if you don't fork
over them papers in a jidy, by the sixteenth chapter OF
Revelations, III make mincc meat of you IL will, by
Judas!' ID.
sDont throttle me = exclaimed Spencer, (for Ma
lachi's grippe at his throat had been tightening every in
staat, and they are yours t.>g he597qet' 2 "'
DON'T attempt to come any Of, your games you tory
%varmint! | can cut.run, utjump, out wrestle anything
in our diggngs and glJyjs
sSuch is not my intention. There are the papers,
and much good may they do you ! And nov be kind
enough to release my collar a.h al nj aa' 4'-
WAT a bit, squire--so no, sorrel-must make all J.
and, at the moment be let 60 OF. Spencer, he leaped into
the saddle. Good night, squire, and pleasant dreams,
Spencer instantly aimed one Of his pistols o"ted
blank at Malachi, but it missed ere. He dashed it to
the ground with a curse and leveled the other-the trlg-
ger clinked, but there was no discharge.
'Ha, ha, ha! laughed Malachi. you'll find the
primin' scattered round Jonas Hutton's kitchen floor.
where | left it. Ya.hip, galang sorrel. Three cheers
for George Washington and the Continental Congress.
The sun was not above an hour high, when a tall slab
sided Yankee, mounted on a bony horse, rode up to the
American lines, where he was hailed by the sentrles,
ana to whom he made known that he had something OF
the nest vital importance to- communicate to the gen
eral His inviacible pertinacity finally procured him
the coveted'audience with the commander-in-chief of the
American forces, and tall Malachi placed the documents
he had procured with 80 much trouble in bis hands.
Washington say at . glance that, had the plans they
divulged been carried out, the American army would
have been placed in great peril, if not utterly iannihil.
atcd. OF his masters share in the transaction, Malachi
Doolittle said nothing, for he was 500 much in love with
Mary to betray her father; but ul other questions he
answered with a promptpess that proved he had a large
share of good sense to make up for his uncouth appear
ance.
And yop wish to serve in the army? = said Wash
ington, kindly.
Such is my intention, your exceliency, if you think
my services wsrthy Of regard
are always glad to receive such good recruits in
the cause Of freedom as tlou art. The service thou
hast rendered is a great one 10 the American cause.
Captain Doolittle, allow me TO congratulate you for
such is the commission you hold ho.ceforth in the Con.