The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-05-27
The BIacksmith's prentice.
A TALE OF TIE REVOLUT7ON.
CHAPTER T.
BY JOHN COOPER VAIL.


IT was the darkest hour of the Revolution
for the American cause. There were traitors
in the camp. though the great mass Of the
people remained firm and determined in the
cause of Independence. The British army
ontnumbered the American forces as three to
one, but liberty was the prize to be won, and
brave hearts, led on by Washington. did not
despair. What if they were clad in tattered
garments, and their feet were shoeess. leaving
marks of Blood on the frozen ground wherever
they followed their loved commander, so long
as they battled for the birthright of freedom?
At the period Of our story. there stood in
the vicinity of the village of Brunswick log
house. Of rather large dimensions, and built in
a manner that proved that its p: opretor went
in more for comfort than appearance, as re-
garded his dwelling. There was an air of
neatness and taste about the garden that seem
ed to prove that it was under the especial care
of woman, even though currant-bush. honey
snckle and hop vine had been for many days
under the SHOWS Of December.
The proprietor of the house followed the
double calling Of blacksmith and farmer.
He was hale old man of about sixty, and his
family were composed solely of his wife Dor
othy, and his daughter Mary, a beautiful gir1
Just budding into womanhood.
In his youth, farmer Jonas Hutton had aA-
vocated Quaker principles of peace. but in his
age his sympathies were secretly enlisted ir
the cause of King George. His conduct how
haJ H.. ;nc
to maintain "a strict neutrality a asregarded botf
the British and American cause-that, though
suspicious were rife of his extending aid tc
the former, he had thus far escaped actual
proof.
The only person hired about his premises
was tall, ungainly youth, of about twenty
years of age, and who served as helper in tht
smithy, when occasionally neighbor wished
his horse shod. or his wagon wheel tired. Hi:
name was Malachi Doolittle, and he hailed
from the Bay State, from whence he had wsh
dered to his present station. some three year:
before, binding himself to Squire Hutton til
one-and-twenty. He had all the pecnliarite:
of the migratory race Of New England, anc
though, as we have stated, he was tall and an
calmly in his department, a warm heart bea
under Lomespun vest, and he displayed mucf
genius and tact for the benefit IF his employer
As a matter of course, he had been in love
for long time with the fair form and blue
eyes of his masters daughter Mary, though
she had always treated his case so coolIy tha
any one else but genuine Yankee wooe,
would have left the field in despair. No cir
can bear to have it said that her lover is an oh
ject of ridicn!e, and Mary was we'll aware tha
tall Malachi-the name by which her fathers
apprentice was generally addressed-was tht
sport of all the Young girls in the neighbor
hood. Yet she might have made a goot
choice, for he bid fair to become first ratt
mechanic, was crack shot with rifle, ant
could out-run, or ont-iump, as he expresses i
himself, anything that stood in two shoes
He was firm advocate of the American cause
and when his boss was not by, and he coul,
gain listeners ear, he would express his ad
miration for Washington in the highest terms
1t was in the latter part Of December, anc
close upon dusk, when young man, at.irec
in the uniform Of an ensign in the Continents
army, and mounted upon a powerful gre,
horse, rode up to Squire Hutton's smithy anC
requested that his animal might be shoi imme
diately.
"Friend, thou seemest to be in somewhat o
.ahurry," was Squire Hutton's reply, glancin!
at the stranger, sand as Malachi is busy fod
dering the cattle, and have promised TO hav
neighbor Parker's wheel tired in half an hour
perhaps thee had better apply at the next sho
which thee will find about mile and a hal
further along on the straight road to Bruins
wick, and"
GA plague on neighbor Parker and his wag
on wheel" said the young man, impatiently
GAS you have stated, however, / am in hurr
and bear important dispatches to Washington
whom understand is on his way to attac
our enemies at Princeton. May Heaven favo
the right cause!'
"Amen," said the smith, earnestly. "Bu
as have informed the before, it will be i'm
possible to attend TO the shoelng of thy beas
tonight. 1t is nearly dark, and seldom pro
tract my labors after nightfall."
The stranger mused moment. and the
mutteiing to himself: "It is not possible tina
! can have been misipformed;o drew a pape
from his pocket, end handed it to Squire Hut
ton.
"What is this?" he exclaimed
''Some thing that it would not be polite t