The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-05-27

|
ge Washington and the Continental Congress
Kiss Mary again, will You? Well, Pm not CO.
ing to be cruel, but if you don't fork over
them papers in jiffy, by the sixteenth chap
ter of Revelation, Pll make mince meat Of
you'll will, by Judas!'
"Don't throttle mer' exclaimed Spencer,
(for Malachl's grip at his throat had been
tightening every instantly ssand they are
yours"
"Don't you attempt TO come any Of your
games, you Tory varmint. l can out-run, ont
Jump, or our-wrestle anything in our dggings,
| and a.a .. s...'
s'Such is not my intention There are the
papers, much good NAV they do you. And
now be kind enough to release my collar,'
swat bit," squire-so no, sorre-must
make oil right:' and, at the same moment, he
let so of Spencer. he leaped into the saddle
"Good night, squire, and pleasant dreams "
Spencer Instantly aimed one Of his pistols
point blank at Malachi. but il missed fire. He
dashed it TO the ground with a curse. and lev
eled the other-the trigger clicked but there
was no discharged
''Ha. ha, ha,' laughed Malachi "You'Il
find the primin' scattered round Jonas Hutton's
kitchen floor, where | left IT. Ya-hip, ga
lang, sorrel. Three cheer for George Wash
ington and the Continental Congress-"
..... CHAPTER TIT.
The sun was not above an honr high whan
a tall. slab-sided Yankee, mounted on bonv
horse rode up TO the American lines, where
he was hailed bv the sentries, and TO whom
he made known that he had something of The
most vital Importance to communicate to the
general. His invincible pertinacity finally
procured him the coveted audience with the
comm nder in-chirf of the American forces.
and tall Malachi placed the documents he had
procured with so much trouble in his hands.
Washington saw at a glance that, had the
plans they divulgel been carried out, the A.
merican army would have been placed in
great peril, if not utterly annihlated. OF his
masters share in the transaction, Malachi
Doolittle said nothing, forhe was too much
in love with Mary 70 betrav her father; but all
other questions he answered with promptness
to make up for his rnconh arpearance.
"And You wish 70 serve in the army" said
Washington, kindly.
'Snch IS my Intention, your excellencv. if
you think nv services worthy Of regard"
''We are al ravs glad to receive such good
recruits in the cause Of freedom as thou art
The service thou hast rendered is great one
10 the American cause. CAPTAIN Doolttle.
allow me to congratulate Won, for snch is the
commission Won holi henceferth in the ccpti-
nrutal army"
The heart of The new made officer waa FOO
full TO express his thanks: hut he resolved 20
prove bv deeds. and not bv words. that he was
worthy of Washington's consideration. The
| commander-in-r hipf saw that some immediate
steps must hn taken not only to save PhiladaI-
nha--which. as he learned By the dispatches
brought BY Doolittle. the enemy were deter
mined TO posspss-hut to arouse the spirit
| If the nation. that had now SINK tn the lowest
depth Of desponaencv He resolved to antici-
pate 'he British and cross the frozen Delaware.
on the night oe the 2f'h Of December. where
he learned that large body of Hassians Were
encamped. He followed up his plans with
eminent success; for the attack being totally
unexpected, more than nine hundred Of the
enemy We're taken prisoners of war. He re-
crossed the river again. and. though his sha-
dow of an army was weary and exhaused. hr
determined TO make an attack on the British
forces at Princeton. Here he had the good
fortune to kill sixty, and take three hundred
prisoners more. This good fortune served 10
dispel TIE gloom that had settled over the
| American Cause. ...n
II is an unidentified fact, that Malachi Doc
| little held Colonel's commission in the armv
before the close of the war, which took place
when Great Britain acknowledged the Tnae-
pendence of the United States, November 30tb,
1882.
| On the bank Of the river Raritan. some ten
wears after the incidents detailed in our story,
there stood fine house. built in the style OF
the Elizabethan period-the residence cf Col.
Doolittle and family, who was now one of the
wealthiest farmers in the whole county. He
was one Of the most hospitable Of men, and
neither friend nor stranger could pass his door
| "'f"o" u dsNtu W tdhC "uS VI t'c
Colonel's good cider; or if it happened to be
| about tea time, cup Of tea. and slice al
short cake, made by the fair hands of his
wife Molly. There was an old man, 100, who
sat in the cosiest place by the fireside, who,
for long time after the close Of the war,
would advocate the cause Of the King and
talk bout having somebody arrested for steal
ing sorrel horse-at which his daughter
would wink slyly to her husband but he final
ly came 70 the conclusion, as peace and plenty
crowned the land Of freedom, that George
Washington was not so much of a rebel after
! all.
There was an old lady, too, who appeared
to never grow tired Of praising her son-in-law
and little boy, the very image of his mother
who at the close of many summers day
would climb upon his fathers knee, and say
with tone of earnest entreaty.
Snow. pa, do tell me all about Ensign Spen
GER. and General Washington and the Hessians
and how you hooked grandpa's horse anC
listed for soldier"
sWilingly, my son." the colonel would re-
ply, 'sbut have related the sto-y so often,
should think You knew il by heart" Ye