Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1858-02-26

'flne evening, squire SAID Malachl.
"sleighing will be frst-rats tomorrow, il it
continues to come down THE way
"Thero we don't agree, friend, said Spon-
Ger, placing his hand by way Of prccaution,
upon one Of his pistols ''for the night, to
my mind, is cursed dark and stormy one
"Wcll, It's something dark, that's fact"
was Malachi's response "fnr man that's got
a considerable distance 70 ride. Got fine
horse, can't see for ceitain, Critter goes
kind a lame, don't he 2"
eyes, thanks to a buugling fellow who
shod him about two hours Ago, ! shall not be
able to reach my destination by daylight
"Rather guess you wont, squire. at the
gait you are travelling now. Trenton is
long way off yet, and it's a rough road to
travel Now, squire, seein' it's you, I
wouldn't mind swappin' hoises, old Sorrel is
sureiooted, and only ten years old come next
grass though / should require a littlo 70
boot, under tho circrmstantes, not In Couti-
mental. but IN hard Spanish. and--'
Hold on, friend. foa ksarsn's sake.
have no wish To trade horses on amy terms.
and your loquacity is perfectly overwhelming.
have but one question 90 ask. and You can
act your pleasure in answering It, Who gave
You the information that | vas iourneying 70
Trenton:'
Jest as slick as grease, squire. You arc
on our side. God save King George and
down with the rebels / an Malachi Doolit-
tie, Jonas Huttons prentice boy, who shod
your crittor this very night land, it appears,
it was so confounded dark il the shop that
made pesky job it,
"Pesky Job. indeed said Spencer
"Why, my horse is going Head lame, and
must be in Trenton by to-morrow morning
my business is of the most Sital Importance
Gould | not do the business for You -
said Malachi " You can % back to Squire
Huttons while | win CARR the dispatches
you bear about you to the british camp"
NO said Spencer, with laugh, THAT
will hardly do. British officer placing inn
portant dispatches IN tho hands Of a black
smith apprentice is altogether out Of the
question"
by Judas, I've got e" exclaimed Maa-
chi, as if struck by a sudden thought. "Wc
will swap horses for tho present, I'll take
your critter back TO Hutton, and doctor him
till you call for him, and lend YOU old sorrel.
be is just as fresh now as when he left the
stable, and he can keep the same pace for
four-and-twenty hours to come"
Ensign Spencer was delighted with the pro-
position, and halting at favorable place they
both dismounted 70 make the exchange. But
no sooner had the officers feet touched the
ground, than he found himself in the close
embrace of tall Malachai
Nov, squire, he exclaimed "hcfore it
comes to a worse tusslo. I'll trouble YOU to
fork over them papers
"Why, what do you mean. you plebeian
hpnnH - cofI ssf.
officer Of King George struggling to free
himself from the iron grasp Of the black
smiths apprentice
Mean just what say. sou gapl darned
cantankarous tory varmint. Hurrah iog Geo,
Washington and sba ce tental ConrressA
kiss Mary again viii youi We'll, I'm not
going to be cruel, but If you don't fork over
them papers in tiffany. by the sixteenth
chapter OF Revelations, III make mince meat
of you Il will. by Judas r.
Don't throttle me r. exclaimed Spencer,
(for Malachi's grip at his throat had been
tightening every instant) "and they are
yours
Don attempt to come any Of your games,
you tory varmint can out-run, out-iump,
out-wrestlc anything in our diggins and
"Such is not my intcntion. There are the
BNHNANs hhA lilAAA ERNN may AANN wv f'A
And now be kind enough TO release my col
lar"
"Wait bit, squire-so ho, sorrel-must
make all - and, at the moment he let 60 of
spencer, he leapcd into the saddle Good
night, squire, and pleasant dreams,
Spencer instantly aimed ono of his pistols
point blank at Malachi brt it missed fire.
He dashed it to the ground with a curse and
,sl. III ,fe
there was no discharge.
"Ha, ha, ha r. laughed Malachi you'll
find the primin scattered round Jonas Hut
tons kitchen floor, where ! left it. Ya-hip,
ga-lang, sorrcl. 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 bony
horse, rode up to the American lines, where
he was hailed by the sentries, and to whom
he made known that he had something OF the
the most vital importance to communicate to
the general. His inyinciblo pertinacity final
ly procured him the coveted audience with
the commander-in-c of the American
forces, and tall Malachi placed the documents
he-Aad procured with so much trouble in his
bands Washington saw at glance that,
had the plans they diyulged been carried out,
the American army would have been placed
in great peril, if not utterly annhilated OF
his masters share in the Transaction, Malachi
Doolittlc said nothing, for he was too much
in love with Mary to botray her father; but
all other questions he answered with aprompt-
ness that proved he bad a large share OF good
sense to make up for his uhcouth appear
ance.
And you wish to serve in the army :" said
Washington, kindly.
"Such is my intention, your excelency, if
you think my services worthy of regard
1--WE are always glad to receive such good
recruits in the cause Of freedom as thou art.
The services thou hast rendered is a great ono
to the American cause, Captain Doolttle
allow me to congratulate you for such is the
commission you hold hcnceforth in the Con-
tinental army"
The heart of the new made officer was too
full to express his thanks but he resolved to
prove by deeds, and not by words, that he
was worthy of Washington's consideration
The commander-n-chief saw that some inn
mediate steps must be taken not only to save
Philadelphia - which he learned by the dis
patches brought by Doolittle, the enemy were
determined to possess--but to arouse the
spirit of the nation, that had now sunk to the
lowest depths Of dependency. He resolved
to anticipate the British, and crossed the fro-
zen Delaware on the night of the 26th Of De-