Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1858-08-05
7 srIrtt Mls:ellllnq.
Tnn RLACKSNEITII's APPREN-
''f'ff'n7f|ti TECE.
A TALE OF THE REVOLUTION
CHAPTER /.
By JOHN COOPER VAIL.

CHAPTER /.
It was the darkest hour of the Revo-
luton for the American cause. There
we're traitors in the camp though the
greatest mass of the people remained
firm and determined in the cause of in
dependence. Tho British army out
numbered the American forces as three
to one, but liberty was the prize to be
won, aud brave hearts led on by Wash
inston. did not despair. What if they
were clad in ragged garments and their
feet we're, shoeless, leaving marks of
blood upon the frozen ground. whenev-
cr they followed their beloved comman-
sier..zeo. long Us they battiel for the
birthri2ht of freedom. .....-
At. the period of our story, there
stood in the vicinity of the village of
Brunswick a, log house of rather large
dimensions, and built in a manner that
proved that its proprietor went in more
for comfort than appearance as regarded
his dwelling. There was an air of neat
ness aud taste about the garden that
seemed TO prove that it was under the
special care of a woman, though currant
hush, honey suckle, and hop vine had
heen for NJ my days under the SHOWS of
December. .--, ...-.
The proprietor of the house followed
the double calling of blacksmith and
farmer. lie was a hale old man of
about sixty, ahd his family were com
posed solely of his wife Dorothy, and
his, daughter Mary, beautiful girl just
budding into womanhood.
In his youth, farmer Jonas Hutton
had. advocated Quaker principles of
peace, but ia his old age his sympathies
were secretly enlisted in the cause Of
King George. His conduct, however,
had been so circumspect-he appearing
to maintain a strict neutrality as regard
ed both the British and American cause
that though suspicious were rife Of
his extending aid to the former, he had
thus far escaped. actual proof. w h.
The only person hired about the
premises was tall, unSaiuly youth. and
who served as a helper in the Smithy.
when occasionally a neighbOr wished
his horse shod, or his wagon wheel tired.
His name was Malachi DoOlittle and he
hailed from the Bay State, from whence
he had wandered to his present station,
some three years before, binding him
self to, Squire Hutton till one and TWEEN
tys, He had all the peculiarities of the
migratory race of New England, and
though as We have stated, he was tall
and ungainly in his department., warm
heart beat u1der homespun vest, and
he displayed much genius and tact fou
his employer. frr1.
As 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 coolly that any one else bu
a genuine Yankee wooer would hav'
left the field in despair. No girl cal
bear to have it said that her lover is al
object of ridicule, and Mary was wei
aware that tall Malachi-the name b.
which her fathers apprentice was gen
orally addressed-was the sport of al
the Young girls in the neighborhood.-
Yet she might have made good choice
for he bid fair to become first rate me
cha ME, was crack shot with the riff,
and could ontraa, outjump, as he ez
pressed il himself, anything that stoo
in two shoes. He was firm advocat
Of the American cause, and when b
boss was not by and he GOULD gain
listeners ear, he would express his adm
ration for Washington in the highe
terms. Hm.: rat T--lH
1t was the latter part of Deeembe
and close upon dusk, when a your
man attiEed in the uniform of an ensis
in the Contipeptal army, and mount'
upon a powerful gray horse, rode up
squire Hutton's smithy and request
tliat his animal might be shod immed
atelY. 0-
rFFiend, thou see nest to be in som