Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1858-11-05

While he stood arraying. himself in that
worm eaten coat Of blue and silver. the
good preacher spoke 10 him Of faith in
Jssus. Yes, Of that geat faith which
Fierces the clouds Of human guilt. and
rolls them back from the face Of God. "a
Faith J. ECHOED the strange man, who
stood there erect. with the death light in
his eye. Faith. can it give me back my
honor Look. ye, priest, there over the
waves sits George Washington. telling
to his comrades the pleasant story Of the
eight years war-there in his royal hall
sits George Of England bewailing in bis
Idiotlc voice the loss of his colonies. And
here am l-1-Tho was the first TO raise
the dag OF freedom. the FIRST to strike the
blow against that King-here am dy.
ing like dog i @ - ..,
The awe'stricken preacher started back
from the look Of the dying man. while
throb-throb-beat the death.
watch Id the shattered wall. .F..s
'Hush silence along the lines there +
be muttered in that wild. absent tone, as
though speaking to the dead; silence.
along the lines Hark. you. Montgome.
~. we will meet there in victory or death !
Hist silence, my men, not a whisper, as
you move up those steep rocks Now on
my boys. now oD Men Of the wilderness
we will gain the town. Now up with the
banner OF the stars; up with the flag OF
freedom. though the night is dark and
the snow falls Now-now-" shrieked
the death. stricken man, towering there in
the blue uniform. with his clenched hands
waving in the air-"Dow. now One
blow and Quebec is ours u 10
And look. His eyes grew CLASSY. With
that word on his ips, he stands there
ah what hideous picture Of despair,
erect, livid. ghastly There for mo-
ment. and then he falls ! He is dead
All look at that proud form. thrown
cold and stiff upon the damp foor. In
that CLASSY eye there fingers even yet,
horrible energy, sublimity of despair.
Who is this strange man, dying here
alone in this rude garret. this man. who.
in all his crime. still treasured up his blue
uniform and faded flag?
Who is this being Of terrible remorse ?
This man, whose memories link something
OF heaven and more Of hell I?
Let us look at that parchment and the
flag!
The old minister unroIIs that faded
nag. 1t was blue banner cleaning with
thirteen stars.
He unrolls that parchment. IL is a
COlonePs commission in the Continental
Army. addressed BENEDICT ARscLpl
And there, in that rude hut while the
deathwatch lhrobbed like a heart in the
shattered wall-unknown. unwept in all
the bitterness of desoIa,iOu. lay tie corpse
oi that patriot and traitor.
o. that our own true Washington had
been there to sever that good righ. arm
from the corpse. and while the dishonor
ed body rottcd into dust. to bring home
that good right arm. and embslm it among
the hoIiest memories Of the past.
For that right arm had struck many a
gallant blow for freedom, yonder at
Iiconderoga. at Quebec. Champlain, and
SAratoga-that arm yonder. beneath the
snow white mountain, on the deep silence
OF the dead. 6rst raised into sight the
banner Of the STARS.
II was during the renowned expedition
through the wilderness to Quebec, that
ArnCld encamped for two or three DAYS
beside the River Of the Dead, near
snow>white mountain. which rose in.love>
" grandeur over all other mountains, iu .
to the su'umnal sky. A single soldier
ascended the mountain with the hope Of
beholdng from its summit the rocks and
spires OF Quebec. When he came down
Arnold took from bis breast, where for
four days in privatation and danger, he
bad carried it. blue banner cleaning
With thirteen stars. He raised il into the
light. and for the first time the Cont.
mental Banner foated over the solitude
OF the Dead River. This is a fact attest.
ed by history and corroborated by ira
dition.