The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1859-11-30


solemn presence Of Washington.
For it was Washington, exhausted
with a long journey-his limbs stitfen-
ed and his face numbed with cold-it
was the great "rebel" of Valley Forge
who, returning to camp sooner than
his usual hour, was forced by the storm
to take refuge in the farmers house,
and claim little food and an hours
repose at his hands.
In few moments, behold the SOL
der, with his cloak thrown off, sitting
at that oaken table, partaking of the
food spread out there by the hands of
the girl who now stands trembling at
his shoulder.
And look Her hand is extended
as if to grasp him by the arm-her lips
move as if to warn him of his danger,
but make no sound. Why all this 81
lent agony for the man who sits so
calmly there +?
One moment ago, as the girl, in pre-
pairing the hasty supper, opened yon-
der closet door, adjoining the next
room, she heard the low whispers Of
her father and the tories; she heard
the dice box rattle, as they were cast
ing lots who should stab George Wash
ington in his sleep.
And now the words, Beware, or
this night you die! =" trembles, half
formed, upon her lips, when the father
comes hastily from the room and hush
es her with a look"
"Show the gentleman to his chamb-
er, Mary !"-(how calmly polite a
murderer can beg" that chamber at
the head of the stairs, on the left. On
the left, you mind"
Mary takes the light, trembling and
pale. She leads the soldier up the
oaken stairs. They stand on the land
ing, in this wing Of the farm house,
composed of two rooms, divided by
thick walls from the main body Of the
mansion. On one side, the right, is
the door of Mary's chamber; on the
other, the left, the chamber of the sol
dier-to him chamber Of death.
For a moment, Mary stands there
trembling and confused Washington
gazes upon that pale girl with a look
of surprise. Look She is about to
warn him of his danger, when, see
there her fathers rough face ap-
pears above the head of the stairs.
"Mary, show the gentleman into
the chamber on the left. And look
ye, girl, it's late-you'd better go in
to your own room and go to sleep"
w lille the tory watches them from
the head of the stairs, Washington en-
tiers the chamber on the left, Mary the
chamber on the right.
An hour passes. Still the storm
beats on the roof-still the snow drifts
on the hills. Before the fire, in the
dim old hall of that farm house, are
seven half drunken men, with that tall
tory, Jacob Mannheim, sitting in their
midst the murderer's knife in his hand.
For the lot had fallen upon him. He
is to go up stairs and stab the sleeping
man.
Even this half-drunken murderer is
pale at the thought-how the knife
trembles in his hand-trembles against
the pistol barrel. The jeers of his COM
rades rouse him to the work-the light
in one hand, the knife in another, he
goes up stairs-he listens first at
the door of his daughter, on the right,
then at the door of the soldiers cham
Der, on the left. All is STILL Then
he places the light on the foor-he en-
tiers the chamber on the left-he is gone
a silence /! there is a faint
groan He comes forth again, rushes
down the stairs, and stands there be-
fore the fire, with the bloody knife in
his hand.
"Look !" he shrieks, as he scatters
the red drops over his comrades faces,
over the hearth, into the fire" Look
it is his blood-the traitor Washing
ton ("
His comrades gather round him
with yells of joy; already, in fancy,
they count the gold which will be theirs
for this deed, when 10 !! that stair door
opens, and there, without a wound,
stands George Washington, asking
calmly for his horse.
What /" shrieked the tory Man
helm, "can neither steel nor bullet
harm you? Are you living man
Is there no wound about your uni
form ?"
That apparation drives him mad.
He starts forward, he places bis
hands tremblingly upon the arms, the
breast of Washington. Then he looks
at the bloody knife, still clutched in his
right hand, and stands there quiyering
as with a death spasm.
4 While Washington looks on in silent
. wonder, the door is flung open, the
bold troopers from Valley Forge throng
the room, with the gallant form and
4 Il - =