The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1861-03-07

y
n tall figure, wrapped in thick loak, white
with Suow, enters, advances to the fire, and
in brief words socilS some refrcshment and
an hours r,p,Se.
Why does the tory Mannheim start aghast at
the sight OF the strangers blue and gold uni
form? Then mumbhng to his daughter about
getting some food for the travele, he rushed
wildly into the next room where his brother
tories were feasting Tell me- why does that
young girl stant lrembling before the tall
stranger, yelling her eyes from that calm face,
with its blue eyes and kindly smile ?
Ah il we may believe the legends Of that
time, few men, Jew warri ,rs, who dared the
tenors of b,tile with smile, could stand un-
abashed before the solemn presence of Wash
! ington.
For it was Washington exhausted with a.
! long journey, bis limbs stitfrned aud his face
numbed with cold 4; i was the rebel ofValley|
Forge, who, returning to the camp soccer
than lis 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 minutes behold this
srarg with bis cloak thrown off, sitting a
that osken table, eating the food spread out
there by the girl, who stands trembling at
his side
And look her hand is extended as if to
warn him OF his danger, but she made no
sound. Why all this silent agony for the man
wto sits so calmly there?
One moment ago, as the girl in prep ring
the hasiy supper, opened yolder closet, ad
joiuing the next room, she heard the low
viii pers Of her father and The tories she
heard the dice box rattle as they were cast
ing lots who should stab Washington in his
sle, p!
And now the words. "Beware! on this night
you die !" rembes half formed upon her lips,
when her father comes hastily from the room,
al hu,hes her with Look
"Show he gentleman to his chamber, Ma
ry." (bow calmly polite murderer can be, }
"that chamber AT the head of the stai S, on
the left. Ga the left, you mind"
Mary takes the light, trembling and pale
She leads The soldier up the old oaktn stairs
They stand on the landing, in This wing OF
, the farm house. composed of two rooms, di.
! vi led by thick walls from the main holy OF
the mansion On one sid the left, was the
/ door Of Mary's chamber on the other, the
left, was the chamber of the soldier, TO him
chamber Of death.
Il OF "a IlpulGDb olduuo l'tIS N'Ch'o''S
A and confussd. Washington gazes upon that
, pale girl with look ofsuprise. Look sh,
: is about to warn him of his danger, when see
> there her fathers rough face "ppears abov,
the head Of the S airs
t "Mary, show the gentleman into that room
+ on the left. And look ye, girl it's getting
n late and You had better go into your room
and 90 to sleep"
e While the tory watches from the head o
the stairs, Washington enters the chamber OF
the left i'll the snow drifts on the hills
!, Before Iha FIRE in the dim old hall of that farm
= house are seven drunken men, with that "a
= tory, Jacob Manheim sitting in lheir midst
II the murderer's knife in his taNd for the 10
has fallen on him, He is to so up and sta
= that slet ping man.
e Even This half drunken murderer turns pal
e at the thought ; how The kuiie trembles i
his guilty hand trembes against the pi,tc
J. barrel ; the ers Of his comrades arouse hr
n to the work the Iight is in one hand tn
knife in the olh,I, he goes up stairs {; he lis
d tens, first at the door of his daughters 70 VI
: on the right, and then az The door of the so
dier's room on the left. All is still. The
@ he places the light on the iloor he enter
g the chamber on The left ; he is gone mt
y ment. Silence there is a faint groan. ii
comes forth again, rushes down the stairs
y stands b. fore The fire with the bloody knife i
{ his hand.
"Look !" he shreks, as he scatters the re
= drops over bis comrades, aud over the hearth
! into the fire. "Lo,k it is the bool of tn
v uaitor Washington !'
! His comrades gather ro md him with yell
y Of joy already in fancy they count the gol
which will be theirs for this deed when lc
20 the stair door opens, and there, without
= wound stands George Washington, a,kin
:, CALMLY for his horse
- - "What !" shreiked the tory Mannheim, "ca
neither steel nor bullets harm you ? Ar
you living man? Is there no wound i
. your uniform %
y The app ion drives ! i'm mad.
! He starts forward; he places hi' hand trem
bngly upon the arms and breast of Wash
" ing on He then looks at the bloody knife
= suIl clasped in his right hand, and stands lher
quiverirg as with death spasm.
While Washington looks on in silent won
- der, the door is thrown open; the bold troop
y ers from Valley Forge thron5 the room will
u the gallant and bronzed visage Of Capt, VIII
liams in their midst.
Al this moment The old clock in the room
= struck twelve
Then a huni-i thought flashed througI
:, The brain of the tory Nj nhem He seize
:. the light, rushes to the room OF his augh'e
e on the right. Some one had just risen trou
= the bed-the ch amber was vacant. Ther
q toward the chamber on the left, with steps o
II. eaden heavness, Lo now the knife quiver
in his hand He puses at the door-he list
. ems. His blood curl Hes in his veins. Guh
ering courage, b. pushes open the door. To
p. ward the bed, through whose curtains h
- struck so blndly moment ago He fling
r aside he curtains ard there. IN The fall lg
d of tic lamp. her form but half covered, baCn
5 ed in her own blood--,here lay his d4ugh.e