The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1861-01-03
the fight at Quebec: now-I am a-let
me whisper in your ear.

me whisper In your ear.
"Now, help me priest" he said in q
voice growing suddenly tremulous, "help
me put on this coat of blue and silver
For you see," and ghastly smile came
over his face, ''there is no one to wipe
the cold drops from my brow no wife,
no child must meet death alone but
I will meet him as met him in battle,
without fear.'
While he stood arraying himself in
that worm eaten coat of blue and silver,
the good preacher spoke to him of faith
in Jesus. Yes. Of that great faith which
pierces the clouds of human guilt, and
rolls them back from the face Of God.
Faith" echoed the strange man, who
stood here erect, with the death light IN
his eyes. Faith 7 can it give me back
my honor? Look, ye, priest, there over
the waves sits George Washington, tell
ing to his comrades the pleasant story Of
the eight years war-in his royal hall
sits George of England bewailing in his
idiotic voice the loss of his colonies
And here am I-I-who was first to
strike the blow against that Klng-here
am I, dying like dog!
The awe stricken preacher started back
from the look of the dying man, while
throb--throb-be the death watch in
the wall.
"Hush silence along the lines there!"
he muttered IN that wild absent tone, as
though speaking to the dead clark
you, Montgomery, We will meet them
there in victory or death Hist silence
my men; not a whisper as you move up
those steep rocks! Now on, my boys,
now on! Now up with the banner of
the stars; up with the flag of freedom
though the night is dark and the snow
falls p. Now-now-" shrieked the death.
stricken man, towering there in the blue
uniform, "uow, now! One blow, and
Quebec is ours y
And look: His eyes grow CLASSY
With that word on his lips, he stands
there-ah what a hideous picture of des-
pair, erect, livid, glastly! There for a
moment, and then he falls ! He is dead!
All look at that proud form, thrown
cold and stiff upon the damp floor. In
that CLASSY eye there fingers, even ye., a
horrible energy, sublimity o, wild des-
pair.
Who is this strange man dying here
alone in this rude garret; this man, who,
in all his crimes, still treasured up his
blue uniform and faded flag?
Who is this being of terrible remorse
this man. whose memories link some
thing Of heaven and more of hell?
Let Us lock at that parchment and the
flag!
The old minister unrolls that faded
fag-it was blue banner cleaning with
thirteen stars
He unrolls that parchment. 1t is a
Coloners commission in the Continental
Army, addressed BENEDICT ARNOLD!
Aud there, in that rude hut, while the
death watch throbbed in the shattered
wall-unknown, unwept, in all bitterness
of desoIation, lay the corpse of that pat
riot and traitor.
o, that our own true Washington had
been there to sever that good right arm
from the corpse, aud while the dishonor-
ed body rotted into dust, to bring home
that good right rrm, and embalm it
among the holiest memories of the past.
For that right arm had struck many q
gallant blow for freedom, yonder at Ii.
conderoga, at Quebec, Champlain, and
Saratoga-that arm yonder, beneath the
SNOW white mountain, on the deep 81
lence of the Dead, first raised into sight
the banner of the STARS
1t was during that renowned expedi-
tion through the wilderness to Quebec,
that Arnold encamped for two or three
days beside the River of the dead, near
snow white mountain, which rose in
lovely grandeur over all other mountains,
into the autumnal sky. A single soldier
ascended the mountain with the hope of
beholding from it's SUBMITS the rocks and
spires of Quebec. When he came down,
Arnold took from his breast, where, for
four days in privation aud danger he had
carried it, blue banner cleaning with
thirteen stars. He raised it into light
and for the first time the Continental
Banner aoated over the solitudes of the
Dead River. This is fact attested by
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