Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1861-11-30
VALLEY FORoR.
A LraENp or rnr REroLrrtox

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Hidden away there in deep glen. no
many miles from Valley Forge, a ouain
old farmhouse rose darkly over n wild
waste of snow.
IL was a cold, dark winter, night and tn,
snow began 10 fall, while from the broac
n,e place Of the old farmhouse the cheerfu
, o'aze OF massive logs flashed round a wid,
= spacious room.
i, wo persons sat by the Grc--a father
anu enild. The father, who sits wonder with
Soldler's belt thrown over Ills formor,.
dress IS mao Of some fifty yenrs. his eve,
oloodshot, bis face wrnkied and bollow
eu Oy care, and by dissipation more than
ana Tue daughter, who sits in the full
light OF the blaze, opposite her father-a
slender formed girl of some seventeen vaors
clad In coarse linsey skirt and kerchief
which made up the custome of a farmsr,!
daughter In the days of the Revolution
Sue was not beautiful--ah, no Ha8
Care--perhaps that disease, consumption.
which makes ! be heart grow cold to name
mas been bnsy with that young face, sharp
ehed us outlines, and stamped it with a
ueathIy palenesS. .H ata .L1fI8fA fLs a
There is no bloom on that young wo.
man. The brown hair is laid plainly aside
IRON the pule brow. Then tell me
face. 2 -" - !
You look at that young girl aud see
nothing but the gloom of two large ewes.
thai burn into your soul. .. y.
those pVps ra l1, "a
dark aud bright /; perhaps consumption is
feeding them ..e| l.#G4a ..' III ig
And now then, as the father sits there so
moody and sulleu, or The daughter sits there
~ Saa' and silent and pale, tell me, pray,
the story Of their lives.
Ihat man, Jacob Manheim was naoce.
inl happy man before the RevoIn,ior
SINCE The war has begun, he has become
arunkcn and idle driving his wife, broken.
hearfed TO tho grave and worse than all
joined gang OF tory refugees, who scour
The land at the dead of night, burning and
numbering as they go. .-1s 81 l.e IL, w
Io night at the hour Of two, this tory
band will lie 10 wait at a ueighboring pass,
10 attack and murder Washington, whose
starving soldiers are yonder in their haunts,
at Valley Forge. a'lI 1850 4
WaShlngton, in his lonely journeyiBgs, ist
wont to pass this farmhouse the cut.
throats are in the next chamber, drinking
and feas'ng as they wait for two o'clock at
night. f -a'E -a.a9.aa ..a
And the daughter, Mary-for her name
was Mary-they loved that name in the
good old tineS-what is the story Of her
life? af - nj.
She had been reared by the mother now
dead, and taught to revere this man Wash.
lngton, who will tonight be attacked and
murdered-to revere him next to God
Nay, more, that mother, on her death. bed
joined ber daughters hand to q partisan
leader, Harry Williams, who now shares
the crust and cold at Valley Forge.
Well might the maideus eye fash with
unnatural br ghtness--well may her pale
face gather single burning fash in the
center of etch cheek. oR o. 5e
For, yesterday afternoon, she went four
ml'e1, over ice and snow, to tell Capt |
Williams OF the plot of the refugees She
did not reach Valley Forge until Wash.
ington had left on one of bis journeys so
This night at l2 o'clock, the partisan com
pany occupied the rocks above the |
ncighboring pass to trap the followers of
George Washington. fu s
Yes, that pale and slender girl, remem
berlng the words of her dying mother, had
broken through her obedience TO her faith.
er, after long aud bitter struggle in a
faithful daughters heart She had
betrayed his plot TO the enemies, stipuht-
ing first for the life aud safety of her
faI her l.t G .0a a.t
And now, as the father and child are
sitting there, the shouts of the tory refu-
gees echo from the next chamber, as the
hands of the old clock is on tho hour Of l,
Hark there is a suuud of horses hoofs
within the farmyard, there is pause the
door opens and tall figure wrapped in a
thick cloak, white with snow, enters, I'D
vanees to the fire, and in brief words solicits
some refreshments aud an hours repose
Why does the tory Mannheim start aghast
at the sight Of the strangers blue aud gold
uniform. te.wraH z 7 IA
Then mumbiing to his daughter about
getting some food for The traveller, he rush
ed wildly into the next room where his
brother tories were Teasing Tell me, why
does that young girl stand trembling before
the tall stranger, yelling her eyes from tina;
calm face, with its blues eyes and kind
smile ? sf u. .......-.. .......-r q.
Ah if we may believe the legends Of that
time, few men, few warriors, who dared
the terrors Of battle with smile,
could stand unabashed before the solemn
presence of w ashiDgtoH. For il was w ash
ingtou, exhausted with long journey, his
limbs stilfened aud his face beuumbed with
cold, who returning TO the camp sooner
than his usual hour, was forced by the
storm to take refuge in the farmers. house,
and claim q little food and an hours re.
pose at his hands, In few moments, be,
hold this stranger, with his cloak thrown
OF, sitting at that oaken table, eating ihe
food spread Outthere by the girl, whostands
trembling by bis side.
And look ! her hand is extended as u
to warn him of his danger. but she
makes no sound Why all this silent
agony for the man who sits SO calmly
there q gG ~ tar
One moment ago, as the girl 10 preparing
the hasty supper, opened yonder closet ed- |
..I. T ard lou tuh