Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1861-08-20
THE PATRIOTS sTRATAGEM
"A Legend of Is76.

"A Legend of 1S76.
Night had set IN deep and dark, and in a
small log cabin. situated few miles from
Trenton, New Jersey, sat FIVE men four of
whom we're seated around an old oaken ia
Bile IN the centre Of the room. engaged in
playing cards; while they frequently moist
ened their throats with large draughts
from an earthen jug that stood on the table.
They were heavily bearded, fcoarse looking
men, and from1heir dress, which somewhat
resembled the British uniform they were
evidently Tories. The other was a stoutly
built young man, clad in the Continental
uniform He sat in corner of the room,
with his face buried in bis hands
Tom. said one of the Tories, rising
from the table and seating himself near the
young prisuner-for such he evidently was
Tom, You and / were school boys to-
gether, and like you yet Now, why can 7
you glve p J4nr Wild notions and join us
zaa Gre our screen. and il you don't we
shall hand you over to headquarters to-
morrow while, if you join us, your fortune
is made; for with YOU bravery and talents
you would soon distinguish yourself in the
royal cause. ard after this rebellion is
crushed out, you would be rewarded hy
knighthood and promotion in the army
Now, there are the two alternatives, which
do you choose?"
Neither" said The young man, raising
his head and looking the tory steadily in
the eye, IL am now, as you say, your priss
oner but when that clock strikes twelve, |
shall leave you. | shall disappear in a
cloud of fire and smoke and neither you
nor your comrades, nor even myself can
prevent it. You may watch me as closely
"a you please tie Inc hand and foot if you
WILL but higher power than yours or mine
has ordained that | should leave you al
that time"
Poor fellow, his mind wanders," said
the Tory, hell talk differently in the
| morning." and he returned to his seat at
the table, leaving the youth with his head
again resting on his hands.
When the clock struck eleven. the Young
prisoner drew pipe and some tobacco from
HE pocket, and asked the tory leader if be
had objections to his smoking.
mo, none in the least" said he, adding
| with laugh, "that is, if you'll promise
/ not to disappear in cloud of tobacco
| smoke"
The young man made no reply. but i'm.
medIately filled and lighted his pipe hav,
ing done which he arose and commenced
pacing the floor. lie took half dozer
turns up and down each side of the room
! approaching nearer to the table each time
when, having exhausted his pipe, he re-
turned to his seat and retilled it. lie con
| tinued smoking until the clock strucl
twelve when he arose from his seat, ant
slowly knocking out the ashes from BIZ
pipe, said. There boys, it is twelve O'Clock
and ] must leave you, good bye !" and i'm.
me1iately, all around the room streaks o
fire ran kissing and squirming, and tn
cabin was filled with dense, sulpburou
smoke, amidst which was heard crash lik
a clap of thunder. The Tories sat in thei
chairs raralyzed with fright.
The smoke soon cleared away, but th
prisoner was nowhere to be seen. The ia
BILE was overturned, the window smashed I
pieces, and one chair was lying on tn
ground outside of the building The Tor
leader, after recovering from his stupoI
gave one glance of terror around the con
and sprang out of the window, followed b
his comrades. They ran through the fores
at the top of their speed in the direction G
the British encamI ment, leaving their mu;
ke's and other arms tn the mercy of tb
flames, which had now begun to devour tn
cabin.
The next dav two young men, bot
dressed in the Continental uniform wer
seen standing near the ruins of the old cal
in. One of them was no other than GU
hero of the night previous.
Lets hear all about it, Tom," said tn
other.
We'll" said our hero, "last evening MS
was passing this place, two Tories ran OF
of the cabin and took possession of me be
fore could make any resistance. The
took me in, and who do you suppose sa
as the leader Of the party but John Bartu
our cid school mate. He talked with II
and tried to get me to join them: but tol
him | couldn't do it-that at IL O'Clock
was going to escape-disappear in a clou
of fire and smoke; but he laughed at IN
and said that was out of my head AbOr
eleven O'Clock | asked him if | migI
smoke. lie said he had no objections so
flied my pipe and lighted it, and con
menced walking the floor. had about
pound of gunpowder in my pocket, and ,
| walked strewed it all over she room
When the clock struck twelve, bid the
, good bye and told them i had to go, NJ
, then knocked the ashes from nv pipe. III
, powder ignited, and a dazzling blaze of fl
shut across, around and all over the rooI
, filing it with suffocating smoke. Before
cleared away, hurled chair through Il
, window, srrang out and departed, leaviT
. them to their own reflections. You kno
the rest.