Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1861-01-11
VALLEY FORGE.

A THRILLING SKETCH OF THE REVOLUTION
Hidden away there in deep glen
not many miles from Valley Forge, {
quaint old farm house rose darkly oyel
wide waste Of snow
1t was a cold, dark Wihter, and the
snow began to fall while from the
broad fireplace of the old farm house
the cheerful blaze of massive logs flashed
around wide and spacious room.
Two persons sat by the 6re-a faith el
and child. The father, who sits yonder
with soldiers belt thrown over his far
mer's dress, is man ofsome fifty years,
his eyes bloodshot, his face wrinkled
and followed by care, and dissipation
more than by care.
And the daughter, who sits in the full
light of the blaze, opposite her father
a slender formed girl, of some seventeen
years, clad in coarse linsey skirt and
kerchief, which made up the costume of
farmers daug ghter in the days of the
Revolution. -=-----
She was not beautitul-ah, no!
Care-perhaps that disease consump-
tion, which makes the heart grow cold
to name have been busy with that
young face, sharpened its outlines, and
stamped it with deathly paleness.
There is nc blecm on that young
cheek. The brown hair is laid plainly
aside from the pale brow. Then tell me
what it is you see when you gaze in her
face.
You look at that young girl, and see
nothing but the CLEAN Of tive eyes, that
burn into your soul.
Yes, those eyes are annaturally large,
and dark, and bright; perhaps consump-
ton is feeding them.
And now, then, as the father sits there
so moody and sullen, or the daughter
sits there so sad, and silent, and pale,
tell me, pray you, the story Of their
lives.
That man, Jacob Mannheim, was a
peaceful, happy man, before the Revo-
luton. Since the war began, he has
become drunken and idle; driven his
wife, broken hearted to the grave; and,
worse than all, Joined band of tory
refugees, who scour the land at the dead
of night, burning and mardering as
they go.
Tonight, at the hour of two, this
tory band will lie in wait at neighbor-
ing pass, to attack and murder the rebel
Washington, whose starving soldiers are
yonder in the haunts of Valley Forge.
Washington, in his lonely journey
ings, is wont to pass this farm house; the
cut-throats are in the next chamber,
drinking, as they wait fer two o'clock
at night.
And the daughter Mary-for her
name was Mary-they loved that name
in the good old times-what is the story
of her life?
She had been reared by her mother,
now dead, and gone home, to revere this
man Washington, who will to-hight be
attacked and murdered - to revere him
next to God Nay, more; that mother,
on her death bed, joined the hands Of a
partisan leader, Harry Williams, who
now shares the crust and cold at Valley
Forge.
Well might the maiden's eye flash
with unnatural brightness we'll may
her pale face gather single burning
flush in the centre of her cheek.
For, yesterday afternoon, she went
four miles, over roads of ice, and
snow, to tell Captain Williams of the
plot of the refugees. She did not reach
Valley Forge until Washington had left
on one of his lonely journeys; so this
night, at twelve o'clock, the partisan
company occupied the rocks above the
neighboring pass, to trap the trappers
of George Washington.
Yes, that pale and slender girl, re-
membering the words of her dying
mother, had broken through her obedi-
ence to her father, after long and bit
ter struggle. How hard and sore that
struggle in faithful daughters heart.
She had betrayed his plot to his enc
mics, stipulating first for the life and
safety of her father.
And now, as father and child are sit
ting there, the shouts of the tory refu-
gees echo from the next chamber, as the
hand of the clock is on the hour Of
eleven. Hark - there is a sound of
horses hoofs within the farm yard, there
is pause; the door opens, and tall fig
urg, wrapped in thick cloak, white
with snow, enters, advances to the fire,
and in brief words solicits some refresh
ment and an hours repose.
Why does the tory Mannheim start
agast at the sight of the strangers blue
and gold uniform? Then mumbling to
his daughter about getting some food
for the traveller, he rushed wildly into
the next room, where his brother tories
we're feasting. Tell me, why does that