Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1862-04-25
Misre11ang.
THE HUNCHBACK.
AN UNPUBLISHED INCIDENT IN THE LIFE
OF GENERAL ISRAEL PUTNAM.
CHAPTER I.

! NI1AI L.
Princeton, New Jersey. during the
winter of TIT, was the headquarters Of
Gen. Israel Putnam, who, with small
corps of militia, held possession of the
town, while the British were garrisoneo
at Brunswick-distant fifteen or twenty
miles eastward.
The relative position Of the Colonies
and England at that period,is we'll known
yet there are many little incidents of an
interesting nature connected with those
times which have never been made pub
lie; and in which, not unfrequently, the
brave American Generals took an active
part We have something Of this kind
in view, which we will relate.
One dark, clustering night, near the
close of January, Of the year above men
toned, a man, wrapped in long sable
cloak, and closely mutfied about the face,
came forth from stately mansion on
one of the principa streets in Princeton,
and passed off in an easterly direction,
toward Brunswick.
AS be hurried forwards "a hunch backed
individual crept away from the dark
nook under the wall of an adjacent
building, and followed stealthily after
him. To-.
On went the pursuer and pursued,
threading the most secluded portions of
the town, until the for ser reached the
front of small, white cottage, situated
few rods from the road; and was al
most entirely enshrouded With the foil
age Of the stately trees, the branches of
which intermingled above the roof. 1t
Was very dark, and the air was filed with
sleet, yet lamp burning in front of the
residence, revealed the outlines of the
building and trees.
The cloaked man paused moment,
and sazed suspicious y around him, when
he discovered a carriage with horses at
tached, standing not far away. He then
opened the gate, entered the lawn, and
moved on toward the house with the cv-
ident intention of calling. Let US pre-
cede him by few moments.
In small, nicely furnished apartment
"a wing room Of the cottage, sat a young
lady, some twenty years of age. She
was reading from large volume, aided
by the light of a globe lamp that stood
upon centre table, before which she
was seated. The apartment was Glled
with refulgent light, yet the windows
we're closely mufled iu order to give the
appearance that the inmates had retired
The young lady, to whom we alluded,
had sat in the same position for at least
two hours, during which time her eyes,
apparently, were fixed in steady gaze
on the open book, but she had not turned
over single leaf 1t was evident that
her mind wandered, and there were a
number of spots on the page, which ap-
peared to have been caused by tear
drops. Upon close examination, it
would have been discovered that her
eyelashes were mostened with tears,
while few had trickled down her cheeks,
and fallen upon the open page.
While she was thus occupied, the clock
struck Observation-Disclosures she
Started up, closed the book and laid it
upon the table. That moment a low rap
was heard on the outside of the door, and
the next instant, the muflled individual
whom we saw approaching the house,
entered the apartment.
rs he safe?' she exclaimed, advanc-
ing toward the man; her voice tremu-
lous, and an unutterable expression on
her features. lis Ellis safe? Has he
esca ped?'
edna, there is nothing to hope!' he
answered coolly. Il have made use Of
every means in my power to effect his
release, but have failed. He was taken
as spy. and has, probably, ere this, suf-
fered according to the common usages
of war
30 Ged!'' sobbed the young lady, fall
ing on the floor, and wringing her hands
in acute agony. "Must, 0, must he die?
Is there no possible escape?"
s'Not the least!" replied the man in
the same frigid tone. II do beg you to
be more calm, for you will injure your
own health, if you allow this matter to
trouble you SO severely and he at
tempted to assist her to rise.
Her grief was instantly checked, and
she sprang to her feet. Her color had
entirely forsaken her features, and she
stood as statue, with her large lustrous
eyes fixed in steady gaze upon the
face Of the man before her.
"Henry! What do you mean?" she
stammered the moment that she could
command her voice. "Have l been de-
ceived? Have you selfish motives in
this matter? Great God, Henryl this is
awful
These words caused a sudden tremor
to pass over the mans heart, and his
cheek to blanch, but the sensation was
Immediately subdued, and his counte-
nance wore its usual serenity.
( Let US pause here, and make the
reader better acquainted with the pecu-
liar position Of these two persons, ere
we proceed any farther.
Co.. Ransford, an enthusiast in the
cause of the Colonies, and a particular
friend of General Putnam, was the