Litchfield enquirer., 1863-01-22
its best and holiest occupant is my mother

For second even the stern brutality of the intruder was awed as he looked upon the was ted lineaments of death, but quickly recover ing himself he continued" Here is death, ii is true, Annie but is there not life here, too and active, warlike life? This man, by his cloth, know is not man of war-not at all dominic, are you? but this young cockeral I'm not so sure of him. As you say Annie, your chamber is dim but not enough so to pre- vent my detecting what came after. This is Aren't Vanderbeck.''
 '' And you sir Who are you?" demanded Aren't stepping boldly forward, despite the ef forts of Annie.
 Il, sir! I! Ha P laughed the intruder ''Why am William Cunningham his Ill j.sty s provost marshal of the city of New York and you sir, you are my plisoner And please you' Mr., or as you may call yourself Captain Aren't Vanderbeck, of the Continental Army, you will please accompany me to the provos prison.''
 "Oh, God Mr. Cunningham" cried Annie spare him spare him he is my husband And there lies my dead mother!'
 Your husband, Mistress Annie, your hus- band, indeed And since when?'
 "Since the last five minutes. It was the last fond wish of my mother.'
 And of your own ?" asked Cunningham.
 Yes sir, and am proud to say it, and of my own ; replied Annie, drawing herself up with the true pride of a devoted woman.
 Well be it so But that does not alter the case. Come my newly married benedict come I'll introduce you to your bridal chamber"
 Oh, not now-not now r interposcd the stricken bride.
 "Yes madame, now. now; and let me say, too, that the bridal chamber must be without the bride!' And then turning to the aoor, Cunningham roughly shouted down the stairs Corporal of the guard. come up and receive your prisoner!"
 Within an hour afterwards, Aren't Wander heck became an inmate of that prison of in : famous renown the old Provost of '76 now the Hall of Records of our day, in the City Hall Park.
 At this time the city of New York was in possession of the forces of the crown, and so continued until the day of fnal evacuation, on the 25th of November, l7e3. During al that tine the Provost Prison and its Satanic keep CT, William Cunning ham, were the coriouel hell and devil of the times As such they have come down to oar days, and as such they will descend to all future time.
 Within the gloomy dungeons which lay be- noath the prison walls, Cunningham was wont to immure those against whom his most bitter hate was aroused and within these dark and Aren't Vanderbeck.
 'This is the house of mourning. ani-~e'S'r's shield is around it -''~--'o-nad Anhie sald, when -.aconsciously drew Aren't into the snare. And she had also said, ''irust to me; d wo- mans head is as good as her heart"
 Now, A hnie, in this her soie trouble, first had faith in God, and therefore Gods shield was indeed around her aud her husband And next she had faith ;n herself and remembered her promise. And so. heart and head being both right and fully alive to her responsibiii- ties they were finally more than match for Satan, who had but a heart full of evil imag- nings. even if his head might have been able to circumyent an angel.
 It was the practice of His Majesty Pro vost Marshal" to ''starve the living and to feed the dsad"-or, in other words to starve the prisoners of his utmost hate to dea h /; and when the lifeless corpses of his dungeons were thrown cut, to be hidden in the forsetfu,nass of the |" Potters Field," why, then he-his Majestys Provost Marshal-would still draw the ratioDs of the dead, and who would know it?
 Thus it happened that. on a certain freezing day in January of the following year, ever true, Annie had hastened, with her basket and her cup. as she had long done. to bring such cheer to her own Aren't as the whia of the devils there, might allow her to minister.
 'Turn out your dead" was the order of the morning and, among those dead, dear, gentle Annie, long watching, long waiting, at last beheld the form of him upon whom she had not looked since that luckless bridal night
 Twas poor, wasted lifeless body. after all :. but 1t was dear, it was all 60 her. With a wo mans earnestness, with a-~wife's unfai,ing truth Annie claimed the boiy of her husba nd A kind officer pass by and seeing her yearning al her tears, ordered the rude hearse man of the dead cart to deliver it to her. To her sol i arv home she took 1t. Did she weep over It? Yes-and yet, ,lo for there was sti l life ae! I,,.r-the ttnlss. was faint. bul sAere /! thr hrsg siil; he.tl! inl il s;.,ft w.i,In Il meh sTens sse4iat Mas alsv., well an so"n on his way .ales y the awakened in telleet ai hs wife to rrjoii, the continental ar my. And saianic Cunningham even it he had known it. could not gay nay; for did he not then and did he not for seven long years after- wards, draw rations for his prisoner, Aren't