Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1864-02-11
nQbe 5torl1 GeIIer.
An Unpublished Incident In the Life
Of Gen. Israel Putnam.

| Of Gen. Israel Putnam.
! Princeton. New Jersey. during the win
ter Of III was the headquarters of Gen
! Israel Putmsn. who. with small fore
of militia held possession of the tow
while the British was garrisoned at Bruins
fwick-distant fifteen or twenty miles east
Iward. ss K
The relative position of the Colonie
and England at that period is well known
get there are many little incidents Of an in
tercsting nature connected with those times
in which. not unfrequently the brave Amer
can Generals took an active part. w,
have something of this kind in view, which
we will relate: efx17 1ssfz
One dark, clustering night near TIT
close Of January. of the year above men
toned, man. wrapped in long sable
cloak. closely mufflei about the face. came
1 forth from stately mansion on one Of the
principal streets of Princeton. and passed
| off in an easterly direction. towards Bruins
wick. 49,. $3.50, -.
| As he hurried forward huncabacked
individual crept away from dark nook
under the wall OF an adjacent building
and followed stealthily after him.
On went the pursued and pursuer. tread
ing the most secluded portions Of the
town, until the former reached the trent
Of small white cottage, situated a few
rods from the road; and was almost en-
tirely enshrouded with the foliage Of state
lly trees, the branches of which intermin.
gIed aoove the roof. 1t was very dark
and the AIR was filled with sleet. yet o
lamp burning in front Of the residence. re
vealed the outline of the building and
trees.
The cloaked man paused a moment
and looked suspiciously around him, wher
he discovered carriage with horses at
tached. standing not far away. He then
opened the gate, entered the lawn, and
moved on toward the house with tie evi
fient intention of calling. Let us precedt
him a few moments
In a small nicely furnished apartment
a wing room Of the cottage. sat . young
woman some twenty years of age. She
was reading from large volume. aided
by the light of large globe lamp thai
4
she was seated. The apartment was filled
with refulgent light. yet the windows
were closely unified in order to give the
appearance that the inmates had retired.
The young lady to whom we allude had
sat in the same position for at least two
hours, during which time her eyes, appar-
emily. were fixed in steady gaze on the
open book, but she had not turned over q
single leaf. 1t was evident that her mind
wandered, and there were several spots on
the page, which appeared to have been
caused by tear drops. Upon . close ex-
animation it would have been discovered
that her eye-lashes were moistened with
tears, while few had trickled down hel
cheeks and fallen upon the open page.
While she was thus occupied the clock
struck the hour of twelve-midnight-
when she started up, closed the book and
laid it on the table. That moment low
rap was heard upon the outside of the
door, and the next instant the unified in
dividual, whom we saw approaching the
house. entered the apartment.
"Is he safe?" she exclaimed, advancing
toward the man, her voice tremulous, and
an unutterable expression upon her fea-
lures. as Ellis safe? Has be escaped?
Edna. there is nothing to hope he an
swered coolly. Il have male use of ev-
ery means in my power to effect his release
but have failed. He was taken as spy
and has ere this, suffered according to the
common usages Of wsr"
"Oh, God!" sobbed the young lady,
falling on the floor and wringing her
hands in most acute agony. "Mnst. oh,
must he die? Is there 40 possible es-
cape?"
mot the least" replied the man in ;he
same frigid tone. II DO beg Of You to be
health, if you allow this matter to trouble
you so severely" and be attempted to as
sist her to rise.
Her grief was instantly checked. and she
sp.sng to her feet. The color had entirely
forssken her features and she stood as a
statue, with her large lustrous eyes fixed
in steady gaze upon the man before her.
Henry, what do you meant" she
stammered, the moment she could COM
mand her voice "Have / been deceived?
Have you selfish motives in this matter?
Great God, this is awfulp
These words caused studded tremor to
pass ever the mans heart. and his cheek
to blanch, but the sensation was immedi-
ately subdued. and his countenancs wore
its usual serenity.
Let US stop here and make the reader
better acquainted with the peculiar posi-
ton of these two persons ere we proceed
any further. w * = |
Col. Raynsford an enthusiast in the
canse of the colonies. and particular
friend OF Gen. Putnam. was the owner OF
the cottage to which we have alluded
His wife had been dead two years. during
which time Edna. their only child. had
superintendent her fathers domestic affairs
at the "Willow Cottage" as the place was
familiarly called.
Edna was rich in knowledge and good
ness of heart, and her worldly prospects
were such as to attract the attention OF
many suffers; yet, entertaining no partiali-
ty for the arts Of coquette, she had stu
diously avoided giving encouragement
where her heart could not sympathize with
the object.
There was one however IS might have
been expected, in whom the heart of the