The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1868-12-31
4 LEGEND Of 1716.
How Continental Prisoner Disap-
peared i'm a Cloud CT Fire and Smoke,

Night had set IN deep, and IN a small
log hut, situated afew miles from Trenton,
\. j., sat five men. four of whom were
seated at an old oaken table in the centre
of the room engaged in PLAYING cards,
while they frequently moistened their
| threats. with large draughts from an earth
| en- Jug that stood on the table.
They were heavily bearded, coarse look
| ing men, and from their dress, which
somewhat resembled the British unfit rm,
they were evidently Tories. The other
was stout built young man, clad in the
! Continental uniform He sat in one
corner OF the room with his face buried
/ in his hands. "
Tom" said one of the Tories, rising
| from the table and seating himself near
/ the young prisoner for such he evidently
was, Tom, you and [ were school boys
together, and love you yet. Now, why
cant you give up your wild notions and
join us? You are our prisoner, and II
you do not we shall hand you over to
headquarters to- morrow, while if you join
us your fortune is made, for with your
bravery and talents you viii soon distin-
guish yourself in the royal army, and az
ter the rebellion is crushed out. your
cause shall be rewarded by Knighthood
and promotion in the army. Now there
are two alternatives, which do you
choo e p F.T
" Neither" said the young man, rails
ing his head and looking the tory steadi-
iy in the eye. a.E hsnEss
] am now, as you say, your prisoner,
bat when the clock strikes twelve shall
disappear III a cloud of fire and smoke,
and neither you nor your comrades, not
even myself, can prevent it, You may
watch me as close as you please, tie me
hand and footif you viii, but higher
power than yours or mine has ordained
that | shall leave you at that time"
Poor fellow his mind wanders, said
the Tory He II talk differently In the
morning And he returned to his seat
at the table, leaving the youth with his
head again resting in his hands.
When the clock struck eleven the
Young prisoner drew pipe and some to-
bacco from his pocket, and asked the
Tory leader if he had any objections to
his smoking. None in the least" he
said. adding with laugh-'that is, if
you II promise not to disappear in cloud
| of tobacco smoke. y
The young man made no reply, but
Immediately filed his pipe, having done
which he arose and commenced pacing
the floor.
| He took half dozen turns up and
down each side of the room, approach
ing nearer the table each time, when hay
ing exhausted his pipe, he returned to
his seat and rcflled it.
He continued 10 smoke until the clock
struck twelve, when he arose from his
seat and slowly knocking the ashes out of
his pipe, said:
There. boys. it's twelve o'clock, and
[ must leave you. G Cd bye!''
Immediately all around the room were
seen streaks OF FIRE Kissing and squirm-
ing; the cabin was filed with dense sui
phurous smoke, amidst which was a
clap OF thunder. The Tories sat ia their
chairs paralyzed with fright.
The SMOKE cleared away. but the pris-
Oner was nowhere TO be seen. The table
wa overturned; the window was smash
ed to pieces, and chain vas lying on the
ground outside the building
The Tory leader, after recovering from
hls stupor, gave one glance around the
room and Sprang out the window follow
ed BY his comrades. They ran through
the forest at the top of their speed, in the
direction Of the British encampment,
leaving their muskets and other arms to
the mercy Of the flames, which had now
beg n to devour the cabin. q
The next day two young men, dressed
in the Continental uniform, were seen
standing near the ruins of the old cabin.
Que was our prisoner Of the night pre-
yiouS, Let Us hear all about it, Tom, =
said she other
We'll" said he, s'last evening, as
was passing this place, two Tories ran out
Of the cabin aud took possession of me-
Before | could make any resistance they
took me in, and who do you suppose
saw as leader of their party but John
Barton our old schoolmate. He talked
with me, and tried to induce me to Join
them but told them I couldn't doit
that at twelve 0 clock / was going TO
escape, disappear in cloud of fire and
smoke: bat he laughed 1T me. and said
o clock | asked him II | might smoke
He said he had no objections; SO / filed
my pipe and lighted it and Commenced
walking the floor,
| had about pond of gunpowder in
my pocket. and as !. walked strewed it
over the floor. When the clock struck
twelve [ bid them good bye, and told
them | had to go and then Knocked the
ashes ont OF my pipe, tho powder isnited.
and a dazzling fame of fire shot across,
| and al! ovor the room, filing it with suf-
locating smoke. Before it had cleared
away, had hurled chair through the
windoy, sprang out and departed. Leav-
ing tiem to their own reflections. You
know the rest.