The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-03-09

fast, Lieut.. Watts rose from the table to
get his bandana, THAT being before the
days of napkins,) which he had left in
his cap on side table by the window,
glancing through which he saw Indians
approaching the house OH one side, and
red-coats approaching it ON the other,
with an evident purpose of surrounding
it and us, and instantly exclaimed,
" General, we are betrayed !" Springing
from the table and clearing the house. I
saw our danger, and remembering Lord
Chesterfield had said, Whatever it is
proper to do, it is proper to do WELL and
as we had to run, and my legs were
longer than those of my companions,
soon outstripped them. AS we made
our escape we were fred at, but got
across the bridge in safety.
felt so much shame and modification
at having so nearly fallen into trap,
that could scarcely fix my mind upon
the duties which now demanded my un-
divided attention. / knew that 1 had
committed great indiscretion in accept
ing that singular invitation, and that if
any disaster resulted from it richly de-
served to lose both my commission and
my character. 1 constantly found my
self wondering whether the lady really
intended to betray us, or whether we
had been accidentally observed. The
question would recur even amid the ex-
citement of battle. Fortunately my
presence and services in the field were
not required until Gems. Porter and Rip
ley had been engaged at intervals for
several hours so that when my brigade,
with Towson's artillery, were ordered to
cross Streets Creek, my nerves and con-
fidence had become measurably quoted
and restored. / need not describe the
battle of Chippewa. That belongs to
and is part of the history of our country.
1t is sufficient to say that at the close OF
the day we were masters of the position,
and that our arms were in no way dis
credited. The British Army had fallen
back, leaving their wounded in our pos
session. The mansion which 1 had
visited in the morning was the largest
house near, and to that the wounded
officers in both armies were carried for
surgical treatment. AS soon as l could
leave the field went over to look after
my wounded. 1 found the English Off
GERS lying on the first floor, and our own
on the floor above. I saw in the lower
room the young lady whom / had met
in the morning at the breakfast-tab
her white dress all sprinkled with blood
She had been attending to the British
wounded. On the second floor, just as
was turning into the room whsre our
officers were, I met my hostess.
One glance at her was quite sufficient
to answer the question which had beer
asking myself all day. She had intend.
ed to betray me, and nothing but the
accident of my Aid rising for his hand.
kerchief saved us from capture.
T. Years afterwards, in rejecting upon
this incident, was led to doubt whether
l had not misconstrued her startled
manner as l suddenly encountered her
That unexpected meeting would have
occasioned embarrassment in either con
tingency and it is so difficult to believe
lady of cultivation and refinement ca
pable of such an act, that AN now
half century after the event, disposed
to give my hostess the benefit of tha
doubt" ..... .....
"And now, Sir" added the General
this is the third time in my life l have
told this story / do not remember t.
have been spoken to before on the sub
ject for many years." He looked at me
and seemed to be considering with him
self a few moments, and then said
d" Remembering your intimacy with Gen
Worth, / need not inquire how you cam'
to a knowledge of our secret"
"Well, General" replied, "I hav'
kept the secret faithfully for more thar
forty years, always hoping to Obtain
your own version of what struck me as
most remarkable incident in your mill
tary life. Thurloao Weed, in Harper
Magazine for March.