Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-03-22

something did happen to me-somethlne
very remark able. 1 will now, for the third
time in my life, relate the story:
The 4th of July, 1914 was one of ex.
treme heat, On that day my brigade
skirmished with British force commanded
/ by General Rail from an early hour in
the morning till late in the afternoon. We
had driven the enemy down the river some
twelve miles to Street Greek, near chippe-
wa, where we encamped for the night, our
army occupying the west, while that OF the
enemy was encamped on the east side OF
the creek After our tents had been
pitched l observed flag, borne by man
in peasants dress, approaching my marquee
He brought letter from u lady, who oc-
cupied large mansion on the opposite
side of the creek, informing me that she
was the wife Of member Of Parliament
who was then at Quebec that her chill
dren, servants, and a young lady friend
were alone with her in the house that
General Rail had placed a sentinel before
her door and that she ventured, with
great doubt OF the propriety of the request,
that L would place a sentinel upon the
bridge 10 protect her against stTagglers
from our camp. l assured the messenger
that the lady's request should be complied
with. Early the next morning the same
messenger, bearing white flag, reappeared
with a note from the same lady, thanking
me for the protection she enjoyed, adding
that. in acknowledgment Of my civllities,
she begged that would, with such men,
bers of my staff as | chose to bring with
IL I.,-v-,4,I,+5a. Of hon, house
at breakfast, which had been prepared with
considerable attention and was quite ready
Acting upon an impulse which l have new
er been able to analyze or comprehend, l
called two of my aids-Lieutenant Worth
and Watts, and returned with the messen-
ger to the mansion already indicated, We
met our hostess at the door, who ushered
US into the dining room, where breakfast
awaited US, and where the young lady pre-
viously alluded 10, was already seated by
the coffee urn. Our hostess, asking to be
excused for few moments retired, and the
young lady immediately served our coffee.
Before we had broken our fast, Lieut.
Watts rose from the table 10 get his banda
ma that being before the days Of napkins
which he had left in his cap on the table
by the window, glancing through which he
saw Indians approaching the house on one
side, and rodcoats approaching 1t on the
other with an evident purpose Of surround
ing it and Us, and instantly exclaimed,
4 General, we are betrayed , Springing
from the table and clearing the house, l
saw our danger, and remembering Lord
Chesterfield had said, Whatever it Is
proper to DO, it Is proper to DO WELL and
az we had to run and my legs were longer
than my companions, | soon outstripped
them As we made our escape We were
fired at, but we got across the bridge in
safety
/ felt so much shame and modification
ut having so nearly fallen into a trap that
| could scarcely fix my mind upon the
duties which now demanded my undivided
attention. | knew that | had committed
a great indiscretion in accepting that sin
ruiar invitation, and that if any disaster
resulted from 1t | richly deserved to lose
both my commission and my character.
constantly found myself wondering wheth-
er the lady really intended to betray US,
or whether we had accidentally been OBJ
served. The question would recur even
amid the excitement Of battle. Fortunate
" my presence and services in the field
were not required until General Porter and
Ripley had been engaged at intervals for
several hours 20 that when my brigade,
with Townson 5 artillery, were ordered to
cross Streets Creeks, my nerves and conf
dence had become measurably quoted and
restored | need not describe the battle
of Chippewa That belongs to and Is a
part OF the history Of our country. 1t Is
to say that at the close Of the
day we were masters OF the position, and
that our arms were in no way discredited
The British army had fallen back, leaving
their wounded in our posse ssion. The
mansion which had visited IN the morn
ing 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 l went TO look
after my own wounded | found the En-
glish officers lying on the first floor, and
our own on the floor above. | saw in the
lower room the lady whom [ had met in the
morning at the table, 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 where our officers were, l met my
hostess.
One glance at her was sufficient to an
;wer the question which l had been asking
myself all day. She had intended to be-
ray me, and nothing but the accident Of
my aid rising for his handkerchief saved
Is from capture
Years afterwards, in rejecting upon this
Incident, | was led to doubt whether L had |
lot misconstrued her startled manner as | 4
lad suddenly encountered her. That un- I
expected meeting would have occasloned I.
in either contingency and .
t Is so difficult to believe lady of culture
md refinement capable of such an act, that I
am now, nearly half a century after the .
went, disposed to give my hostess the ben
fit of that doubt
And now, Sir added the General I
this is the third time in my life l have
old this story. | do not remember TO /
nave been spoken to before on the subject
or many years He looked at me, and
seemed to be considering with himself
ew moments, and then said Remember
ng your intimacy with General Worth,
need not inquire how you came to knowl-
,dge of our secret.
Well, General l replied l have kept
he secret faithfully for more than forty
years, always hoping to obtain your YER
,ion Of what struck me as most remarka-
Die incident in your mi military life.'-Thur-
or Weed, ia Harper's Magazine.
How TO BE NoBoDY.-It is easy to be
nobody, and we will tell you how to do it.
Go to the drinking saloon to spend yonr
leisure time. You need not drink much
now Just a little beer or some other drink.