The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-04-02

saloon, two hundred and ten feet long, forty
feet wide and twenty two feet high, with
three alcoves on each side. This was the
supper room. Upon the tables there were
twelve hundred dishes. All the guests en-
tered the room, great number of black
slaves in oriental costume, ranged in two
lines, bowed to the ground. This vast
apartment was one splendor of wax lights,
flowers, ribbons, flags, mirrors, and silver
plate. One of the regular toasts of the oc-
casion was Miss Shippen and her knight"
After supper, the company returned to the
ball room, and kept up the dance till four
in the morning, reaching their homes about
sunrise.
This festival as Maj. Arnold remarks,
was the most splendid ever given by an
army to its chief. And little indeed had
that chief done to deserve it. An old officer
of the British army, who perceived the fol-
ly of paying such extravagant honors to
general who had won no victories, said sad
ly, "What will Washington think of all
this?"
Exactly month from that day the Brit
ish army evacuated Philadelphia, and away
they sped across Jersey, with General
Washington at their heels. A day or two
afterwards a body of American Troops
marched in, commanded by General Bene-
dict Arnold. All was changed. The red
coats had disappeared-blue coats were in
the ascendant; and the new Yankee gener
al was the foremost man in the city. Arm
old, vain, weak man, ever fond of display
and luxury, appropriated to himself one of
the handsomest houses in the town, where
he set up costly establishment kept ~
great many servants, gave splendid dinners,
and maintained a handsome equipage
drawn by four horses-a scale of expense
utterly incompatible either with his fortune
or his pay No one however, knew at the
time that, to maintain his costly pomp, he
was concerned in speculations unworthy of
an officer and gentleman, and sometimes
used the public money that passed through
his hands.
In inviting his guests, as the patriotic
portion ofthe people remarked with surprise
he was as likely to select tories as wings.
He seemed to court the adherents of the
king, and he frequently had at his table the
wives and daughters of public enemies, who
had been publicly prescribed, and had found
refuge with the enemy in New York.
Among the families who attracted his re-
gard was that of Edward Shippen, and he
was soon observed to pay particular court
to his daughter, Margaret. Arnold was
then a widower, thirty-eight years of age,
just twenty years older than the young lady.
Ere long he formally asked her hand from
her father, and, her father consenting, he
addressed the daughter and they were en-
gagged.
In the meantime Arnold had become so
odious by his extravaganza, and his inso-
lent, overbearing conduct to the people,
that Congress was obliged to take cog
nizance of the fact On the very eve of his
marriage, he was ordered to be tried by
court martial. Miss Shippen, however,
was true to her engagement, and married
him five days after. The court martial as
every one knows, sentenced him to be rep
rimanded by General Washington, and he
was reprimanded accordingly.
"Our profession, said General Washing
ton to him, sis the chastest Of all; even the
shadow of, fault furnishes the lustre Of our
finest achievements. The least inadvert-
ence may rob US of the public favor, so hard
to be acquired.-I reprehend you Tor hav-
ing forgotten that, In proportion as you
had rendered yourself formidable to our en-
emies, you should have been guarded and
temperate in your department toward your
fellow w-citizens. Exhibit anew those noble
qualities which have placed you on the list
of our most valued commanders. will
myself, furnish you, as far as 1t may be in
my power, with opportunities Of regaining
the esteem Of your country"
This was more like an eulogium than
roprimand; bat it did not touch tho heart