The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1873-12-20

getting some food for the traveller, rush
wildly into the next room where his
brother tories are feasting.
7, me, why does that young girl
stand trembling before the tall stranger,
rolling her eyes from that calm face,
with its blue eyes ard kindly smile?
All, If we may belieye the legends
of that time, few men, few warriors,
who dared the terrors Of battle with a
smile, could stand unabashed before the
solemn, presence of Washington.
For it was Washington, exhausted
with long journey, his limbs stiffened
and his face numbed with cold it was
the great rebel of Valley Forge, who.
returning to camp sooner than his usual
hour, was forced By the storm 10 take
refuge iu the farmers house, and
claim little food and an hours repose
at his hands.
In few moments, behold the soldier
with his cloak thrown of sitting at the
oakcn table, palta.ing of the food
spread out there by the hands of the
girl who now stands trembling at his
shoulder. ...
And look ! Her hand Is extended as
II to grasp him by the arm her lips
move as ii to warn him of his danger,
but make no sound. Why all this ST.
lent agony for the man who sits SO
calmly thera?
One momeut ago, as the girl In pre-.
pairing the hasty supper, opened yon.
der closet adjoining the next room, she
beo ri fha Low ,yi,fcr.ars nf bnr. fatbar
and the tories (; she heard the dce.box
rattle as they were casting lots who
should stab George Washington in his
sleep.
And now the words, "Beware, ON
this night you die !" tremble, half form
ed upon her lips, when the father comes
hastily from the room and hushes her
with look:
"Show the gentleman to his cham
Der, Mary Chow calmly polite mur-
derer can be) THAT chamber at the
head of the stairs on the left. On the
left, you mind ?''
Mary takes the light, trembling and
pale. She leads the soldier up the Oakeu
stairs. They stand on the landing, in
this wing of the farm house, composed
of two rooms, divided by thick walls
from the main body Of the mansion.
On one side, the right, is the door of
Mary's chamber; on the other, the left,
the chamber of the soldier, chamber
of death to him.
For a moment Mary stands there
trembling and confused Washington
gazes upon that pale girl with look of
surprise. LnHk She IS about to warn
him of his danger, when, see there !
her fathers rough face appears above
the head Of the stairs.
MARY, show the gentleman into the
chamber on the lett. And look ye,
girl, it's late; you'd better go into your
own room aud 90 tU sleep" l
While the tory watches them from
the head OF the stairs, Washington ell
ters the chamber on the left, Mary the
chamber ON the right. . GgTIr GH
An honr passes. Still the storm beats
on the roof; stllt the snow drifts on
the hills. Before the fire in the dim
old hall of that farm house are seven
half-drunken men, with that tall tory,
Jacob Hanheim, sitting In their midst,
the mirdereI's knife In his hands. For
the lot had fallen on him. He is to 90
up stairs and stab the sleeping man.
Even this half.druiiken murderer Is
ptle at the thought. How the, knife
trembles in his -trembles against
the pistol-barrei Tie ieers OF his
comrades rouse him to the work; the
light in one hand, the knife in the other,
he goes up stairs; he listens, first at the
door of the soldiers chamber on the
left. All is still; then he places the
light on the floor; he enters the cham
Der on the left: he is gone moment:
silence there is a faint groan. He
comes forth again, Iushes down the
stairs, and stands there before the fire,
with the bloody knife in his hands. =
"Lo,k 70 he shrieks. AS he scatt.rs
the red drops over his comrades faces.
over the hearth. into the fire. "Look:
It is his bl,,ol. the traitor Washington. "
His comrades gather around him with
ye,Is of ioy. Already. in fancy. thev
conut the cold which viii be theirs for
this deed when lol that stair door
opens, and there. without A wound,
stands George Washington. asking for
his horse
=, az, a., ~, 4, 10.