Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1874-11-10
MIsCELLAME0 GUS.
LEGEND OF THE REVOLUTION.
HY ARTHUR ST CLAIR.

q, II f hour hand the great Dial of the
= University is swiftly approaching the close
OF the hrs' century of our national existence.
Soon W" shall hear the heavy peal of the
clock oF Destiny announcing that the Day
aud the Hour have come And then, shall
we not also hear response from a thousand
truEUrt> and from ter thousands of cannon
For 1t Will he the hundredth Birthday of
nation Of Freemen
Sound then, ye Trumpets Peal out. oh We
Cannon! And let the voice of Thanksgiving
and praise, and the silver tones of the church
bells, and the solemn ocean music of the organ
also ascend to God on high
And in these few Intervening hours of
waiting, what can be more fitting for us than
to recall some of the stirring and pathetic
memories of that great Revolutionary struggle.
which gave our Nation a right to be-which
planted it as mighty tree of freedom among
the ancient forests of superstition and tyranny,
tree which finally shall overshadow the
whole earth
Such incidents aud legends will enable us
better to realize the severity of the seven
years struggle through which our Fathers
toi'cd and suffered and conquered And, in
recalling these scenes, where could we begin
with "rentor propriety than with the following
well authenticated legend of the escape of
Washington.
1t was during that gloomy period of the
war when the American army held West
Point as the palladium of its hope that
gentleman mounted on a large aud powerful
horse might have been seen travcrsiug one of
the winding roads in the vicinity of the
fortress.
1t was past the hour of noon when he en-
tered the yard in front of handsome stone
mansion, and cantering up to the porch pre-
pared to dismount
he had scarcely reached the ground. when.
the owner rushed from 'ha 10or aud fecsTS IS.
him with the warmest demonstra:ienssofss sdl=
miration and respect
"You are early, my dear General saitl
he, ''but I am thankful for it, for shall
have the more of your instructive and
society" -. 80 3
eyes," replied his visitor, who. had the,
courtly manners of gentleman of the old
school, 81 found that could as easily reach
here by one as by three o'clock, and SO if you
will simply give me to-day a soldiers dinner,
which your skilful Minerva can dish up in an
hour, [ will excuse the more elaborate enter
tainment which you promised me-"
shade of disappointment passed over his
hosts features 81 am very sorry, indeed,
tor | told Merry to do her best and pTettlest
But she will not be able to give us much of a
feast at so short a notice"
''It cannot be helped, for must be back
to West Point by three O'Clock and you must
remember, moreover Mr. Bullion that am
soldier. and used to soldiers fare. Besides.
It hardly becomes me to be feasting when so
many of our poor veterans are almost starving
''No, of course not. And yet nothing. in
my opinion. could be too good for you, Cen
cral Without you, We should all go at once
to ruin"
''Thsnk you for your good opinion" re-
piled his visitor; ''but have been brought
up in too religious school, to believe that a
good cause depends upon the life of any man.
What the Eternal Father wills to triumph,
will triumph-in spite of men or devils-if
we all do our duty
While this conversation was in progress,
the horse had been hitched to post and the
two gentlemen had entered the parlor of the
mansion The host then left the room to
order dinner
After his return the two sat conversiDg
upon various matters until word came that
dinner was ready. The visitor whom doubt
less our readers have already surmised to be
Washington, appeared to be in a very COM