The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-05-04
then reveal the secret she had so long
On ora1Iv uardaI

tnen reveal the secret she had so long
sacredly guarded.
She was carried to the hospital, and
could only ascribe her escape from detec-
tion to the number of patients and the
negligent manner in which they were
attended. Her case was considered
hopeless, and so low was she that one
day the physician in attendance asked
"How is Robert?" The nurse replied,
"Poor Bob is gone" The doctor went
to the bed, felt her pulse, and attempt
ing to place his hand on the heart, he
noticed that a bandage was fastened
tightly about the bosom. This was re-
moved, and to his utter astonishment
he then knew his patient was woman.
The gentleman was DR.. Binney, of
Philadelphia, and with prudence, deli
cacy and generosity ever afterwards
most warmly appreciated by the unfor-
tunate sufferer, he disclosed to none his
discovery, but paid her every attention,
provided every comfort, and when con-
valescent had her conveyed to his own
home.
And now occurred another of those
romances in real life which in strange.
ness strpass fiction. The doctor had a
young and lovely niece, an heiress,
whose compassionate feelings led her to
join her uncle in attention to the friend
less youth. Many censured the doctor
for his imprudence in allowing them to
be 80 much together, but he only laughed
quietly to himself and allowed the in
timacy free scope. The gentle heart was
touched by the pale and delicate SOL
der, for whose fate none seemed to care
who had no possession save his musket,
and who had suffered SO much in the
cause of liberty. She saw his graft
tude for the attentions bestowed, yet
knew that he would never dare aspire
to the hand of one so gifted by for
tune and so much above him in social
rank.
In the confiding abandonment, there.
fore, of woman's love, the fair girl blush
ingly made known her secret attach.
ment and offered to provide for the edu-
cation of its object. Robert was thunder.
struck He had never even dreamed oil
such denouement of their mutual re-
gard. She often afterwards declared
that the moment in which she learned
that she had unwittipgly gained the
love of a being so guileless, was fraught
with the keenest anguish she had ever
experienced. In return for the tender
cares which had been so freely lavished
upon her, she would have to infict pain
upon one she would have died to shield.
Her former ENHANCEMENT was simple
matter, but here was heart of diff
ferent mold, and to confess her real
character was impossible. She, therefore,
had to temporize and gratefully decline
the offer OF an education. Before her de-
which she determined now to
make as speedily as possible-the young
lady loaded her with gifts, some OF
which are still preserved as relics in the
family.
Her health being now restored, her
benefactors had conference with her
commanding officer, and this was fol-
lowed by an order for her to carry letter
to General Washington. All was now
over she knew it (! she felt it | yet dared
not disobey. She had all along suspected
DIR. Binney had found out her sercet,
and now she was sure of it. When
she presented herself at Washing
toms headquarters, she trembled as
she had never yet done before the
enemy's fire.
Almost sinking with despair and over
whelmed with confusion, che was ushered
into the presence of the majestic COM
mander-in.chief. He noticed her agita.
tion, and endeavored with kind words to
reassure her. He bade her retire and take
some refreshments while he read the let
ter she bore. On again being summoned
into that august presence, he said not a
word but handed her discharge from
the service, note containing some words
of advice, and sum of money to pay
her way to her home. How thankful" !"
she has often said, "was ! to that great
and good man, who so kindly spared my
feelings. He saw me ready to sink with
shame; one word from him at that mo-
ment would have crushed me to the
earth. 1t was not spoken, and blessed
him for it."
After the war, Robert Shirtlifie mar
ried Benjamin Gannett, of Sharon, re-
spectacle farmer, and when Washington
was made president, received from him
an invitation to visit the seat of govern
ment. She accepted, and was the re-
cipient of great attentions, being invited
to officers houses and to many parties.
Congress passed bill granting her a
pension as an acknowledgment of her
military services.
In 1905 she was living in respectable
circumstances and waa the mother oi
three fine children. In 1920 Mrs. Gan
net presented her claims for renewal as
Revolutionary Soldier. She was then
sixty-two, and is described as bright, in
telligent and fluent, using purest Ian.
guage with a good accent; easy in her
department, afiable in her manners, and
robust and masculine in her appearance.
She died not many years after.