Connecticut western news., 1877-03-02
The Artnst.SOIufer

The AFG1SGsSOAU1er
 The story of Andre, as we commonly read it, tells little of Andre himself. It tells nothing of the manner of man he was, how he looked, how he dressed and what he said and did.
 We read of him as the spy. He was one at the time of his death, but that he believed his military duty he tried to serve his king as well as he could, and perhaps we cannot blame him so very much, even if we did punish him so sadly. He was something else than a mere spy, and it is more agreeable to think of him as an artist than soldier. He did not love war as some soldiers do, and while in this country he many times tried to soften the hardships and troubles of the times. Once he found a poor little boy who had been cap tured by the British soldiers in Vest chester County, and brought to New York to be put into the dreadful pris- ons the British then kept in our city. Such a little fellow could do no harm, and Andre took him away from the soldiers and sent him back to his mo- ther in safety.
 Besides painting and drawing, Andre could sing, and make charming verses, and cut out portraits in silhouette. Many of his letters and pictures are we'll preserved, and could you read the letters, you would see that he was a genial, lively and entertaining man. Wbilo bo 1ros in +bic oOuptrv ha lynnt a journal, and it is said, it was full of pictures of plants and insects and ami mals, people and places, bits of scenery and plans of cities and towns. He used often to give his pictures away as presents to his friends; and once, when he was 8 prisoner in our hands, and was sent to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, for safety, he taught the children of the village to draw. One of the Lan- caster boys pleased him so much, and displayed so much talent, that Andre offered to make an artist of him, and to take him to England when the war was at an end. The boys father would not consent to this, though he was pleased to think the English officer should take so much interest in his son. The pris- oners were afterward removed to Car lisle, and Andre had to leave his pupil. He did not forget him, for he after ward wrote a letter to the boys father. in which he said that the boy must take particular care in forming tine features in faces, and in copying the hands exactly. He should now and then copy things from life, and then compare their proportions with what prints he may have, or what rules he may remem bcr."
 All this was during the war, and An dre himself was an enemy; but we can hardly think of him in that way. He regretted all the troubles of the times, and, unlike his brother officers, he ne- yer called us "the rebels," but the col onists. Even to thls day, his letters and little pictures, his silhouette DOT traits, and sketches and verses are preserved in some families in remem- of the kind, merry, and cultivated English gentleman whom we now call Majo Andre, the spy.
 When he was exchanged, he went back to the British army stationed at Philadelphia, and there again he dis played his many talents, He painted drop-scene for the theatre which was thought to be very fine, and they said of it that "the foliage was uncom- monly spirited and graceful" He also wrote verses to be recited in the thea tre, and even took part in the plays. Once there was a grand pageant in Philadelphia-a water processson on the --Deleware, with gayly trimmed boats, and bands of music, and ladies in fancy cOstumes-all ending in a grand ball. Andre took an active part in all these Aeasurings, designed the costumes for the ladies, wrote verses and helped to put up the decorations.
 All this happened when our poor and discouraged troops were having sad time of it, waiting and watching for a chance to strike blow for the country At last the British. were obliged to leave Philadelphia. Andre went away with them to New York, and it was there that he received the commission to treat with Arnold for the capture o1 West Point, and that only ended il his capture and sad death.
 On the last day of his life he drew his own portrait from memory with 8 pen,-that is without the aid of mir ror, and the picture is still in exist. ance. While in New York, just before he went up to see General Arnold, he made several silhouette portraits of la dies who then lived there, and all were said to be remarkably correct likeness es, and were, of course, greatly prize C afterward as the work of the young genial and lighthearted British officer : Those Revolutionary days are nov
 very old, and the handsome Englisl gentleman has been dead long, long years. We can forgive his efforts az. ainst us now, and perhaps it will b' , more agreeable to think of him as tn,
 artist-soldier rather than the spy a 5 West Point.-St. NichOlas.
 . The German View O1 Beer.
 Even in Beerland there are differen
 kinds of beer, like the federal union