The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1879-11-14
THE SECRET OF PRUDENCE STRONG.
A Tradition Of the Colonial War.

The old war office in Lebanon, Conn.
of Governor Trumbull-Washington'
brother Jonsthan-has lately received
= new roof. This means that the little
building which sheltered Washington,
Rochambeau and Lafayette, which was
the meeting place of the Council OF
Safety" and the hating place OF the
messengers who bore important dis
patches between Philadelphia snd Bos-
ton, Is not yet TO be torn down. 1t also
mrAns that the mysterious document
which Mistress Prudence Strong once
hid there, in defiance of Governor Trum.
bull and the Count de Rochambeau, will
still longer remain in its hiding place
Tor years ago, even before Governor
Irumoull was gathered to his fathers,
tse villagers said that the papers would
never be be found until the building
was taken down and every rafter and
every crevice between the stones of the
large chimneys was examined. From
the papers aud letters that Judge Hebard
collected, many of them coming into his
hsnds when settling an estate of the
husband of one of Governor Trumbulps
daughters, from the Information that
Judge Hebard gained from members of
the Trumbull family whom he knew,
and from various other sources, the story
OF the secret of Prudence Strong-a Sc.
cret which it is firmly believed would
have been exposed had the office been
torn Cown-is gathered.
The lOunt dc ROoha ~, haau ,v;th I; 4.
battalion of allies, in the winter Of 1880
rested in Lebanon. The soldiers pitched
their tents and built their huts on the
slope OF hill, AZ the bottom of which
ran stream of water TO the mili-pond.
STREAM and pond and sloping hillside
have not been changed since then by
either nature or art.
The Count de Rochambeau sat eating
his dinner of succotash and a Juicy
piece of beef one stormy afternoon. He
had just received a dispatch from Wash
ington which pleased him greatly, and
had sent messenger TO notify Governor
Trumbull that the Count de Rocham-
beau would do himself the honor of
passing an hour or 80 of the evening
with the governor at the war Office.
An unusual hustle in the camp at.
tracted ROchambeau's attention. "What
does this mean? These fellows are I'M.
usually noisy tonight" he said to an
aide.de-camp who dined with him.
If | mistake not, the sentry has
captured descrter," said the aid, rising
and going 10 the window. He stood
there peering through the glass, which
was 20 imperfect rs to make big men
look very little and small men seem very
large, besides frequently grazing one
body with four or even six pairs of legs.
1t is az mistrusted, sire. They have
caught deserter, and, if my eyes do not
deceive me, il is Francois Duplan."
No, not he" the count said, rising,
" Why, he il gentleman. He can not
conceal that even from you, if he is q
common soldier. He has the air of a
grand mystery, and he is withaI exceed.
ingly seryiceable at the oven"
1T il he, nevertheless, sire, and you
will pardon me if recall to your mem.
DRY the order that was issued by the
Coung de ROchambeau when the desert.
er wa captured the other day and for.
given"
Death at the next SUNRISE" said the
count, sinking into his chair.
Death al the next SUNRISE" said the
aid, quietly,
Methinks, had ] known that this
fellow would be the next, | would have
waited until the next after he, for there
is something about him that passes my
comprehension greatly"
"No, / will not. The order was given,
it must be followed. See that | am not
awakened until after the sentence ID
executed"
Acourt martial was speedily convened,
and Francois Duplan stood before il
charged with having been captured by
the pickets far beyond bounds, and max.
ing as II were his intention TO pass
through the north woods, out upon the
Hartford turnpike.
al cannot deny this" he said" but
affirm that it was my intention TO get
back before roll.call and at once admit
that:I had disobeyed the rules"
"Th&t is an apology easily framed
after capture" suggested the Judge
advocate; "but if you can say VIVA,
your purpose was in thus going beyond
the lines, il it seems to US good and con.
sistent with your return, IL may make
the difference between life and death
with you, Francois Duplan."
"Alas! ] can not tell my purpose:
can say that il was good one; that had
it been accomplished results of much
concern to me and to another-yes
many tothers-might have come of it.
As it is unaccomplished, my purpose
would be laughed at and another made
an object Of ridicule."
That must be singular purpose, in
deed, which You would prefer to lose
your life rather than part with"
"If il must be 20, then il must.
hoped 70 lose my life when ] came Ia
America, bat not thus. However, what
difference il itT
They found him guilty and sentenced
him TO death. He was To be shot by sir
Of his comrades at the next sunrise. YeI
they pitied him. He was, by all &C
counts, tall, handsome, brave fellow, 9
soldier whose ease of manner and who's
habits indicated that his early life wal
passed in circles with which none of hi,
companions were were familiar. He wal
a stranger 70 them all when he joined
them, and it had not escaped notice tha'
the Count de ROchambesu, with hiseyer
observant eye, had marked this common
soldier, Francois, and had even one.
said, in the hearing of the sentry who
paced in front of the door, al mean t.
find out why this gentleman serves az /,
common soldier and who he is"
With Ill his resarge and hours of med
itation, Francois was favorite with hi
comrades, for while they felt that h,
was above them in refinement, in polisl
and experience, they knew that he mad
no effort N have them feel thus, but rathe
.-Iaaunrod N rnnrasa ell triaI L. and a.nn