The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-03-20
Jonathan Niles and his Fife.

In 1778, while the American army
was encamped at Tappan, on the Hud.
son, General Lafayette had command OF
the advance, his particular duty being
to guard the water front; and, in order
that any attempt on the part OF the
enemy at surprise might be guarded
against, Lafayette issued orders that
there should be no noise of any kind by
the troops between the hours of tattoo
and reveille.
Jonathan Niles was one of Lafayette's
musicians, and his instrument the fife.
He was son of Connecticut, and he had
a manned and disabled brother who was
cunning artifcer, and who, among
other quaint things, had made the fife
ON which Jonathan played.
1t was so constructed that it could be
blown to the shrill and ear-piercing notes
that belong with the drum, or it could
be so softly and sweetly breathed upon
as to give forth notes like the gentle
dulcimer.
One evening Jonathan wandered down
by the waters edge, and, seated upon
rock, gazed off upon the darkly flowing,
star-gemmed flood.
His thoughts were of his home and of
| the loved ones; and anon came memories
of the old songs that had been wont to
gladden. the freside.
| Unconsciously he drew his flute from
his bosom and placed it to his lips. In
his mind, at the moment, was a sweet
song, adapted from Mozart, which had
been his mothers favorite.
| He knew not what he did. To him all
things of the present were shut out, and
he was again at home, sitting at his
mothers feet; and the charm was not
broken until a rough blow upon the
back recalled him to his senses.
"Man, what are you doing? The
general may be awake. If he should
hear you-ahp
1t was a sentinel; and even this
guardian of the night afterward con-
fessed that he had listened. entranced,
to the ravishing music for a long
time before he had thought it his duty
to stop it.
On the following morning an orderly
came to the spot where Jonathan had
been eating his breakfast, and informed
him that the general wanted to see him
at headquarters.
Poor Jonathan turned pale and
trembled. He knew that Lafayette
was very strict, and that in those perilous
times even sli ght infractions of military
orders were punished severely.
As he arose to his feet, the sentinel OF
the previous evening came up and
whispered into his ear:
elf it should be about the music,
Jonathan, don't you be alarmed. Not 8
soul save you and me knows anything
about it; can swear to that. So do you
lust say it wasn't you. Stick to it, and
you'll come out all right"
Jonathan looked at the man pity
ingly; an g.
like that? 1t would be the heaviest
load l ever carried-heavier than l ever
mean to carry, if l have my senses"
He then went to the generals quarters,
tent pitched in commanding site,
overlooking the whole line he had to
guard.
Lafayette was pacing to and fro, sad
and moody, as though his thoughts were
unhappy.
"Comrade, who are your
Jonathan Niles, general"
"Last evening l heard music. down
by the rivers bank. Were you the
musician
"It was I, general; but knew NOT
what 1 did. / meant not to disobey
your order. sat and thought of home
and of my mother, and"
The general started at the sound Of
that word, and the shadow upon his face
grew soft and ethereal.
"Of your mother? And / thought oi
mine. 1t was theme of Mozarts, and
was my mothers favorite. If you will
be so kind, go bring your instrument
and play for me that strain here in my
/ tent. 1t will do me good"
: In the after years-even to his dylns
) hour-the man loved to tell that story
!. Though he would never urge the truth
, upon any man in consideration of 81
, mean thing as the benefit that mig II
result, yet he could not put away thu
t thought that the sweetest and mos
: blessed memory of all his soldiers ex
perience might have been lost to him hac
he grasped at the opportunity to tell
l lie on the one occasion of all his lif
. when lie night, to some, have seemed
most opportune and profitable.