Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-11-12

distinctly: CHOW, 60. You will come
to see me In the morning at the oven,
will you not?' And then the guard
knew he had not told her what his SEN
tence was, and that she did not know
that she never would hear him speak
again. AS she quilted the guardhouse
he put some papers that be took from
his breast into her hand.
"Will you go with me to the war
Office" she said to her escort, and wait
there until I have seen Mr.. Trumbull?
Then when we get to my fathers house
my father will make for you hot punch,
I'll warrant. Yes, / know, the punch
will be all ready, because Mr. Rudd,
our minister, is in the kitchen this even.
ing with father, and they always take
warm one when they are together"
The snow, as they passed the highway,
began to fall so thickly that even the
light of the lantern was dimmed, but at
this Mistress Prudence laughed, and the
comrade who was acting as her escort
thought her an extremely fearless girl,
and wonderfully handsome withal. The
walk to the war Office was short one.
Within ten minutes they were at the
door.
"Haltl" said the sentinel, and he
was so mufled up that it was the tone
rather than the articulStion that checked
Mistress Prudence, who would otherwise
have opened the door ard gone in unan-
nounced.
ooh no! It is you, is it, mistress;
and what do you here on such a night as
this?" the sentinel said, after peering
into the maiden's face.
"I would see Mr.. Trumbull; truly I
desire overmuch to speak to him. Will
you admit me?" .,-.s
The sentinel tapped on the door. 1t
was opened. A ruddy glow burst from
within, and by it two dispatch bearers
could be seen sitting on the counter-for
before the war the Office was country
shop-driving their spurs into the wood
work as their legs dangled foot or more
from the floor. (The marks of the spurs
of these and other messengers are to be
seen in the woodwork even to this day.
Mistress Prudence and her escort passed
into this room. The dispatch bearers,
who were evidently in the midst of
some rollicking story, and were plainly
feeling the merrier for the mulled cider
they had taken, eyed the female figure
curiously at first, but when she threw
her cloak and hood of, and they saw the
large gray eyes, now seeming very dark
by the freight, and that her features
were exceedingly fair and her manner
gracious, they thought for certain that
they were in the presence of one of the
governors daughters and became at
once greatly courteous. One took her
cloak and shook the snow from it and
then put it before the fire. The other
opened the door to the room in the rear
where he knew the governor was passing
an hour with the Count de Rochambeau.
Thus announced, Mistress Prudence
came into the governors presence. He
sat at his oaken desk, but seemed for the
moment to be more occupied over
certain discussion that he was having
with Rochambeau than with his papers.
The French nobleman stood easily before
the fireplace, the flames from the burn
ing logs Furnishing the gilt of his scab-
bard. The governor arose and the count
bowed. Both were exceedingly tall, and
Mistress Prudence seemed by contrast,
woefully small, but not less fearless than
the men she confronted
why, Mistress Prudence, what has
brought you here? Do you come from
your worthy father, the esquile?'
"Ahem!" This is the slightest and
yet most suggestive of tones from the
count.
pardon me-" said the governor.
"Let me, beg, present Mistress Pru-
dence Strong to the Count de Rocham-
beau. A worthy daughter of an exceed
ing worthy father, sir"
"Truly, that would almost 70 without
the saying of it, your Excellency." And
the count with much grace took Mistress
Prudence's brown but shapely hand and
bent over it. "Did I not have the
pleasure of leading the maid at the reel
in the tavern dining room?" he asked.
"Indeed you did, sir" replied Mis-
tress Prudence, curtesying. But, Mr..
Trumbull, will you tell me what Mr..
Duplan, the tall French soldier has done,
and what is to be his punishment?
The governor, who had taken advan-
tage of the coloquy between the maid
and the count to draw On his outer gar
ment of plain brown homespun-for the
room was sultry and he had removed it
turned with look of surprise.
81 know nothing of any French SOL
der, Mistress Prudence, and prithee why
should you visit me On such night as
this for such NATTER" he said. 81.
Because he is a good man and
brave soldier, and because he has done
nothing to merit punishment;
"But why does Mistress Prudence be-
come his intercessor, eh? Count, per-
haps you know something of this. What
does the maid mean, for I see that she is
greatly exercised, and ! know her not to
be disturbed by trifes" ,.e
The Count de Rochambeau was very
grave. He looked at the maiden strange
ly, but not suspiciously. At length he
said: "He is deserter; there is much
OF mystery about him; but of all the
mysteries there is none 50 very strange
as this that has now come to my cars.
Tell me-" and he took the girls hand.
"what reason is there that you should
thus intercede?'
can not tell that now. sir" ren1ied