The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-09-05
EBENSBURG. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5.

within, and by it two despatch bearers
could be seen sitting on the counter
for before the war the office was a
country shop-driving their spurs into
the woodwork as their legs dangled a
foot or more from the floor. The marks
of the spurs of these and other messen-
gers are to be seen in the woodwork
even to this day. Mistress Prudence
and her escort passed in to this rOom.-
The despatch bearers, who were evident
ly 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 off
and they saw the large gray eyes, now
seeming very dark by the freight, and
| that her features were exceeding fair
and her manner gracious, they thought
for certain that they were in the pres
ence of one of the Governors daughters.
and became at once greatly courteous.
One took her cloak and shook the snow
from it, 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 unannounced Mis-
tress 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 noble man
stood easily before the fireplace, the
| flames from the burning log furnishing
the gilt of his scabbard. The Governor
! arose and the Count bowed. Both
were exceeding tall, and Mistress Pru-
dence seemed by contrast wofully 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 Esquire -
''Ahem - this in 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 go with
out 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 l 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, cuTtseying. "But, Mr..
/ Trumbull, Will you tell me what Mr..
Duplan, the tall French soldier. has
done, and what is to be his punish
/ ment -
The Governor, who had taken adyan-
tage of the cOllOquy 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 a look of surprise.
Il know nothing of any French sol
I dier, Mistress Prudence, and prithee
why should you visit me on such night
/ as this for such matter ?" he said.
Because he is good man and a
/ 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 ! see
/ that she is greatly exercised, and Iknow
/ her to be not disturbed by trifes.' =
The Count de Rochambeau was very
/ grave. He looked at the maid strange
! ", but not SuSpiciOusly. At length he
! said ''IIe is a deserter; there is much
/ of mystery about him but of all the
mysteries there is none so very strange
/ as this that has now come to my ears.
/ Tell me, . and he took the girls hand,
what reason is there that you should
! thus lntercede ~
Il cannot tell that now, sir. = replied
the mistress a little demurely, but it is
/ a good One.'
Here the Count de Rochambeau
/ looked very grave, but the Governor at
once said: I'd plight my honor, sire,
the girl tells the truth. Tell me, Mis-
tress Prudence, how came you to know
/ this soldier"
4 have often seen him at the Oyen
| over there, and in passing have chatted
/ with him, as have the other maidens.
for he speaks the English tongue as well
as you OF |.
''Was that entirely seemly p said the
Count gravely.
Mistress Prudence looked at the tall,
gracious Frenchman wOnderingly for
an instant, and then slowly and instinct
lively catching his meaning, said, while
her gray eyes sparkled and the blood
mounted to her cheeks:
There are none but brave and true
, women in Lebanon, sir
The Count bowed low, with his hand
over his heart, and humbly begged the
, maids forgiveness.
AT the oven, you say" continued
, the Governor; ''surely there could bC
no harm in that, for is not the oven OF
] the common, at the rear of the meeting
house - The brick oven still remains
on the common, sadly broken in anC
2 gone to decay, but there nevertheless.
Il came to ask you to cause him t,
[ be released, on my word that he ha
, done nothing wrong. 1t is unseemly t
shut such man up as prisoner for th'
space of one hour
l The Governor and the Count eXchang
l ed glances. and the quick eye of Mis-
T tTess Prudence saw it. With the mos
e dignitied courtesy to the Count sh
: turned her back upon him. and, gOin
0 to the Governor. said ''AIr. Trumbull
you knew me when | was child, be
: fore this war. Did you not see me lea
t the other maids to the school house
? when the messenger from Lexington t
e Norwich stopped to tell us that bloc
h had been shed, and did ! not suggest
h the maids that we even take our petit
r coats to make the implements Of wa
g with ? Do you remember my ride
a Hartford, alone through the forests
that l might carry to you the speci;
l. dispatches that were waiting you heI
n from Gen. Washington ?''
It ''In truth l remember all this, and
d your credit
s. ''Then have l not the right to ask
IS slight favor ?''
l. ''But, Mistress Prudence, cannot {
rt what you would seek. My authOrit
1t extends not to the battalion of the CouI
de ROchambeau.
rs "But you can plead with him.
A. Il see, Mistress Prudence, you lit