Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-04-28
Jonathan Niles ana hts Fife.

In his youth, Jonathan Niles was a mu-
sician Of the Revolutionary Army. In
1878, while the American Army was en-
camped at Tappan, on the Hudson. Gen.
Lafayette had command of the advance,
his particular duty being to guard the
waterfront; 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.
Our Jonathan was one of Lafayette
musicians, and his instrument the fife. He
was u son of Connecticut, and he had a
manned and disabled brother who was a
cunning artiicer, and who. among other
quaint things had made the fife upon
which Jonathan played. 1t was so con-
structed that 1t could be blown to shrill and
ear-piercing notes that belong with the
drum, or it could be softly and sweetly
breathed upon as to give forth notes ike
the gentle dulcimer.
One evening Jonathan wandered down
to 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 hreside.
Unconsciously, he drew his fiuto 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
d;t IT, him al th,n0a ,f rho vraean, xva-.,
shut out, and he was again at home, sitting
at his mothers feet-and the chasm was
not broken until rough blow upon the
back recalled him to his senses.
Man, what are you doingl The Gen.
eral may be awake. II he should hear you
-ah!"
1t was sentinel; and even this guardian
of the night afterward confessed that he
had listened, entranced, to the ravishing
music for long time before ho had
thought of his duty to stop il.
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 head
quarters.
Poor Jonathan turned pale and trembled
He knew that Lafayette was very strict.
and that In those perilous times even slight
Infractions Of military orders were punish
ed severely. As he rose to his feet the
sentinel of the previous evening came up
and whispered into his ear:
''If it should be about the music, Jona-
than, dent you be alarmed. Not a soul
save you and me knows anything about it.
| can swear to thatl 30, do you just say it
wasn't you. Stick to it. and you'll come
out all right"
Jonathan looked at the man pityingly.
fWhat! my mothers son tell lie like thatl
1t would be the heaviest load ever carried
heavier than / ever mean to carry, If /
have my senses"
He then went to the Generals quarters
"a tent pitched In a commanding sight,
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 youi"
Jonathan Niles, General"
Last evening l heard music down by
the rivers bank. Were you the musi-
sian?"
at was I, General, but knew not what
did. Imeant not TO disobey your order.
sa; and thought of home and my mother,
and"
The General started at the sound of that
word, and the shadow upon his face grew
soft and ethereal.
''Of your-MorHER! And I thought OF
mine 1t was a theme of MoZart's, and
was my mothers favorite. II you will be
so kind, 60 bring your instrument and play
for me that strait here in my tent 1t will
do me good"
In the after years-cven TO his dying
hour-the man loved to tell that story.
Though he wocld never urgethe truth upon
any IN consideration Of 80 mean a thing a;
the benefit that might result, yet he could
not put away the thought that the sweetest
and most blessed memory Of all his soldier'
experience might have been lost to him hae
he grasped At the opportunity to tell lie,
might, to some, haze seemed n0sI oppor
tuss and profitable